Dental bridges, like implants and partial dentures, are used to replace missing teeth. There are several types of fixed dental bridges (cannot be removed), including conventional fixed bridges, cantilever bridges and resin-bonded bridges.

Typically, conventional and cantilever bridges require shaping of the teeth surrounding a missing tooth. Crowns are then placed on the shaped teeth and attached to an artificial tooth (called a pontic).
A resin-bonded bridge requires less preparation of adjacent teeth. It is often used to replace front teeth, provided that the gums are healthy and the surrounding teeth do not have extensive dental fillings.
The Dental Bridge Procedure

During the first visit, your dentist examines the health of your gums and other teeth to evaluate if you are a candidate for a dental bridge. If you are a candidate for a dental bridge, you are given a local anesthetic so your dentist can prepare the teeth required to support the bridge. If the support teeth are decayed or badly broken down, your dentist may have to build them back up before they can be used as support teeth for a bridge.

Next, your dentist takes an impression of the prepared teeth with a putty-like material that is used to create a model of your teeth. Your bridge is fabricated based on this model by a skilled lab technician so that it precisely fits the prepared teeth. It is important that your restoration fit perfectly to avoid additional oral health problems such as tooth decay.

While your bridge is being fabricated, your dentist fits you with a temporary bridge so the teeth and gums can be protected from damage until your permanent bridge is ready.

To complete the dental bridge procedure, you must return to the dental office for a second visit to have the bridge fitted and cemented.

Dental veneers (sometimes called porcelain veneers or dental porcelain laminates) are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve your appearance. These shells are bonded to the front of the teeth changing their color, shape, size, or length.

Dental veneers can be made from porcelain or from resin composite materials. Porcelain veneers resist stains better than resin veneers and better mimic the light reflecting properties of natural teeth. Resin veneers are thinner and require removal of less of the tooth surface before placement. You will need to discuss the best choice of veneer material for you with your dentist.

Veneers are routinely used to fix:

• Teeth that are discolored -- either because of root canal treatment; stains from tetracycline or other drugs, excessive fluoride or other causes; or the presence of large resin fillings that have discolored the tooth
• Teeth that are worn down
• Teeth that are chipped or broken
• Teeth that are misaligned, uneven, or irregularly shaped (for example, have craters or bulges in them)
• Teeth with gaps between them (to close the space between these teeth)

Dental bleaching is a safe, effective and cost-efficient means to achieve a winning smile. Countless people may now have white teeth and brilliant smiles, previously thought only available to celebrities. Whiter teeth may well improve your appearance and even brighten your outlook on life! Although generally successful in whitening teeth, dental bleaching is not for everyone. If your dentist determines that you are a candidate for tooth bleaching, an impression of your teeth is made to prepare a custom-fitted tray. Within a day or two, you will receive the appliance, bleaching materials, and instructions on use for home bleaching. This approach requires wearing the tray about one hour a night, for 10 to 14 days.

If you simply can't wait, or choose to have more effective results, you may decide to have your teeth lightened immediately. Your dentist may recommend an in-office bleaching system using a higher concentration of the bleaching agent while you sit in the dental chair. Due to possible damage to soft tissue, the gums need special protection under careful dental supervision. This approach is customarily used in conjunction with dentist-supervised at-home bleaching. No one can really predict how much lighter your teeth will become, since every case is different. Typically, there is a noticeable improvement in whitening, sometimes quite dramatic. The success rate depends upon the type of stain involved and your compliance. Bleaching does not lighten artificial materials such as resins, silicants or porcelains.

Some patients may experience slight gum irritation or tooth sensitivity, which will resolve when the treatment ends. Many years of study have confirmed that bleaching is safe, effective and long-lasting.

Dental bonding is a procedure in which a tooth-colored resin material (a durable plastic material) is applied and hardened with a special light, which ultimately "bonds" the material to the tooth to restore or improve person's smile.

Dental bonding is an option that can be considered:

• To repair decayed teeth (composite resins are used to fill cavities)
• To repair chipped or cracked teeth
• To improve the appearance of discolored teeth
• To close spaces between teeth
• To make teeth look longer
• To change the shape of teeth
• As a cosmetic alternative to amalgam fillings
• To protect a portion of the tooth's root that has been exposed when gums recede