Dental Bridge Recovery and Aftercare
Traditional dental bridges consist of a false tooth with two crowns on either side. When placing the bridge, the teeth on either side of a tooth gap are prepped to accommodate the dental crowns. The crowns help support the false tooth. Visualizing the appliance in this way, you can probably see why it’s called a bridge.
Though bridges are often quite effective, Dr. Nicholas Perry Orchard reminds his Corpus Christi, TX patients that bridges can take a little getting used to. Here is some insight into the recovery process after getting a dental bridge placed, and what patients should do for proper aftercare.
Common Side Effects with a New Bridge
Since a dental bridge involves the placement of dental crowns, patients are going to experience some of the common side effects associated with a bridge being in place. This includes soreness around the prepped teeth, tooth sensitivity, and a sensation that your bite is just a little bit off.
These side effects are all temporary, and you will get accustomed to your restored bite over time. To help with this adjustment period, there are several things that patients can do.
Temporarily Altering Your Diet
After getting a dental bridge, we tell patients to alter their diet temporarily to help reduce discomfort. This means eating predominantly soft foods and liquids for the first week after a new bridge is placed. We also recommend foods that are lukewarm or room temperature to help prevent temperature sensitivity.
We also advise our Corpus Christi patients to not eat any crunchy, sticky, chewy, or crispy foods. It’s also a good idea to avoid foods with tiny crumbs for the time being to avoid issues with cleaning the bridge and crowns.
Avoiding Chewing or Biting with the New Bridge
Pressure sensitivity is a common issue with a new bridge in place. For that reason, we tell patients to avoid chewing directly on their dental bridge until it feels comfortable. Gradually place pressure on the bridge as you get accustomed to it.
Practice Good Oral Hygiene
Even when the bridge is new, proper oral hygiene is essential. Be sure to brush at least twice a day and floss at least once a day. Ideally, you’ll want to brush and floss after every meal. You may want to consider using a proxy brush to help access and clean some of the hard-to-reach spots in your mouth.
Attend Follow-Up Visits at the Practice
After getting a dental bridge, there will be a few follow-up visits at the practice to ensure that treatment is going well and that you do not have any issues with your dental bridge. Attend all of these visits as scheduled to ensure proper recovery.
Similarly, be sure to attend regular dental checkups twice a year so the condition of your dental bridge can be monitored.
What to Do If Problems Persist?
If issues with your dental bridge persist without improvement, be sure to speak with a member of our dental care team as soon as possible. It may be the sign of a serious issue that requires professional care and attention.
Contact Our Dental Practice
For more information about dental bridges and what you can expect from the recovery process, be sure to schedule a consultation.