The Encore Bridge
One extremely esthetic type of tooth replacement is the Encore® bridge.
This restoration can be used if the teeth on either side of the missing tooth do
not have crowns or other large restorations. Besides being very esthetic,
it
does not require the dentist to grind down the adjacent teeth. The principal disadvantage
is that it is not quite as solid as a conventional porcelain-to-metal
dental bridge
and there is a slight risk of it breaking or coming loose.
It also requires a high degree of skill to place properly. Do not ask
your general family dentist to place one of these types of
tooth replacement. To find an expert
cosmetic dentist, please visit our cosmetic
dentist referral page.
| In placing an Encore®
bridge, the cosmetic dentist cuts a space similar to what he or she
would do for a filling in each of the two adjacent teeth. Then a
framework of tough, fiber-reinforced tooth-colored resin is bonded
into those filling spaces, and this framework spans the space of the
missing tooth. After bonding in the framework, a porcelain veneer is
bonded onto the front of the framework to simulate a natural tooth.
The result is extremely natural, and it is difficult to tell from
the front that anything artificial is present in the mouth. |
A diagram of the framework of an
Encore® bridge |
Below is an example of an Encore® bridge case. This work
was done by Dr. Gary Radz, a mynewsmile.com network cosmetic dentist from
Denver, Colorado. For more information about Dr. Radz, please visit our
Colorado cosmetic dentists page.
Before |
After |
Before |
After |
 Before
 After the
placement of two Encore bridges.
You can hardly
tell they're not real. |
Here is another photograph of an Encore® bridge case.
This case was supplied to us by Opus One Dental Lab in California.
This patient has intact teeth on either side of the two missing teeth, which is a
great indication for an Encore® bridge.
These tooth replacements are not recommended for back teeth because they aren't strong
enough and the bonding procedures become too difficult back further in the mouth. |
The concept of the Encore® bridge is a variation of the
Maryland
bridge, which also bonds to the adjacent teeth, but uses a metal framework. The metal,
which is placed on the back of the adjacent teeth, will darken those teeth slightly,
and thus there is a problem with the esthetics of this type of bridge.
You may also be interested to read about the
ovate pontic technique, which makes it
appear that the false tooth is growing out of the gum.
For the dental professional,
America's Dental Bookstore has a wide
selection of texts on crown and
bridge work. Check out their impressive list for purchase at the lowest
prices available, and shipping is often free! This information is brought to you by www.mynewsmile.com,
your popular and authoritative source for cosmetic dentistry information
and referrals. |
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