Ahead of your visit
Bridges
One appointment, explained before it starts.
A missing tooth doesn't always stay put as an empty space. The teeth around it can start to lean, and the tooth on the other jaw can drift down or up further than it should, and over time that changes the way your bite fits together. A bridge fills the space with a false tooth, anchored by a crown on each of the two teeth next to it. Before recommending one, your dentist checks that both of those teeth are strong enough for the job, since holding a bridge steady asks something of them too.
Why this matters
What this treatment aims to improve
Results depend on the starting condition, the treatment plan and how the mouth responds. Your dentist will explain what is realistic for your case before treatment begins.
The space gets used again
Chewing on that side stops feeling awkward, and there's no more gap for food to sit in after a meal.
Your other teeth stay put
Closing the gap takes away most of the reason nearby teeth would drift, so your bite tends to stay where it was before the tooth went missing.
You don't take it out at night
Once it's fitted, a bridge stays in your mouth for good. No soaking it, no case on the bathroom counter, nothing to misplace.
How it works
Step by step, from assessment to review
Two teeth get shaped
Your dentist reshapes both teeth next to the gap so a crown can sit over each one. That means removing some healthy tooth on both sides.
We scan the gap and both teeth together
A digital scan or a mould captures both prepared teeth and the space between them, so the false tooth sits at the right height once it's made.
The finished bridge goes in
Made to match your shade and your bite, the bridge is checked over both supporting teeth before it's cemented in for good.
Is it suitable for you?
A bridge could work for you if a tooth's missing and the two teeth either side of the gap are strong enough to carry it. Your dentist will confirm that before suggesting one.
You've got a gap you've been living with
Even if it doesn't hurt, a missing tooth left unfilled is worth talking about, since the teeth around it can shift without you noticing day to day.
The teeth either side of the gap are in good shape
A bridge needs both neighbouring teeth to be sound enough for a crown each, so your dentist checks the roots and gums of both first.
You'd rather not deal with something removable
If taking a denture out every night isn't for you, a bridge stays fixed in place from the day it's fitted.
Getting ready
Small things that help before you arrive.
Bring anything relevant
Old X-rays, a list of medications or notes on what you've noticed all help, though you're welcome to come without them.
Flag what makes it harder
If anxiety, a sensitive spot or a rough past experience make visits difficult, tell the team early so they can plan around it.
Give it enough time
A first look needs room for questions and a proper explanation, not just a quick glance and a nod.
Bridges questions
Questions patients often ask
The answers below cover what most patients experience. Your own dentist will tailor the advice to your examination, medical history and treatment plan.
Usually 2: one to shape the two supporting teeth and take measurements, and a second to fit the finished bridge once it's back from the lab.
Have a different question?
Tell the clinic what you are concerned about. The team can explain the next sensible step before you decide on a visit.
Book when you're ready
Talk it through before you book.
Tell HPA Dental Clinic what you've noticed and they'll help arrange the right appointment for it.
Bring whatever you're wondering about. Your dentist explains as you go, what's happening, why it matters and what comes next, so you leave with a plan that makes sense.