Trimac Dental Centre offers a variety of dental treatments performed by general dentists. The information below is formatted for your printer so you can have this information on hand. Click the button to the right to view an animation of the procedure.

What are fixed bridges?
A fixed bridge is a dental device that replaces missing teeth. They are cemented to the teeth that are adjacent to the missing tooth. Fixed bridges prevent the development of bite problems and save remaining teeth.

What do Fixed Bridges do?

1. Replace missing teeth.
2. Help balance normal bite.
3. Help prevent hard foods from causing trauma on the dental ridge in the missing tooth area.
4. Prevent overeruption of the opposing teeth.
5. Prevent drifting and tipping of adjacent teeth. Posterior bite collapse.
6. Help prevent decay in abnormal areas.
7. Help slow down onset of gum disease (periodontal disease).

Are Fixed Bridges Necessary?
Often people lose their back teeth and then they do nothing to replace them. Unfortunately losing a back tooth can lead to a vicious cycle of destruction. The balance of your teeth is very important to your long term bite. Like a car tire, if the balance is off then the wear and tear on the unbalance tire plus the other three tires tends to dramatically speed up. A well-balanced bite is essential to the long-term functioning of your teeth. Losing a tooth quickly destroys this balance. A functional mouth has 14 teeth on the top and bottom (sometimes 16 if the wisdom teeth come in properly) These 28 teeth work as a team to provide support and stability.

How do Bridges Feel and Look?
A fixed bridge can look and feel like your natural teeth. You do not take it out to clean. It is cemented in place and becomes part of your functioning bite. The bridge can be made of full gold or porcelain. The porcelain esthetic bridge will be shaded to make the bridge blend in with the rest of your bite. You should be able to smile and not detect an esthetic bridge.

What are some of the Problems that Occur with Missing Teeth?

1. Supereruption of opposite tooth - tooth starts to grow long out of the bone
2. The ridge where the tooth is missing is subject to trauma
3. Posterior bite collapse - the back teeth tip over and the front teeth start to move sideways or stick out. Drifting of the remaining teeth causes the bite to go out of balance.
4. Abnormal Decay in areas after the teeth move. This is due to food impaction in areas that normally would defect food but now collect it.
5. Periodontal bone disease - bone loss and pocketing to cause support problems for the remaining teeth
6. Bone is destroyed as teeth tip and then have forces that act sideways on the tooth instead of up and down.

Can anyone receive bridges?
Talk with your dentist about whether you are a bridge candidate. The teeth that will be supporting the bridge must be in good condition and have good gum and bone tissue supporting them.

How long does the process take?
The process can take about 2 visits to complete. The first visit you have some preparation of the teeth to accept the bridge. This appointment can vary depending on the complexity of the treatment (i.e. number of teeth) The tooth preparation is captured using an impression that will be sent to a dental lab for fabrication of the bridge. A provisional temporary is placed until you come back for your second appointment. The second appointment involves the cementation of the bridge on the natural teeth. This fitting takes about 30 minutes.

How do I care for a fixed bridge?
Bridge longevity will be directly affected by how you keep them clean. Poor oral hygiene is a big reason why some bridges fail. It is important to floss and brush around the fixtures at least twice a day. Your dentist will give you specific instructions on how to care for your new bridge. It is also very important to visit your dentist regularly to have the bridges cleaned along with your other teeth.

What is the cost of bridges?
The pricing of bridges must be completed on an individual level since it depends on how many teeth are involved, how long the bridge will be, and the complexity. Your dentist can help you with this process.