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• A dental bridge is an effective restoration method to replace a tooth.
• The patient can confidently chew with comfort on the bridge vs before when foods would hurt and damage the gingiva (gum).
• The patient now has an aesthetic solution to a missing tooth, which can boost confidence.
• Without a dental bridge, the surrounding teeth would slowly spread, trying to close the gap autonomously.
• Bridges are easily maintained

• Surrounding teeth are filed and if the bridge is not placed properly, bacteria and plaque can build up and damage the anchoring teeth.
• Sometimes the anchoring teeth of the bridge are not strong enough or face trauma that breaks the bridge, needing an immediate repair.

Regular brushing on top and either side of the bridge is sufficient, with regular flossing and mouthwash to displace any plaque or food particles. You can have the dentist examine the bridges once or twice a year along with regular oral hygiene cleans.

Depending on the type of dental bridge, it can take between 3-5 days. If it is an implant supported bridge, then the implants need to be placed and allowed 3 months to heal. Then another 5 days to design and fit the bridge.

Turkey has seen millions of health tourists over the past 10 years for the affordable dental care. Bridges can be considerably cheaper than in western countries.

Both anchor teeth on either side of the missing area must be filed down to a base shape which involves shaving 1mm of natural tooth, to design and fix a zirconia 3 part bridge.

The price varies on the recommended or requested dental bridge type. Implants, zirconia, PFM, metal frameworks can be involved so it’s best to choose what is recommended by the dentist.

It can take a week or up to a month to get used to the feeling of have a dental bridge installed.

Patients should use a soft bristled brush 3 times a day with regular flossing and mouthwash. Have your dentist check up on it each time you visit the clinic.

Patients can expect local anaesthesia to be used while the dentist prepares the anchoring teeth. It can take about 1-2 hours for the first appointment to finish. Impressions are taken using a dental putty and CAD/CAM technology uses your impressions to design a new dental bridge. Once designed, it is painlessly applied with dental adhesive which will last approximately 10 years.

Bridges are expected to last about 10 years before needing to be replaced. Implants have a lifetime guarantee and preserve the bone structure. If bone loss starts to occur, surrounding teeth can encroach by changing angles and becoming loose. That’s why in the long term, it’s best to have an implant. The crown that sits on the implant is much easier and less expensive to replace should it need replacing after 10 years.

A traditional, Cantilever, and Maryland dental bridge should only cover one missing tooth. Whereas the implant supported bridge can support up to two missing teeth.

A bridge can be replaced if it’s broken, too old, discoloured or fractured. The dentist cuts the dental bridge off and cleans the teeth where the adhesive was. A new dental bridge can be fitted, providing the anchoring teeth are in good condition.

A bone graft could be needed if the missing area has a divet. It would be best to attain a consistently straight bone structure for aesthetic reasons.

Comparing the cost with the dental bridge lifetime, use, comfortability and aesthetic, a dental bridge can be well worth it.

A doctor may suggest a dental bridge over an implant to save the patient time and money or that an implant is not suitable for the area because the bone structure is too thin, poor quality or that the space between teeth is too small to allow an implant to fit.

It depends on the size of the gap. If there is a small gap, a traditional bridge is sufficient. If the gap is a bit larger, the patient can benefit in the long term by having an implant support bridge.

Local anaesthesia is used in the dental bridge procedures so now pain is felt and patients can feel relaxed.