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Dentistry vocabulary · Crowns, Bridges, Dentures and Implants

Bridge

Meaning in dentistry, with examples

/brɪdʒ/nounCore term

In dentistry, bridge means: A fixed restoration that replaces one or more missing teeth by joining false teeth to crowns on the neighboring teeth or on implants.

In Turkish: köprü, köprü protez, sabit köprü

How it is used

The false tooth in a bridge is the pontic, and the supporting teeth are the abutments. A bridge is cemented or bonded in place, and the patient cannot take it out. Types include conventional and resin-bonded bridges.

Example sentences

  1. A three-unit bridge would replace the missing tooth using the teeth on either side.

  2. The bridge has come loose at one end.

Common collocations

  • three-unit bridge
  • fixed bridge
  • bridge abutment
  • cement a bridge
  • resin-bonded bridge
  • crownA cap made of ceramic, metal or both that covers a damaged tooth completely and restores its shape and strength. The word also means the part of a tooth visible above the gum.
  • dental implantA small screw, usually made of titanium, placed in the jawbone to replace the root of a missing tooth. Once it has fused with the bone, it supports a crown, bridge or denture.
  • dentureA removable set of artificial teeth on a plastic or metal base that replaces some or all missing teeth. A complete denture replaces every tooth in one jaw.
  • impressionAn accurate copy of the teeth and gums, made by pressing soft material in a tray against them or by scanning them, so that a lab can make a crown, denture or aligner.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.