Adjust to a Dental Bridge
A dental bridge is a fixed partial denture that replaces missing teeth. It is anchored onto the gums and cemented into place. Unlike dentures, a bridge can only be removed by a dentist, and it eliminates the need for nightly removal and cleaning. Most people get a bridge after living with missing teeth for months or years, and it takes awhile to get to adjust to a new dental bridge.
Instructions
1. Follow the instructions your dentist gives you. He or she will give you a sheet with directions for care during the first day after your procedure. Call your dentist if there is pain or excessive bleeding.
2. Let your mouth and other teeth adjust naturally to the bridge. This may take a few days to a few weeks. If you had missing teeth or removable dentures, your mouth adjusted to that and you learned to speak and chew a certain way. Now you need to let your mouth adjust to the bridge.
3. Eat a sensible diet and avoid chewy or sugary foods until your mouth adjusts to the bridge. Avoid nuts, popcorn and hard candy.
4. Brush and floss carefully around the bridge. Use a floss holder to clean under and around it. Keep food particles from sticking in the gum line under the bridge with floss and a WaterPik.
5. Speak normally. Your speech patterns may change as your mouth and tongue adjust to the new dental fixture, but this will pass.
Tags: your mouth, missing teeth, adjust dental, Adjust Dental, Adjust Dental Bridge