What is an incise™ bridge?

A bridge is a fixed appliance used to replace one or more missing teeth. As the name suggests, it 'bridges' a gap between teeth.

Renishaw inciseTM bridges are made with a strong zirconia framework to which natural-looking porcelain is added.

Traditional bridges

The teeth on either side of the gap are specially prepared to take either inlays or crowns and a connecting piece is designed to span the gap. The whole structure is known as a bridge and the adjoining teeth to which the bridge is cemented are known as abutments.

Simple bridges are composed of three units and complex bridges can be anything up to 14 units bonded together.  The rigid 'framework' which makes up the bridge is usually made of gold or titanium and is covered with porcelain to give a natural appearance.

What is an inciseTM bridge?

An inciseTM bridge uses a high performance ceramic called zirconia for the framework. As well as being superior in strength, it offers improved aesthetics and biocompatibility over metals.

Read more about the benefits of metal-free restorations.

What's involved in having an inciseTM bridge made and fitted?

Your dentist will be able to advise on the suitability of a bridge.

You will usually be given a choice of materials from which the bridge can be made – ceramic being one of them.

Tooth preparation		Impressions		Temporary bridge		Making the bridge		Fitting the bridge
Your dentist will 'prepare' the abutment teeth. This will involve removing any decay or possibly rebuilding parts of the teeth if broken to create adequate 'cores' to fit the bridge.		Using scientifically tested materials, your dentist will take a precise impression of both your upper and lower jaws to record the shape of the prepared area and its relationship to your other teeth.		You will then have a temporary bridge or crowns made to cover the prepared teeth to protect them and to help you eat normally whilst your permanent bridge is being made.		Your impressions will be sent to a laboratory, where a stone model is made and scanned using an inciseTM scanner.  The framework is made by Renishaw and the lab adds carefully colour-matched porcelain to create a natural-looking final bridge.		After about 2 weeks, your inciseTM bridge will be fitted by your dentist. The result will be a close-fitting, natural-looking, long-lasting restoration.