Dental bridges are prosthetic devices or appliances made of porcelain, gold, or alloys that gap or close the spaces created by missing teeth. While it is not a permanent solution, it’s a popular dental treatment option for people with tooth gaps who don’t want to wear complete or partial dentures. However, if you are one of those who have a fear of the dentist or dental procedures, you might be wondering if dental bridges cause pain. The short answer is no, but there are some things to remember.
Read on to learn more.
Can You Experience Pain With Dental Bridges?
It’s normal for patients to feel pain right after receiving dental bridges. But this should go away after a few days. If the pain persists, the following complications could be one of the reasons:
Infection
If you have an infection, it can cause pain, swelling, and redness in the gums. The cause may be bacteria that have entered the bloodstream through an opening in the gums.
Allergies
You may be allergic to the materials used in your dental bridges. The most common allergen is nickel.
Nerve damage
If the nerve that runs through your tooth is damaged, it can cause pain. This can occur if the tooth is not properly prepared for the bridge or if the bridge is placed too high on the tooth. Nerve damage can also result in an abscess or infection.
Decay on the supporting tooth
If the anchor tooth is not properly cleaned before the bridge is placed, decay can occur under the crown. This can cause pain and swelling. It can also happen when food debris breaks down the healthy teeth, which can cause pain. Symptoms include tooth pain, hypersensitivity, bad breath and loosened bridges.
Gum disease
Gum disease can occur due to poor oral hygiene. If this happens, the teeth supporting your bridges can weaken, resulting in pain.
Bridge failure
If your bridges are not made properly, they can break or come loose, which can cause pain. This is usually due to poor dental workmanship, poor oral hygiene, bacterial infections, etc. Also, if your bridges don’t fit well, it can put pressure and stress on your teeth and gums, causing neck and jaw pain and headaches.
How To Avoid Dental Bridge Pain
The following are helpful tips to avoid pain under your bridge, and at the same time, they help prolong the life of your bridge:
- Practice a good oral hygiene routine.
Good oral care includes brushing at least twice daily and flossing daily to remove food particles. Also, using an antiseptic mouthwash can help reduce bacteria in your mouth. You must ensure that your bridge is clean to avoid any build-up of plaque and bacteria. - Visit your dentist regularly.
Schedule an appointment with your dentist every six months for professional dental cleanings and check-ups. This will help detect any problems early on before they become bigger issues. - Eat healthy foods.
A balanced diet is vital for overall health, including oral health. Eating healthy foods helps keep your teeth and gums strong. Avoid sugary and acidic foods that can lead to damaged teeth and cause pain. - Don’t use your teeth as tools.
Don’t use your teeth to open things, as this can damage them. - Avoid teeth grinding.
Teeth grinding can put additional stress on your jaw and teeth, leading to pain. If you can’t stop grinding your teeth at night, wear a mouth guard to protect them. - Be careful with hard foods.
Consider eating soft foods until you get used to your bridges. You may also cut up hard fruits and vegetables into small pieces so you don’t put too much pressure on your teeth when chewing.
When Can Pain Be Considered Normal When You Have Dental Bridges?
As mentioned, pain is normal for a few days after receiving your dental bridge. Below are two conditions why this occurs:
- Tooth sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures.
This is usually normal for the first few days after your bridge is placed. The pain should go away as your teeth adjust to the new material. - Discomfort when biting down.
You may feel discomfort when biting down on hard foods as your teeth get used to the new material. This should improve over time.
Do Dental Bridges Damage Surrounding Teeth?
A dental bridge can sometimes damage the healthy teeth near it. Here’s how:
Dental bridges use the adjacent teeth (abutment teeth) for support, which means they are subject to the same forces as your bridges. Since your dentist will examine your oral health before placing your bridges, it’s most likely that the cause of abutment teeth damage is poor oral hygiene.
When you have bridges, cleaning your teeth might be challenging. The bristles of your toothbrush may not be able to reach the area under the pontic or false tooth. As a result, plaque and bacteria can build up, causing gum disease and tooth decay.
Final Thoughts
If you have missing teeth, dental bridges can help you close the gaps, giving you a more beautiful smile. If you have dental anxiety, it’s worth noting that the dental bridge procedure doesn’t cause pain because you will be given anaesthesia. However, it’s normal to feel pain the first few days after receiving this treatment, which should gradually disappear. You may take over-the-counter painkillers to help relieve pain.
Clear Choice Dental has a team of experienced dentists performing dental restorations, including dental bridges.
We equipped our clinic with advanced technology and techniques to provide favourable results. During your dental appointment, one of our dentists will assess your mouth condition and tell you if you are a good candidate for bridges. They will discuss what you should expect during and after the procedure, including placing a temporary bridge, preparing abutment teeth, costs, complications, etc.
If you want to know if you can have this treatment, call us at 08 9345 0455 for our Yokine clinic and 08 9452 8877 for our Maddington dental office.
FAQs
There is a type of bridge that is ideal for every situation. Traditional bridges are the most commonly recommended for people who have lost one or more teeth but have adjacent healthy teeth to support the bridge. If your natural teeth are not in a good state, a dental implant supported-bridge can be your option. If you have adjacent teeth but are not suitable for support, resin-bonded bridges can be used. On the other hand, a cantilever bridge may be suitable for patients with teeth on only one side of the tooth gap.
The two major benefits of having dental bridges are boosting your confidence and restoring your bite and speech problems caused by tooth loss. They can maintain your face shape while preventing a sunken-in appearance. In addition, they can prevent the nearby teeth from changing position.
No. In fact, if your bridge supports dentures, it will make eating easier as your dentures will be more secure. However, you should be careful with hard and sticky foods as they can damage or loosen your dental bridges. Also, an implant-supported bridge type is the most stable and can help you chew with more force than the other types of bridge.
Your speech should not be affected by dental bridges. It even improves it because bridges close gap spaces caused by missing teeth. As you know, missing teeth can affect your ability to pronounce certain words correctly. If your speech is affected, it is often because you have a loose bridge or are not used to it yet.
