Can You Chew with A Bridge?
One of the options for replacing a missing tooth is through dental bridge placement. Dental bridges are crowns placed on either side of a missing tooth. They help maintain the shape of your face, as tooth loss can lead to a sunk facial appearance. Like any other dental restoration, proper care is essential to ensure durability. One of the recommendations that the dentist near you will give you is when you can chew with a bridge, what foods to eat, and what to avoid with bridges. We will help you know how to care for your bridges and what foods to eat and avoid. So, let’s get into it.
Dental Bridge Procedure
When you visit the dentist who places dental bridges near you, they will first examine your mouth to determine whether dental bridges will be suitable for you. This is because there are other restorative options, like dental implant surgery, which might be more effective.
Once the dentist is satisfied that bridges will be suitable for you, he will schedule a dental appointment. The first step involves filing the abutment teeth into the desired shape suitable for bridge placement. Impressions of the filed or prepared teeth are then taken, made, and sent to the lab to construct the dental bridge. Dentist 90210 has to ensure that the bridge matches well with the color of your natural teeth.
Depending on your oral health, a dental implant surgery may be done to provide an anchorage of the bridge. A dental implant is usually useful for patients whose neighboring teeth on either side of the missing tooth are not strong or stable enough to support the bridge.
A temporary bridge will be placed until the permanent one is ready. Once it is, you will be notified of the second dental appointment. The temporary bridge is removed, the underlying teeth cleaned, and dental cement is applied to the abutment teeth. Next, the bridge is placed on the abutment teeth, and you’re good to go.
Because this will be your first time with the dental bridges, you might experience some discomfort or an unfamiliar feeling, but this should wear off in the first 24 hours. A few adjustments may be made to ensure you’re comfortable.
Can You Chew with Dental Bridges?
Before we can answer this question, you should ensure you visit a certified dentist like the one in Implant Dentistry by Doc Rok, who has the skill of placing dental bridges. The dentist will ensure that the bridge fits nicely and will not cause any biting or chewing problems.
That being said, you can chew and normally eat with properly placed dental bridges. If the dental bridges are placed well, they will not cause any significant changes to your biting and chewing. However, some foods and drinks can compromise the quality and durability of your dental bridges.
Here are some of the foods and beverages that you should avoid:
- Sugary treats- dental bridges are not prone to tooth decay like your natural teeth. Nevertheless, sugary treats can still sabotage the health of your abutment teeth supporting the bridges. If the abutment teeth decay due to sugar and bacteria, you may require replacement of the dental implant surgery to support the bridge.
- Caramel, sticky foods, and gum-sticky foods can easily damage your bridge, especially if the dental cement has not dried up well or the bridge has not completely bonded with the adjacent teeth. Additionally, sticky foods can get stuck between teeth and under the bridge, and the debris can harbor harmful bacteria.
- Hard foods, chips, and nuts- despite dental bridges being sturdy, chips, popcorn kernels, and nuts can damage a dental bridge. You might not notice the small cracks in your bridge, but they can develop over time, needing replacement or repair.
- Coffee, tea, cola, and wine- dental bridges are usually stain resistant thanks to the porcelain or ceramic material used to make them. Nonetheless, if you regularly consume these beverages, they can cause discoloration of your bridges. Dentist 90210d recommends reducing the regularity with which you drink these beverages and, if possible, altogether avoiding them.
Avoiding the above drinks and foods will ensure that your dental bridges will last longer, and you won’t need them to be repaired or replaced after a short period. Visiting the dentist near you for regular checkups is also advisable as they will examine your bridge and see if any necessary adjustment is needed.