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Missing Teeth Treatments

Dental Bridge

A Fixed Tooth Replacement Supported by the Neighbouring Teeth

A dental bridge is a fixed replacement in which the teeth either side of the gap are trimmed down and used as supports. The tooth that fills the gap and the crowns that sit over the supporting teeth are made as a single piece and cemented into place. It involves no surgery and is finished in a short time.

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What Is a Dental Bridge?

A dental bridge is a fixed replacement used to fill the space left by one or more missing teeth. The teeth either side of the gap carry the bridge, so no surgery is carried out on the jawbone.

The supporting teeth are trimmed down a little. The crowns that fit over these trimmed teeth and the tooth that fills the gap between them are made as one piece. This piece is cemented onto the supporting teeth, and you cannot take it out yourself.

What Does the Treatment Involve?

  • An examination and X-rays show what the roots of the supporting teeth are like and how sound they are.
  • The supporting teeth are trimmed down under local anaesthetic so that the bridge will fit over them.
  • An impression is taken, or a digital impression is made with an intraoral scanner.
  • A temporary bridge is fitted while the permanent one is being made, and you can eat and drink during this time.
  • The finished bridge is tried in; the fit, the bite and the colour are checked.
  • Once any adjustments have been made, the bridge is cemented permanently in place.

Bridges can be made from different materials. Which one is used depends on where the missing tooth sits in your mouth, how much chewing force reaches that area and what you expect the bridge to look like.

Who Is a Dental Bridge Suitable For?

A dental bridge may be considered for these patients:

  • patients missing one tooth, or several next to each other,
  • patients whose teeth either side of the gap are strong enough to carry a bridge,
  • patients who would rather avoid surgery, or for whom an implant is not suitable,
  • patients whose gums are healthy.

What Are the Trade-Offs?

  • Trimming the supporting teeth cannot be undone. Some tooth substance is taken away even if these teeth are sound and free of decay.
  • The trimmed teeth can become sensitive. In some cases they need root canal treatment.
  • The bridge does not load the jawbone under the gap. The bone there can carry on shrinking over the years.
  • A toothbrush cannot reach underneath the bridge. You will need extra cleaning aids for your daily routine.
  • If one of the supporting teeth develops decay or a gum problem, the whole bridge may have to be replaced.

Who Is It Not Suitable For?

  • patients whose supporting teeth are badly decayed, broken or loose,
  • patients with untreated gum disease,
  • patients who have a tooth on only one side of the gap and no supporting tooth further back,
  • patients missing a long run of teeth. A long bridge puts too much load on the supporting teeth.
  • patients whose clenching and grinding habit is not yet under control.

If the supporting teeth are not strong enough, fixed solutions on implants or removable dentures are considered instead. If there is not enough bone, a bone graft may be needed first. Whether this treatment is suitable for you is decided after an examination.

How Is This Treatment Planned at Papatya Dental?

Planning starts before you travel to Antalya. We make a first assessment from the X-rays and the photographs of your mouth that you send us. At this stage we tell you which teeth could act as supports, how many teeth the bridge is likely to span and how many appointments you will need.

Your first day at the clinic is given over to the examination and the imaging. A panoramic X-ray, and a CBCT scan where needed, show the roots of the supporting teeth, the bone around them and any old fillings or root canal treatments. If the clinical findings differ from the first assessment, the plan is updated at this point.

Planning looks at all of the following together:

  • the roots of the supporting teeth and the state of the bone around them
  • the condition of your gums and any treatment that has to be finished before the bridge
  • your bite, your chewing force and any clenching habit
  • the length of the gap and how many teeth the bridge will span
  • the material to be used and the colour of the neighbouring teeth
  • your flight dates and how many days you will be staying in Antalya

Once the supporting teeth are ready, a temporary bridge is fitted and the permanent one is made in the laboratory. If the try-in appointment shows that the bite or the colour needs adjusting, the bridge goes back to the laboratory. It is only cemented once the try-ins are finished, so we ask you to book your return flight for after the last appointment.

We stay in touch after you go home as well. If you notice sensitivity at the edges of the bridge, discomfort in your bite or swelling of the gum, you can send us photographs. Where something has to be looked at in person, we prepare your treatment records to pass on to a dentist in your own country.

Whether this treatment is suitable for you is decided after an examination.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a dental bridge last?
  • How long a bridge stays in place depends on how sound the supporting teeth are, on the health of your gums and on your daily cleaning.
  • When a bridge does have to be replaced, the most common reasons are decay in a supporting tooth and gum recession.
  • Regular check-ups help such a problem to be spotted before it affects the whole bridge.
Is the treatment painful?
  • The supporting teeth are trimmed down under local anaesthetic, so you should not feel pain during the appointment.
  • Once the anaesthetic wears off, the teeth can be sensitive to hot and cold for a few days.
  • There can be mild soreness along the gum margin, and this usually settles quickly.
  • As no surgery is involved, there are no stitches and no healing period to wait through.
How many days does the treatment take?
  • Because no surgery is needed, the process is short and is usually finished within a few days.
  • The examination, the preparation of the supporting teeth, the impression and the temporary bridge can all be done on the same day.
  • A few days are needed to make the permanent bridge in the laboratory and to try it in.
  • If root canal treatment or gum treatment is needed before the bridge, it takes longer.
What are the alternatives to a dental bridge?
  • An implant placed in the gap gives a fixed result without touching the neighbouring teeth. This needs enough bone, and a bone graft may be required if there is not enough.
  • If surgery is not suitable, removable partial dentures can be considered.
  • What really separates the options is whether the neighbouring teeth are left alone, how long the treatment takes and whether surgery is involved.
  • Whether an option is suitable for you is decided after an examination.
How do you look after a bridge?
  • A toothbrush cannot reach under the bridge. A floss threader or an interdental brush is used for this area.
  • Brush the gum margin of the supporting teeth regularly. Plaque building up there is the main cause of decay and gum recession.
  • It is better not to bite hard foods with the bridge.
  • If you clench your teeth, a night guard may be advised.
  • Regular check-ups and professional cleaning keep the bridge and the supporting teeth under review.

Other Treatments

Discover our full range of treatments

Implant-Supported Bridge5–7 days + healingRemovable Partial Denture4–7 daysComplete Dentures5–10 daysDental Implant1-4 daysAll-on-4 Implants1-3 daysAll-on-6 Implants1-4 daysBone Grafting3-6 months
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