Fixed dental bridge

Once a permanent tooth is extracted or falls out, it’s important to replace it with an artificial tooth as soon as possible. This prevents your other teeth from moving out of alignment, while also protecting your teeth from other problems in the future.

A bridge – also called a “fixed bridge” or "fixed partial denture" – can be used to replace one or even sometimes two missing teeth. It generally consists of one artificial tooth permanently affixed between two real, healthy teeth.

How it’s done

• The dentist prepares the two healthy teeth on either side of the missing tooth to be fitted with crowns.
• The replacement tooth and two crowns are milled in a laboratory, custom-crafted as one piece.
• The dentist permanently affixes the bridge to the healthy adjacent teeth using cement.

If well taken care of, a bridge should last you ten years. Your dentist can show you how to keep your bridge clean using dental floss or floss threaders.

Other options

Instead of replacing your tooth with a bridge, your dentist may suggest a sole dental implant instead. With the implant, healthy teeth do not need to be fitted for crowns and you can keep the bony base that supported your tooth – something that would disappear quickly otherwise. If you do not have healthy teeth to hold a bridge in place, a bridge with implants might be required. Instead of leaning against two healthy teeth, this type of bridge would be affixed to two or more implants.

Your dentist can evaluate your situation and advise you on the best options for your specific needs.