Placing a bridge usually takes more than one dental visit. On your first visit, our dentist prepares the teeth on either side of the gap. Preparation involves recontouring these teeth by removing a portion of enamel to allow room for a crown to be placed over them. Then, impressions of the teeth are made, which serves as a model from which the bridge, pontic and crowns will be made by our in-house dental laboratory. Our lab will make a temporary bridge for you to wear to protect your exposed teeth and gum while you are waiting for the permanent one.

During the second visit, your temporary bridge will be removed and the new porcelain or metal bridge is then fixed or cemented to the prepared teeth. This type of bridge is permanent and cannot be taken out of your mouth without a dentist's help. During one or more follow-up visits, the bridge is fitted, adjusted and cemented in place.

In some cases, dental implants may be used to support a bridge when several teeth are missing. Implants are posts that are surgically placed into the jaw. The implants fuse to the jawbone to act as a base for the bridge. A key benefit of implants is that they don't need support from the surrounding teeth.