What is a bridge?
- Prosthesis which replaces a missing tooth/ teeth
- Attached to one or more natural tooth or implant(s)
What are the indications for bridgework?
GENERAL
- Function and stability
- Appearance
- Speech
- Psychological
- Co-operative pt
LOCAL
- Big teeth
- Heavily restored teeth
- Favourable abutment angulations
- Favourable occlusions
What are the contra-indications for bridgework?
GENERAL
- Poor OH
- High caries rate
- Periodontal disease
- Large pulp
- Uncoop pt
- MH
LOCAL
- Likely for further tooth loss within arch
- Abutment prognosis poor
- Span length too great
- Root SA insufficient
- Angulation
- PA status
- Bone status (perio)
what is a retainer?
The restoration conencted to the pontic which is cemented onto the prepared abutment tooth
What is the edentuolous span?
Space between natural teeth to be filled
What is a saddle?
Area of edentulous ridge which pontic will lie
What is a pier?
Abutment tooth which is in between and supports two pontics
- Each pontic attached to further abutment tooth
What types of “conventional” bridges are there?
- Fixed-fixed
- Fixed-cantilever
- Fixed-moveable
- Hybrid (fixed retainer & adhesive retainer)
What are the advantages of a CONVENTIONAL fixed-fixed bridge?
- Maximum retention & strength
- Can be used in a long span
- Lab construction straight forward
- Abutment teeth splinted together (perio)
What are the disadvantages of a CONVENTIONAL fixed-fixed bridge?
- Difficult preparation
- Removal of tooth tissue
- Requires same path of insertion for both abutments
What are the advantages of a CONVENTIONAL cantilever bridge?
- conservative design
- Lab construction straight froward
- No need to ensure preps are parallel
What are the disadvantages of a CONVENTIONAL cantilever bridge?
- Short spans only
- Rigid to avoid distortion
- Mesial cantilever preferred?
What are the advantages of a CONVENTIONAL fixed-moveable bridge?
- No need to ensure preps are parallel
- Conservative
- Allows minor movement
What are the disadvantages of a CONVENTIONAL fixed-moveable bridge?
- Limited span
- Lab construction complicated
- Possible difficulty cleaning
- Difficult to construct provisional
What is Ante’s Law?
Root SA of abutment should be equal or greater than teeth being replaced by pontics
–> NOT evidence-based but rather ‘concept’
What are the advantages of a RESIN-RETAINED cantilever bridge?
- Min prep
- No LA req
- Cheap
- Quick
- Can be used a provisional
- Failures less destructive
What are the disadvantages of a RESIN-RETAINED cantilever bridge?
- Rigorous clinical technique
- Metal shine-through
- Can debond
- Occlusal interference
What can be used as a pontic in a direct resin-retained bridge?
- Pt’s own tooth (trauma)
- Acrylic denture tooth
- Polycarbonate crown
- Cellulose matrix filled with comp
What types are pontics are available?
- Wash-through
- Torpedo
- Total ridge lap
- Modified ridge lap
- Ovate
