The design of a dental bridge is the most important stage of the treatment. The final design is implemented after performing a thorough examination, discussing with the patient, dental technician and, sometimes, other qualified doctors.

Following this, the practitioner has to answer three questions:

• Considering the clinical situation, is the dental bridge a proper therapeutic solution ? If not, what other restoring solutions are available ?

• Which teeth will be selected as abutments ?

• How many pontics will the bridge number ?

dental bridge with 2 abutment teeth and 1 pontic

Why is the design so important ?

Proper planning will increase the prognosis and lifespan of a dental bridge. It will also provide an excellent chewing comfort and protect the abutment teeth against undesirable complications.

What happens in case of a poor design ?

An improper design takes its toll on the abutment teeth that support the bridge. Proper planning ensures a balance between the abutment teeth and the artificial teeth (or the pontics). Without this balance, abutment teeth may become loose over time.

This has extremely negative consequences on the prosthetic restoration.

• Once the abutment teeth become loose, dental bridge support becomes inadequate. After a period, the entire restoration may end up loose and eventually will have to be removed.

• After the bridge removal, the underneath abutments are still loose. If mobility exceeds certain levels, these teeth can no longer be used as abutments (for the new restoration). Following their extraction, the new clinical situation will call for a more complex therapeutic approach.

In conclusion, improper design may produce a chain reaction, which leads not only to the failure of the dental bridge but also to the complication of the entire restoration plan.

proper design of a dental bridge:
2 abutment teeth sustain 1 pontic

What are the stages of dental bridge design ?

Dental bridge design is a complex operation that includes several steps. Each stage has its importance but their order may vary from doctor to doctor.

• First, it must be established whether the clinical situation is suitable for a bridgework restoration. Only certain types of edentulism can be restored with traditional bridges.

• The next step is selecting the abutment teeth. An abutment tooth must meet certain general requirements. Besides that, some classes of teeth (molars, canines) are more important in supporting a dental bridge.

• Other important factors must be considered. They may play a smaller or larger part depending on the clinical situation of each patient.

• Finally, we will make a systematization of the concepts and provide some examples. It's time to move from theory to practice.

Once the dental bridge is designed, it is time to select the manufacturing material. Various materials and combination of materials may be used for constructing a dental crown or bridge. Each has different costs and different qualities.

zirconia dental bridge

porcelain fused to gold dental bridge