Replacement of a failed dental bridge with a new one.

This digital smile makeover illustrates the replacement of a damaged dental bridge with a new one.

Case history and issues:

1) This person is missing his center right tooth (the right central incisor). At some point in time, it had been replaced by way of placing a porcelain/gold dental bridge.

The replacement tooth was likely all porcelain. When the bridge was seated over its supporting teeth (the "abutment" teeth), the bridge likely gave the appearance that these teeth were outlined with a border of gold.

2) As you can see in the "before" picture, the condition of the bridge has since deteriorated.

• The porcelain has come off the replacement tooth. (What you see now is the metal framework that was originally covered over by the missing porcelain.)
• The abutment teeth (the one's originally outlined by gold) have sustained damage. Most notably, the central incisor seems to have some type of repair made by placing dental bonding.

3) The teeth that lie to either side of the bridge have problems too.

• The tooth on the left side has a cavity in the area where it touches the damaged bridge.
• The eyetooth that lies on the right side seems to have a chip out of its biting edge.