Dental bridges are one of the most popular methods of restoring missing teeth. They are somewhat similar to dentures, but they are permanently fixed. With modern materials and manufacturing methods, dental bridges have exceptional strength, function, and aesthetic qualities. This, combined with their low price, makes it still a very popular option, despite the rapid development of dental implantology. However, the disadvantages of dental bridges are not small, so it is good to think carefully before putting a bridge in your mouth.
What Are Dental Bridges?
Imagine that in the row of teeth you have one or more missing teeth. A dental bridge is a structure that is made up of dental crowns that are attached to the teeth before and after the missing one, and between them is an artificial tooth called a pontic, which enters the place of the missing one and reaches the gum without piercing it.
What Are the Types of Dental Bridges?
There are four main types of dental bridges:
Traditional Fixed Bridges: These consist of crowns with a pontic fixed between them.
Adhesive Bridges: These are fixed to the abutment teeth by gluing, thus eliminating the need to file the abutment teeth. This is their advantage, but at the same time a disadvantage since this type of construction does not have very good strength. For this reason, these bridges are primarily used to restore front teeth.
Dental Bridges on Implants: As their name suggests, these are placed on dental implants previously placed in the jaw. Thus, with a smaller number of implants, a larger number of missing teeth can be restored.
Cantilever Bridges: These are attached to only one supporting tooth. This construction was not very successful and therefore this type of bridge is no longer used.
Temporary Bridges: These can be defined as a separate type, made of plastic and most often placed to protect already filed teeth until the permanent bridges are made.
What Materials Are Dental Bridges Made Of?
Modern materials offer excellent strength and aesthetic qualities:
Metal Dental Bridges
Rarely used, made of precious metals such as gold. They are strong and relatively cheap but not aesthetically pleasing.
Metal-Ceramic Bridges
One of the most popular types.They have the strength of metal bridges, but the layering of ceramic materials on the supporting structure allows for an excellent aesthetic appearance.
For metal-ceramic bridges to function well, several conditions must be met – the missing tooth must be surrounded by healthy and well-aligned teeth. Placing such a bridge requires the supporting teeth to be deeply filed and mortised. Sometimes it is possible that the recession of the crown makes the metal edge of the bridge visible, which disturbs its aesthetics.
Metal-ceramic bridges cannot be used in case of periodontitis, and with good care their service life is about eight years.
All-Ceramic Dental Bridges
They have an extremely good aesthetic appearance. In addition, the qualities of the material do not change over time and under the influence of food and drinks. The ceramic material is also hypoallergenic and does not irritate the gums, and the chipping of the bearing teeth is minimal and gentle.
Ceramic dental bridges are suitable for front teeth and for no more than three teeth at a time. Due to the fragility of the material, the manufacture of pure ceramic for chewing teeth is not recommended.
Zirconium Dental Bridges
They are the best in terms of strength, durability and aesthetics. Zirconium is an extremely strong material from which bridges can be made that are indistinguishable from healthy teeth. Moreover, these bridges do not change under the influence of different foods and drinks.
Zirconium does not cause allergic reactions, and for placing zirconium bridges, aggressive filing of the bearing teeth is not necessary. Getting used to zirconium crowns is very quick – usually a few hours, and their durability can reach up to twenty years. In addition, with zirconia bridges there is no limit to the number of tooth units that can be restored.
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Dental Bridges?
The advantages of dental bridges are
Low cost – this makes them very accessible to a wide range of people;
Quick fabrication – the procedure of making them is relatively fast, allowing people to restore their smile in a shorter time frame compare to other dental solutions;
Easy placement – they can be fitted with minimal discomfort and without need of invasive surgery.
Disadvantages
Requires filing and sometimes killing of healthy teeth;
Bone beneath the missing teeth thins and atrophies over time;
Limited service life, especially for cheaper options – just a few years.
What Are the Contraindications for Placing a Dental Bridge?
Diseases such as stomatitis, periodontitis, pulpitis, and various other infectious and inflammatory diseases of the teeth and gums are obstacles to placing a dental bridge. If you have bruxism, you must first undergo treatment before proceeding with the placement of a dental bridge. Dental bridges (and crowns) are not placed on pregnant and lactating women.
What Is the Procedure for Placing a Dental Bridge?
Placing a dental bridge requires two or three visits within a few days:
First Visit
The supporting teeth are prepared and an impression is taken or the jaw is scanned, depending on the chosen type of bridge and manufacturing method. Finally, temporary crowns are placed on the treated teeth.
Second Visit
A sample of the bridge is made. Depending on the material chosen, the bridge can be permanently fixed (for example, in the case of a zirconia bridge) or returned to the dental lab for layering of the ceramic material (in the case of metal-ceramic bridges).
Third Visit (if required)
Permanent fixation and finishing of the dental bridge.
Care of Dental Bridges
With a well-made dental bridge, you get used to it very quickly. Dental bridge care is no different from daily dental care – brushing twice a day with toothpaste and mouthwash. It is recommended to do preventive examinations and professional cleaning every six months. This will provide the dental bridge with trouble-free and long-lasting operation.
What Are the Prices of Dental Bridges?
Dental bridges are the most affordable way to restore missing teeth. Prices in the clinics we work with are significantly lower than those in Great Britain, without affecting the quality of materials or workmanship. To provide you with a price, we need to get to know your case. This can be done through the online consultation that we offer. To register for an online consultation, use THIS FORM.
Regular dental visits are crucial for the longevity of the bridge, ensuring it remains in good condition and any potential issues are addressed promptly.
Yes, dental bridges can help improve speech that may have been affected by missing teeth, as they restore the natural structure of the mouth and teeth alignment.
While standard brushing and flossing are essential, there are special cleaning tools like floss threaders and interdental brushes that can help clean around and under the bridge more effectively.
Once you have made contact with us, we will organize a free video consultation with the surgeon we believe is best suited for your particular situation.
This consultation will be within 5 days of your request. Prior to the video consultation, we will ask you to fill out a questionnaire about your medical history and send photos of the problematic areas.
If necessary during the video consultation your doctor will advise you to take additional photos of the problematic areas and suggestions for the angle from which to take photos.
This consultation will be combined with a detailed discussion about your wishes and the possibilities for achieving them. We will discuss with you the expected results, possible risks and any other issues that you might be concerned about.
We advise you to make a list of all the questions you may want to ask concerning the procedure before the actual consultation. After the official request to us, and if you wish, we can arrange a meeting for you with our representative in London.
Within 24 hours of the video consultation, we will send you a costing describing the price of the procedure and the needed length of stay in Bulgaria. In the costing there will also be preferential prices offered for our partner hotels with which we work and for which we can guarantee the quality and comfort.
You will then have 3-4 days of time to reflect, and give us your decision.
If you decide to proceed and agree with all terms and conditions , you will have 48 hours within which you must prepay 30% of the total amount of the procedure. This amount is paid directly to the clinic where your procedure will be performed and thereby you will have a reserved date and time for your procedure and a room in the hotel you have chosen. The remaining balance has to be paid by the day before the procedure itself after conducting the preliminary examination in the clinic.
If you decide or need to cancel the procedure, this must be done at least 30 days before the date of your flight in order to be able to trigger a process for returning your deposit.
If you decide to cancel our services within the last 30 days before your flight, you must have a good reason for doing so (supported by evidence) in order to take your money back. If you cancel it within these 30 days and the reason is acceptable, your money will be returned, but you will be suspended 50 euro for an administrative fee. If you wish to change the date of the procedure, this can happen at least 30 days before.
If you wish, we can also arrange your travel from your home to the airport. We are partners with a transport company and you can use our preferential prices. This also applies to your return flight. To do this, you will need to send us the details of your flight one week in advance.
Upon arrival in Bulgaria, you will be greeted at the airport by one of our employees who will take you to your hotel.
On the day before the operation, you will have a preliminary examination, where some necessary tests will be performed (e.g. blood tests) and we will specify all the details related to the operation (treatment plan, proposal for some additional or adjacent procedures for a better outcome, recovery plan etc). Our employee will take you to the clinic and after that to the place where you are to be accommodated.
Before the surgery, you will need to sign an informed consent document (i.e. a document certifying that you have been informed by the doctor about all potential risks and complications and that you understand them) and agree to proceed with the procedure).
On the day of the operation our employee will bring you back to the clinic. Depending on the procedure, you may need to have one or several days of hospital stay. After the completion of the procedure and the hospital stay, our employee will take you back to your hotel.
During the entire stay, our employee will be at your service throughout.
If you wish, and if the procedure allows, we can arrange your stay according to your requirements but this must be specified in advance.
On the day of departure, you will be accompanied by our employee back to the airport.
If you wish, we can arrange your stay according to your requirements. This must be specified in advance.
You will be provided with a detailed plan on the recovery process.
Online consultations in the recovery period will be arranged with your surgeon, but if you have stayed in the hospital after your procedure, the doctor will give you post-operative examinations on the first and third days.
On the seventh and fourteenth days, preventive online consultations will be made to track how the recovery goes.
Online consultation reviews are also done on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6thmonths.You will be able to contact us at any time!
