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Bridge (dentistry)

A dental bridge is a prosthesis used in place of missing teeth and may be removable or permanently attached.

A typical removable bridge will contain a simulated tooth and wire hooks that grip the adjoining teeth.

A typical permanent bridge will span a missing tooth by removing the original surface the adjacent teeth and cementing to them a common crown shaped to the original surfaces of the two mounting teeth and the missing tooth between. This method is generally used only for the replacement of the second premolar and molar teeth (the grinding teeth behind the canine (eye) teeth. The recipient of such a bridge must be careful to clean well under this prothesis.

Instead of a bridge, a partial plate, containing a simulation of the missing tooth, may be used.