Unfortunately not all traumatised teeth can be saved. When a tooth requires an extraction, or our patient has already had teeth removed in the past, we would possibly suggest a bridge be created. There are numerous reasons we would encourage a patient to fill the gap rather than just leaving it. These include: maintaining a natural, functional and stable bite; preventing the surrounding teeth from moving into the gap area; and ensuring an aesthetically pleasing and confident smile.
The bridge is made by our experienced laboratory technician and consists of an artificial tooth (made to fill the gap of the extraction area) which is anchored by crowns either side, forming a three unit appliance. The crowns either side are attached to the natural teeth, which are prepared as per normal crown preparation. The bridge is made of porcelain to provide strength and allow for perfect colour-match to the natural teeth. Like a crown, a bridge should function like your natural teeth, and last indefinitely in accordance with home care and maintenance.
