Bridge (dentistry)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A dental bridge is a prosthesis used to replace missing teeth and is usually not removable by the patient.
A prosthesis removable by the patient is called a RPD or removable partial denture.
The term permanent bridge is a missnomer as no dental restorative can truly be called "permanent". Given time, use and the hostile oral environment all dental restorations will eventually need replacement. A dental bridge is fabricated by reducing the teeth on either side of the missing tooth or teeth by a preparation pattern determined by the location of the teeth and by the material from which the bridge is fabricated. In other words the abuttment teeth are reduced in size to accommodate the material to be used to restore the size and shape of the original teeth in a correct alignment and contact with the opposing teeth. The materials used for the bridge include gold, porcelain fused to metal, or in the correct situation porcelain alone. The amount and type of reduction done to the abuttment teeth varies slightly with the different materials used. The recipient of such a bridge must be careful to clean well under this prosthesis.
Instead of a bridge, a partial plate, containing a simulation of the missing tooth, may be used.
A cantilever bridge refers to a bridge that is attached to one or two abutment teeth on one end only. These are rarely used today in the US
de:Brücke (Zahntechnik)
