Which is better all porcelain bridge or metal backed bridge

I am thinking of having porcelain veneers but have a bridge already fitted which will need replacing.What are the pros & cons of having an all porcelain bridge or a metal backed bridge and which is the most expensive? Thank you.

The main advantages of all porcelain are
it reflects light more like a natural tooth, often this is only subtle but under UV light in nightclubs etc, it is significant.
the join at the gum margin is less visible than metal backed
the technician will find it easier to colour match veneered teeth to the bridge

The disadvantages are
porcelain can be very strong but it is not a flexible as metal, you need greater thicknesses this means more tooth reduction, and broader links between teeth on the bridge ( but this may suit the final shape)
if the bridge abutment teeth are dark you may want to mask the colour with metal & opaque layers
It typically costs £100-150 more than metal units.

No system is suitable for all cases. A free clinical consultation If you call 0121 643 0610 will help to determine the best for your situation. Often a couple of Xrays are needed to help decide.

Regards

Dr Rob Tennet BDS
St Johns Dental Practice
Birmingham

Related Questions

Tags: ,

This post was published on Wednesday, May 28th, 2008 at 7:50 pmand is filed under Dr Tennet's Answers, Experts Answers, Q. Dental Veneers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Leave a Reply

Blog Categories

Blog Archives

Cosmetic Dentistry Articles