A bridge or bridgework is the technique a dentist uses to replace a missing tooth by using the natural tooth on either side of the gap. Depending on the situation, the missing tooth may be attached to one or both of the teeth either side of the gap. This may be an ideal solution if the adjacent already have large fillings or crowns. However, if the adjacent teeth are perfectly healthy then cutting them down for a bridge may be too destructive and does not follow our principle of minimal intervention. In this situation a dental implant may be the solution.
In certain cases, a metal or ceramic wing can be bonded on to the inner surface of one or both of the teeth on either side of the gap with the replacement tooth attached to the wing. This is called an ‘adhesive bridge’ and is a far less destructive type of bridge. This may be an ideal solution for missing lower or even upper front teeth.
