A Secure, Fixed Solution for Missing Teeth
When you are missing several teeth in a row, you have a choice to make about how the gap gets filled. A traditional bridge borrows support from the healthy teeth on either side, which means grinding down enamel that is doing nothing wrong. A removable partial fills the space but clasps onto other teeth and comes out at night. An implant supported fixed bridge does neither. It stands on its own implants, leaves your natural teeth untouched, and stays in your mouth permanently.
Our prosthodontists in Reno design and restore implant bridges as a core part of their practice. Because Drs. Craig and Allison Andresen completed three-year residencies dedicated to restorative and replacement dentistry, they approach these cases from the finished result backward: where the teeth need to be, and therefore where the implants need to go.
What Is an Implant Supported Fixed Bridge?
An implant supported bridge replaces a run of consecutive missing teeth using two or more dental implants as anchors. The bridge spans between them, filling the gap with a single connected restoration.
A common example is a three-unit bridge in which two implants support three teeth. The middle tooth, called a pontic, is suspended between the two implant-supported crowns. Larger spans use additional implants distributed along the arch.
The bridge is cemented or screwed into place. Screw retention is often preferred in implant dentistry because it allows the restoration to be removed cleanly for service without damaging it.
When an Implant Bridge Is the Right Choice
An implant supported fixed bridge is usually recommended when:
- You are missing three or more teeth in a row
- The teeth adjacent to your gap are healthy and you want to keep them that way
- Your missing teeth are at the back of the arch with no natural tooth behind them, where a conventional bridge has nothing to anchor to
- You want a fixed solution and do not want to wear anything removable
- You want to slow the bone loss that follows tooth extraction
An implant bridge may not be the first recommendation if you are missing a single tooth (a single implant crown is usually simpler), or if the entire arch is missing (a full-arch prosthesis is the better design).
The Implant Bridge Treatment Process
01
Evaluation and 3D imaging
We assess the gap, the opposing bite, the surrounding gum tissue and the health of nearby teeth, then take a cone beam scan to measure bone in three dimensions.
02
Digital treatment planning
Implant positions are planned against the intended tooth positions, accounting for how the bridge will be cleaned and how force will travel through it.
03
Implant placement
Implants are placed at the planned positions, sometimes with a surgical guide fabricated from the digital plan.
04
Healing and integration
Bone fuses to the implants over roughly three to six months. A temporary restoration may be used during this period.
05
Final impressions and fabrication
We capture precise records of implant position and your bite. Our in-house laboratory works directly with the doctors on contour, shade and contact.
06
Delivery and follow up
The bridge is fitted, the bite is refined, and we schedule maintenance visits to keep the tissue and components healthy.
Caring for Your Implant Bridge
An implant bridge is connected, which means you cannot floss between the units in the usual way. Instead you clean underneath the span. A floss threader, an interdental brush sized to the space, or a water flosser will do the job well.
Implants do not develop cavities, but the tissue around them can become inflamed. Peri-implantitis is the leading cause of long-term implant failure, and it is largely preventable with consistent home cleaning and regular professional maintenance. We will show you exactly how to clean your specific bridge design at delivery.
Schedule Your Implant Bridge Consultation in Reno
If you are missing several teeth in a row and want a fixed replacement that does not compromise your healthy teeth, our prosthodontists can tell you whether an implant supported bridge is the right design for your case.
Call 775-323-3574 to schedule a consultation at our Reno office on Lakeside Drive. We welcome patients from Reno, Sparks and throughout northern Nevada.
Frequently Asked Questions About Implant Bridges
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