Bridge Applications

If you have lost one or more of your teeth, you may have noticed how important they are to your appearance and oral health. Our teeth work in unison as we chew, speak, sing and laugh. When we lose our teeth, things get a bit tougher. However, we’re lucky that it’s possible to compensate for missing teeth with various methods.

What Exactly Is a Bridge or Prosthesis?
It’s a form of treatment based on taking support from neighboring teeth to fill the gaps that occur in case of the loss of one or more teeth. There are two types; The stationary bridge can only be disconnected by a specialist, while the movable bridge can be removed by the person during oral cleaning. However, the movable type is not widely used today.

Why is a Bridge Deemed Necessary?
They are necessary for your appearance, dental health and tooth and jaw functions. A bridge can help maintain the natural shape of your face and support the lip and cheek. The loss of a molar can make your face look older and worn out. More importantly, not replacing missing teeth impairs one’s oral and dental health. Each tooth is designed to complement the other. When a tooth is lost, the other teeth gradually move or bend into the space created by the missing tooth. The tooth in the opposite jaw also protrudes into the cavity. These unusual tooth movements cause tension in both the tooth and gums. Besides all this, destruction occurs in the gum and bone tissues. Teeth become prone to decay, as normal – natural tooth contacts are disrupted, thus preventing physiological cleaning.

The Dragging of Remaining Teeth to Create Deformity
Missing teeth negatively affect chewing and speaking. Speaking properly is possible with a complete tooth structure, as they help to make many sounds while speaking. Moreover, one-sided chewing puts a pathological load on the joints.

How to Fasten a Bridge?
A fixed bridge is imbedded in the gap caused by the absence of the missing tooth with support from the natural teeth next to it. Thus, an artificial tooth replaces the missing tooth. The artificial tooth is affixed to the crowns prepared on the natural teeth.

Are There Different Types of Bridges?
Yes! Implants attach the artificial tooth directly to the jaw or under the gum. Since the implant procedure requires surgical intervention, the general health must be in place and the implant must have sufficient bone structure to be imbedded. In some instances, bridges (Maryland) made with an adhesive system (bonding) are also used to make up for missing teeth. Since these bridges are attached to other teeth with a special process, there’s no need for crowning. Your dentist will determine which treatment method will be right for you.

What Kind of Material is Used in the Bridge Process?
Appearance and function are considered when choosing the bridge material. Bridges may consist of gold alloys, non-precious alloys, porcelain, or a combination of all these materials.

Metal-Free Zirconium-Based Bridges
In this system, zirconium, a white alloy, is used instead of metal as a substructure. This state-of-the-art infrastructure is the only material that can offer aesthetics and durability together. The biggest advantage of this system is that it provides a full aesthetic appearance in the bridges in the back region with its very high durability.

What is Zirconium?
For many years, a metal substructure has been used beneath the porcelain tooth for durability in porcelain applications. Since the disadvantages of this metal infrastructure in terms of gums, dental tissue, general body health and most importantly aesthetics are known, the search for an alternative to metal in the porcelain infrastructure has been going on for years. In replacing porcelain metal in dentistry, a new era has begun with the application of zirconium, which had previously been successfully used in other medical fields. That’s because these new zirconium-based porcelain caps don’t cause gum problems and allergies, while providing us aesthetic and function close to that of natural teeth with its translucent feature.

Crowns and bridges made by setting porcelain over zirconium are called CERCON, which is a combination of the words ‘Ceramic’ and ‘Zirconium.’ With a resistance of 900 Mpa, this system has ushered in a brand-new era in dentistry by covering the highest physical values, as well as translucence, tissue compatibility and many various indications.

The success of the material has been proven in medicine and industry. As a result of research commenced in 1998, clinical applications have been implemented throughout the world since early-2002. With this new application, aesthetic concerns of the patient in metal-ceramic and all-ceramic restorations have been definitely eliminated.

• Where Can It Be Used?
  On single-tooth crown restorations
• On bridges with 3-6 members (up to 38mm in anatomic length)
• On implant crown – bridge works

High Technology for Perfect Results

Until now, zirconium oxide hadn’t been used in dental applications due to its high production cost. Thanks to a project developed by the Zurich Federal Institute of Technology, zirconium oxide has become economically usable in dentistry. Zirconium has been used in medicine since the 1960s, whereas long-term studies have proven the reliability of the material. Zirconium has been used for a myriad of purposes in various parts of the body, especially in hip joint prostheses, whereas it has been determined that it doesn’t have any harmful side effects, and doesn’t cause allergies. Zirconium is an element that is impervious to high temperatures, impact, light, doesn’t conduct heat and electricity, and is translucent. Moreover, it is a healthy material that doesn’t cause taste disorders, gum problems or halitosis. A wax model of your teeth is prepared on a mold prepared with the measurement taken from your teeth. A computer-assisted device prepares the infrastructure of your teeth by abrading the zirconium oxide block in line with information it acquires from the mold. The work is completed by imbedding ceramics of the appropriate color over the structures prepared by purification. Now, metal-free strong and aesthetic restorations can be successfully made with zirconium oxide, which is a new high-tech product.

Metal Unsupported IPS Bridges
They are obtained by compressing reinforced porcelain in special machines. While they’re preferred especially in front teeth because of their decent translucence. they’re not sufficiently resistant to chewing forces, especially for the back region.

How Should We Protect the Bridge?
It’s very important to maintain healthy teeth in our mouth. We need to brush at least twice a day and clean with interface cleaners (dental floss, special brushes). Cleaners help remove the sticky bacterial layer we call ‘plaque.’ Plaque causes gum disease and tooth decay. If the tooth or the bone holding the tooth is damaged in any way, the tooth may lose its bridge support. It’s necessary to carefully clean the area, particularly around the bridge, beneath it and the connection areas with the natural tooth. Dental floss and special brushes will help us reach these areas. Above all, you should visit your dentist regularly. Don’t forget that the dentist factor in the planning and installation of the bridge is the most important factor that determines the life of the bridge.