Dental bridges are an effective and natural looking way to replace one or more missing teeth. They are usually made from a combination of porcelain and precious metals, and consist of two crowns, positioned either side of a false tooth, which slot over the teeth adjacent to a gap (the abutment teeth). As well as being fixed over natural teeth, they can also be supported by dental implants.

The most obvious benefit of bridges is the way they restore an incomplete smile but they also improve eating, speaking, your ‘bite’ and the contours of your face, and they can help keep your existing teeth firmly in place.

Treatment steps

• The abutment teeth are prepared by removing a layer of enamel so the crowns can be comfortably accommodated.
• Impressions are taken of the teeth so the bridge can be tailor-made to fit.
• After the bridge has been produced in a laboratory, it is fixed in position with dental cement.

If bridges are well looked after, and that includes keeping the surrounding teeth healthy so they provide a solid foundation, they should last for years.