Adhesive Dental Bridges

Adhesive bridges can be either temporary or permanent prosthetic restorations. They are cemented to the tooth structure permanently or attached temporarily for instance, during the healing process after implantation. In comparison to porcelain conventional bridges, adhesive bridges do not require preparing natural teeth, which means that they are less invasive replacement solutions. Adhesive bridges are attached to the back of abutment (supporting) teeth with the help of glass fibre wings and can be cemented in 3 different ways:
- fibre glass wings can be glued to the adjacent natural teeth.
- fibre glass wings can be placed in spaces left after drilling out old fillings of the adjacent teeth.
- fibre glass wings can be inserted in a specially prepared site or socket in adjacent teeth.
Adhesive bridges are most commonly used to fill the gaps left by single missing teeth. Your dentist will recommend you a particular way of cementing the bridge during a dental examination. Below there is a simplified description of the adhesive bridge procedure:

   - first appointment: after you have been considered a candidate for the adhesive bridge, your dentist chooses the way of cementing the bridge and prepares the adjacent teeth by creating a site for fibre glass wings. Next, impressions of the teeth must be taken and sent to a prosthetic laboratory.
   - second appointment: Your dentist shows you the completed bridge in your oral cavity and makes small adjustments if necessary prior to its permanent cementing.

Frequently Asked Questions:

- what are the indications for an adhesive bridge? - the indications for an adhesive bridge are single missing teeth in cases when a patient wants to avoid the preparation of healthy supporting (abutment) teeth. Another indication may be a temporary (approximately 3-6 months) restoration of missing teeth while the healing process after implantation is in progress.
- how long does it take to complete the adhesive bridge procedure? - the whole procedure takes approximately 1-2 days since the first appointment. After that time, a patient can enjoy a beautiful smile and the chewing ability restored.
- are there any contraindications for an adhesive bridge? - the contraindications for an adhesive bridge are malocclusion, bruxism (teeth grinding) and patient age (under the age of 16). During a dental examination, your dentist determines whether prosthetic treatment is suitable in a particular case.