Replacing missing teeth – a DaviDent speciality!

Fixed, removable, implant-supported and combined dental restorations, planned individually for each patient.
I always make temporary crowns and bridges in the practice, so patients never have to leave without teeth.

 

•  Conventional bridges:
The conventional way to replace a missing tooth involves preparing the teeth on either side of the gap. Preparing a tooth for a crown or bridge means removing 1–2 mm from its outer surface on all sides.

When these supporting teeth, known as abutment teeth, are already in relatively poor condition, this approach is an excellent choice. It replaces the missing teeth while reinforcing and protecting the abutment teeth, which need treatment anyway. For example, if half a tooth is already missing, that half is built up and only the remaining half needs to be reduced.

Available materials include:

– Metal-ceramic bridges: Porcelain fused to a metal framework. The metal may be a cobalt-chromium alloy, a gold alloy or titanium.

– Metal-free porcelain bridges: As well as conventional metal-ceramic bridges, bridges can be made entirely from porcelain or from porcelain on a zirconia framework. These offer excellent aesthetics and a natural appearance, while avoiding metal allergies.

When the teeth on either side of a gap are intact or only slightly damaged, for example with small fillings or shallow decay, the conventional method removes too much healthy tooth structure. There are two ways to avoid this:

– an inlay-retained bridge (see below)

– a dental implant, which replaces the missing tooth root

(Read more about dental implants)

 

•  Inlay-retained bridges:

Instead of reducing the outer surface of the teeth on either side of the gap, a filling-sized cavity is prepared. This is done by removing a small area of decay, reshaping an existing filling cavity, or minimally drilling an intact tooth. The bridge fits into and is supported by these cavities, where it is bonded using a special adhesive. This replaces the missing tooth and restores the prepared cavities with an aesthetic result. The method is particularly useful when the abutment teeth have small areas of decay or old fillings: replacing the missing tooth also addresses the decay or the need to replace an old filling.

 

•  Dental implants and implant-supported restorations:

Find out more about related topics.
When are dental implants a good option? »

 

•  Removable dentures:

Find out more about related topics.
Removable dentures »

 

•  Combined fixed and removable restorations:

Find out more about related topics.
What does a combined fixed and removable restoration look like? »