Dental bridges/ crowns are used to restore esthetics as well as oral health. Dental bridge looks completely natural and a good restoration can even enhance your smile. So, when a tooth preparation/cutting is done to fit the bridge in place, first of all a temporary bridge is cemented on the teeth till the permanent ones are fabricated from the laboratory.
But, it is very difficult for patients to identify the difference between the temporary bridge and permanent bridge. Some of the patients become so comfortable with the temporary bridge that they ask their doctor why to get the permanent ones if i can perform all the functions with the temporary bridge. So, here our experts are going to explain the difference between a temporary bridge and permanent bridge.
Materials
Temporary bridges are mainly made up of acrylics or stainless steel. These materials are meant to be used only for a shorter duration till the permanent bridge is fabricated. Strength of these materials are not that much to withstand stronger bite forces.
Permanent bridges can be made up of porcelain, metal alloys or zirconia. They are very strong materials and can be used for 10-15 years or longer.
Fitting
Temporary bridges are not fitted properly as acrylics show shrinkage on setting. You will ask ten why not to fabricate the temporary bridge in labs. Even if temporary bridges are fabricated in the labs then also they don’t make a proper marginal fitting. It will affect the seal with the tooth. So, if temporary bridges are placed for a longer time, chances of tooth decay increases due to saliva or fluid leakage around margins of restoration.
Permanent bridges show better retention as well as marginal fit because of material and its proper customised fabrication. It also reduces the chances of tooth damage as chances of damage are greater in temporary bridges if the patient wears it for a longer time.
Esthetics
Though, temporary bridges also look sometimes natural but they are not fabricated for the purpose of esthetics. Permanent bridges look more natural and are more polished than temporary bridges. Permanent bridges are mainly made up of porcelain or ceramics which reflect light better than acrylics. Also, in permanent bridges shades and contours are customised according to the adjacent natural teeth. So, it gives a much more natural and esthetically pleasing appearance.
So, according to above parameters, no doubt permanent bridges are far better in appearance, fitting and materials but temporary bridges are also necessary to maintain the smile, chewing ability and speech.
