Can a Dental Bridge Be Taken Off and Put Back on Again?

A dental bridge is a piece of equipment that stays in place and helps replace missing teeth. Bridges can usually last for decades without ever needing to be fixed. But bridges can become loose or broken, decay can get under the bridge and hurt the teeth around it, or the way the bridge fits in your mouth can change if your teeth move.

When these things happen, it may be necessary to take down the bridge. But can a dental bridge be taken out and put back in? It all depends on how good the bridge is and what the real problems are. Here, Soundview Family Dental talks about what a dental bridge is and what problems can cause it to need to be taken out and put back in.

What Is a Dental Bridge?

When you lose a tooth because of decay or something else, the empty space makes the teeth next to it look different. When you have a space between your teeth, the teeth next to it can tilt or move out of place. This can make your bite hurt or damage your teeth. A dental bridge is a piece of equipment that fills in the gap.

A dental bridge is made up of two or more crowns that fit on top of the anchoring teeth, also called abutments. Between these crowns is a pontic, or false tooth, that will replace your missing tooth. The dentist glues the crowns to the teeth around them that are still healthy. A dental bridge not only makes your teeth work again, but it also makes you look better by replacing a missing tooth and giving you back your smile.

Risks And Complications Associated with Dental Bridges

Even though bridges are a very effective way to treat dental problems, there is always a chance that something could go wrong and the bridge would need to be taken out or replaced. For a consultation regarding dental bridge repair, make sure you visit https://neworcharddentistry.com/dental-bridges/ and consult the experts.

A bridge that isn't the right size or doesn't fit right can cause decay to build up on the healthy teeth under the crowns. Since the dentist has to file down the healthy teeth to put the crown on, these teeth are more likely to get cavities. This decay in the teeth that hold the bridge in place can cause tooth damage and make the bridge unstable.

Damage to nearby teeth: Over time, rough spots can form on dental bridges. If these rough spots rub against other teeth, they can wear away the enamel on healthy teeth.

Increased chance of gum disease: Dental devices, like a dental bridge, can make a person more likely to get gum disease. This risk can be reduced by brushing your teeth regularly and getting your teeth cleaned regularly. When you go to the dentist regularly, he or she can look for early signs of gum disease and stop it before it does any lasting damage.

Fractures in the pontic or crowns: Pontics and crowns are made to be strong enough to handle the force of chewing, but they can still break. When you eat hard foods, like hard candy, the surface can crack or break, a chip can form, or the bridge can be completely ruined. Most small chips and cracks can be fixed, but bigger ones might need a new bridge.

Causes Of Dental Bridge Failures

Dental bridges are made to last for many years, but there are many things that can cause them to break. When this happens, your dentist may need to take your dental bridge out, fix it, or replace it. Some common reasons why bridges fail are:

Poor Oral Hygiene: Bad oral hygiene is the number one reason why bridges break. When decay builds up around and under the crown, it can damage the teeth that hold the bridge in place. This can cause the bridge to fail.

Poor Support for Abutments: Changes to the teeth that hold a dental bridge can make it less stable. When these teeth aren't stable or don't provide enough support, the pressure on the bridge isn't spread out evenly, which can cause it to break.

Bad Habits: When you're stressed, do you tend to chew on a pen? Do you grind your teeth in your sleep? Do you like nuts and hard candy the most? Any of these things can hurt the crowns or the middle part of your bridge.

Lack of Regular Dental Care: Taking care of your teeth at home is important for keeping your bridge in good shape, but so are regular trips to the dentist. If you have regular oral exams, any problems with your bridge can be found before they cause the bridge to fail.

Can a Bridge Be Recemented After Being Taken Down?

How a dentist takes out a broken bridge depends on a number of things. Most loose bridges are easy to take off and fix, which lets your dentist put the bridge back in place. But the glue that holds a bridge in place is made to last for a long time, and it's not always possible to take a bridge out without hurting the teeth around it.

Your dentist can try to tap the bridge off, but this often hurts or even breaks the teeth that hold it up. In these cases, the dentist will have to drill off the bridge and make a new one. What your dentist does will depend on why the bridge broke, how strong the current bond is, how healthy the teeth are, and what you want the end result to be.