When Your Dental Bridge is Falling Down (and Out)

No one really expects a dental emergency to happen, which can make knowing what to do when one strikes a bit complicated! If your dental bridge falls out, you might not even be sure whether it’s a dental emergency or something that can be taken care of at your convenience.

Here’s a quick answer to one of those questions: a fallen dental bridge is generally considered a dental emergency. For guidance on how to handle this urgent situation, keep reading.

What to Do If Your Bridge Falls Out

It might not seem like a big deal if your dental bridge falls out. It could even be completely painless. Indeed, unless you’ve sustained some sort of oral injury, the negative effects of a fallen bridge aren’t typically immediate. Instead, the problem is that the longer your treated area is exposed, the higher your risk becomes for developing an infection or further damage. It’s best to get this taken care of right away, which means:

• Calling your dentist for an emergency appointment
• Finding your bridge
• Cleaning and storing the bridge in a safe container
• Carefully brushing your teeth
• Taking your bridge with you to your appointment

Why Do Dental Bridges Come Loose?

A dental bridge is designed to stay fixed in place, so you might understandably be wondering how it managed to come loose and fall out in the first place. There are a few different possibilities, including:

• Tooth decay. If the teeth supporting the crowns of your bridge suffer from decay, the restoration could lose important support and become unstable.
• Gum disease. Similarly, gum disease can wear down your gumline, leaving your restoration’s supporting teeth with less oral tissue to cling to.
• Uneven physical stress. Issues like bite misalignment or chronic teeth grinding exert uneven pressure on your teeth and might have changed the shape of your bridge through premature wear.
• Injury. If you recently sustained an oral or facial injury, that’s probably what knocked your dental restoration loose!

How Your Dentist Can Help

When you show up for your appointment, your dentist will examine your mouth and your fallen bridge, if you managed to salvage it. Depending on why it came loose, they might:

• Repair any damage to the restoration or adjust it to fit better over your dental gap.
• Recement the bridge – in other words, make sure it’s secured properly to the supporting teeth and gums.
• Replace the restoration. In this case, your dentist might provide you with a temporary bridge, so your dental gap doesn’t have to go unprotected while you wait for the permanent version.

Rest assured, your dentist will see you as soon as possible and get to the bottom of the cause behind your loose bridge. After you settle into the patient’s chair, relax and let them do the work!

About the Practice

At Chester County Dental Arts, we have two outstanding general dentists and a fantastic orthodontist on staff. All three of our professionals are highly experienced and focused on providing the best care possible for their patients. If your dental bridge has fallen out, contact our office at 610-383-1600 for prompt and efficient care.