Need a little Bridge help please.
 

Back in October I had a crown come off and due to decay decided to have the tooth pulled and a Bridge installed. I had the permanent Bridge installed in late December 2012 and while the fit seems good, I am having a real problem when eating anything at all. Food seems to have a spongy texture that is so frustrating that it takes away the desire to eat. It does not affect the taste of the food, just the consistency. The Dentist is perplexed and says the only thing it could be is that the gums where the extracted tooth was must need to re-form. Floss cannot be threaded between the gum and bottom of Bridge tooth, even the Dentist could thread it, so I believe it is the sensation of the gum that is making the spongy feeling. Can this happen when the gum is right up against the bottom of the Bridge tooth. Interdental brushes can't get through either. This is driving me nuts so any help would be appreciated.

Hi rdailey,

Obviously the bridge is not fitting properly along the gum line of the pontic, where the tooth was removed. That spongy or squishy sensation you have is the bridge pushing up against the gum. I am surprised that the gum tissue is not sore! Again obviously you should be able to use a floss threader underneath that portion of the bridge to clean it and because you can't means it fits to far up into the gum.

The spongy sensation may also be indicative of saliva getting in underneath that area. If that is the case, then bacteria can get in there also and since you are unable to clean it out, decay could form on those adjacent teeth holding the bridge in.

Sometimes a dentist will attempt to make an adjustment along the gum line margin of the porcelain to allow proper cleaning. The only problems with that are.....
One... the drilling on the porcelain surface can weaken the porcelain and cause it to crack sometime down the road.
Two... there may already be bacteria accumulating in that area which cannot be seen unless the bridge is removed.

I hate to tell you this but...... this is not going to improve on it's own and the bridge should probably be remade.

I know.... not what you wanted to hear :/ If your dentist does not want to correct this problem, then consult with someone else unaffiliated with him and get their opinion. The problem with that is.... frequently one dentist will not go against another one. But some will.

Keep us posted okay...
Bryanna

Thanks Bryanna
 

You're right, not what I wanted to hear, but also what I was expecting. He did mention that if it got no better that he could go in and laser some of the gum under the Bridge tooth so I could clean it regularly. Is that the adjustment you spoke of, and you do not suggest that?
Thanks again.

Hi rdailey,

No, I was referring to cutting back on the actual porcelain on the pontic (fake tooth) where it meets the gum line.

Sometimes they will use a laser to reduce the amount of gum tissue along that margin. If you are going to do that, it should be done soon so that you can clean it better.

I would still get a second opinion on the fit of the bridge. It would be ideal to bring your x-rays with you and let the consulting dentist take an x-ray of that area to see how the bridge is fitting along the margins.

Bryanna

Gotcha, will be talking with them tomorrow. Thanks again for all your help.

Bryanna, I am scheduled to go back to the dentist on Wednesday and it is their plan to redo to bridge. They will take the permanent one off and make a new impression and then put on a temporary til the new one is ready. My question to you is do you think this should solve the problem of a spongy texture to all that I eat. I assume they will just make the bridge a little shorter so it won't touch the top of the gum (this is a bottom bridge), but I worry that possibly they might damage one of the two anchor teeth when cutting off the crowns. Thanks.

One other thing I forgot to ask about. Since this ordeal first started I have noticed that most every day I feel sick to my stomach for a few hours. No other syptoms but I wonder if any of this could be causing this. No pain, just the nausea.

Hi rdailey,

Where is this bridge in your mouth? What tooth was removed?

Bryanna

It is lower left side, 2nd tooth from the back. Back tooth is one of the anchors.

rdailey,

Is the last anchor tooth a wisdom tooth?? Meaning you had your second molar tooth #18 removed?
Or did you have your wisdom tooth removed at some point and then tooth #19 removed?

Bryanna