The dentists at our Surrey dental clinic can bring your smile back if you’ve lost one or more of your teeth. We’ll use a device called a dental bridge to “bridge the gap” by replacing the missing teeth.
Most bridges consist of an artificial tooth (called a “pontic”) which has been fused between two crowns. Bridges are made of gold, porcelain or metal alloys to ensure their strength and durability.
Creating a bridge is a multi-step process. First, your Surrey dentist will create abutments out of your existing teeth. These abutments are where the bridge will be attached after it’s been fabricated. Then, we’ll take an impression of the area and send it to a dental lab. The staff at the lab will use the impression to create a bridge that fits properly and feels natural. The crowns in a bridge help stabilize the bridges’ abutments, and the pontic replaces the missing tooth.
The lab will need some time to craft your permanent bridge, so we’ll fit you with a temporary bridge to use in the meantime. The temporary bridge is more attractive than having a gap in your teeth, but more importantly, it protects the abutments and exposed gum areas while we’re waiting for the permanent bridge. That’s why a temporary bridge is standard practice at our Surrey dental clinic. Once your permanent bridge arrives at our office, we’ll have you come back so we can place it in your mouth. Your dentist will then place it on the abutments and use an adhesive to permanently seal it into position.
You might need a short period to adapt to your new bridge, but within a few days, it should start feeling like your natural teeth. Although you’ll soon be able to eat whatever you like without any problems, you should limit yourself to soft foods for the first few days.
We urge you to strongly consider having a missing tooth replaced by a bridge. Missing teeth can make it hard to eat or speak properly, and they can lead to structural changes in your mouth and jaw.