A bridge that has served for twenty years has done its job well. Deciding what replaces it is a more open question than simply making another one.
Why it is failing now
Usually decay at the margin of one of the supporting teeth, often below the gum where it was invisible until it was significant. Sometimes the cement has failed and the bridge has been leaking quietly for months.
Occasionally one supporting tooth has fractured or its root canal has failed. That is the scenario that changes the whole plan.
The decision point
If both supporting teeth remain sound, a new bridge is straightforward and reasonable. If one is failing, replacing like with like means building a new bridge on a compromised foundation.
That is the moment implants deserve serious consideration, because you may be choosing between one implant now or losing two teeth in five years.
What has changed since your bridge was made
Materials, considerably. Zirconia and lithium disilicate did not exist in clinical form when many of these bridges were placed, and the dark metal margin at the gum is largely a solved problem.
Adhesive techniques have also improved to the point that a much more conservative solution is often possible than the one that was available originally.
Getting the assessment right
This needs a proper look at the supporting teeth, which frequently means removing the bridge to see what is underneath. An honest plan includes a contingency for what is found there.
Anyone quoting a firm price for this before seeing under the bridge is estimating rather than planning.
Do not assume the answer is another bridge. The condition of the two supporting teeth determines everything, and that is worth establishing properly before committing.
For an individual assessment of your case, you can request a consultation at our Bogotá practice.
