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Crowns, Bridges, Dentures, Implants

Bridge Sectioning

09/08/2006

Question:

When making a long bridge that connects to two implants, tooth #4 and #5 are implants, bridge extends from #4 to #10, should the bridge be made as two separate parts?

One prosthodontist said that because the implants will not allow for any rocking, making the bridge as one long piece could cause damage to tooth #9 which has a post in it for stability.

Answer:

It is generally accepted to make the bridge in sections; implants-connected-to-implants and teeth-connected-to-teeth. Dental implants do not move the same as teeth under biting pressure, so we do not include them in the same bridge when we can avoid it.

While there is some literature to support the connection of teeth to implants in the same bridge, our approach of not connecting teeth to implants lies with the majority of the scientific evidence.

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Response by:

Julie A Holloway, DDS, MS, FACP Julie A Holloway, DDS, MS, FACP
Associate Professor of Restorative and Prosthetic Dentistry
College of Dentistry
The Ohio State University