Dental Bridges Middlesbrough

A bridge fills the gap left by a missing tooth by anchoring a replacement tooth to the teeth on either side. It's fixed in place, so it doesn't come in and out like a denture, and once it's in you brush it and eat with it much as you would your own teeth. It's a good option when the neighbouring teeth already need crowning anyway.

It depends on the gap and the teeth either side of it. A dental implant replaces the root as well as the tooth and doesn't rely on the neighbouring teeth, so it's often the longer-term answer. A bridge is quicker, involves no surgery and costs less up front, but it does mean preparing the teeth on either side. We'll talk you through both properly rather than pushing you towards one.

With good cleaning and regular check-ups, most bridges last somewhere between ten and fifteen years, and often longer. What shortens that is decay or gum problems around the supporting teeth, which is why the hygienist visits matter more once you have a bridge, not less.

You can't floss a bridge in the normal way, so you'll need superfloss or small interdental brushes to clean under the false tooth. It takes a couple of minutes once you've got the hang of it, and we'll show you exactly how on the day it's fitted. Our hygienist will keep an eye on it at your regular visits.

Usually two. At the first we prepare the supporting teeth, take a scan or impression and fit a temporary bridge so you're never left with a gap. The permanent one is fitted a couple of weeks later once the laboratory has made it. If you'd rather not have impression material in your mouth, we can scan instead using our iTero scanners.

It depends on how many teeth are being replaced and what the supporting teeth need, so we give you a written cost after your examination rather than a guess beforehand. Denplan Essentials members get 15% off the treatment cost, and payment plans are available from £400 upwards. Have a look at our fees for a guide to related treatments.