Types of Bridge

Conventional Bonded Porcelain Bridge

This bridge uses two or more teeth as supports (abutments). It is made of porcelain fused to a metal substructure (precious or non-precious). It is effectively crowns joined together by the missing teeth.

The dental technician adds many different layers of porcelain and colour to make as perfect a match as possible to the adjacent teeth in your mouth.

A thin line of metal maybe visible on the inside surface of the crown at the gum level.

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  Cantilever Bridge

This involves "hanging", or cantilevering, a false tooth off a prepared tooth adjacent to the gap. The advantage is that only one tooth needs to be prepared.

It may be made from traditional bonded porcelain to metal or it may be metal-free. The cantilever bridge however, may not be a suitable option in many cases.

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Adhesive Bridge (Maryland Bridge)

This bridge is usually designed to replace a single tooth. The advantage of a Maryland Bridge is that minimal preparation of the teeth is required.

The replacement tooth has one or more metal "wings" which are bonded to the adjacent teeth with acid etched composite bonding agents. The metal work is bonded to the inner surface of the tooth so the aesthetics are excellent. Again, this type of bridge may not be suitable in all cases.

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Metal Free Bridge

This can be a conventional bonded porcelain, cantilever or adhesive bridge design but without metal. Instead, high technology ceramics such as Inceram, Procera or Empress 2 are used.

Their metal free composition is of benefit to people with metal allergies or to those simply looking for the ultimate in appearance and strength.

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