A quick overview of a Bridge appointment at Heidi Sprowls DDS

At a dental bridge appointment, you can expect us to place topical anesthetic and to numb the affected tooth with local anesthetic, take an impression to make a temporary later in the appointment. We will then remove the decayed portion (or old bridge that has decay) using a drill, clean any broken area of the tooth, then fill any void with a build-up/filling material, which will be hardened with a special light if needed, and finally polish the tooth to smooth any rough edges. We will then scan for your Bridge or in some cases take a second impression, make a temporary crown using the first impression, and adjust the temporary; your mouth will likely remain numb for a few hours after the procedure. For anterior/front teeth we may recommend doing a custom shade, which would require you to visit the local lab at some point after your appointment. Sensitivity afterwards can be normal, but should be quick and only for a limited amount of time. With the temporary bridge please avoid any hard or sticky foods to avoid breaking or pulling off the temporary bridge. We will have you come back in a just over a week up to two weeks to cement the final bridge.

Time expected for the appointment:

Bridge spanning 3 teeth: 2 hours-2 1/2 hours

Bridge spanning more 4 or more teeth: 2 1/2 hours- 3 1/2 hours

What to expect after a Dental Bridge:

Numbness: Your mouth will likely remain numb for a few hours after the procedure.

Irritated Gums: If your gums are irritated, swish salt water rinse (8 oz. of warm water with a teaspoon of salt).

Sensitivity: You may experience some temporary sensitivity to pressure and hot and cold foods and drinks, but this should be quick sensitivity.

Things to let us know about:

Temporary bridge breaks or comes off: You can try tooth paste if it comes off, this works in a pinch or just call our office.

Does your bite feel off once numbing wears off? We may ask you to come in to check the bridge alignment and make adjustments if needed.

Pain waking you up or coming out of the blue? Let us know this is not normal.

Key steps during a dental bridge appointment:

Heidi Sprowls DDS will inspect the teeth and take X-rays (if we don’t already have them).

Numbing: We will place topical anesthetic, then use local anesthetic in the area of the bridge we are doing.

Impression for temporary: We will take an impression of the tooth to allow us to make a temporary bridge at the end of the appointment

Tooth Preparation: Heidi Sprowls DDS will remove any decay or damage (or previous bridge with decay under it), and prepare the tooth to create space for the crown. The amount of preparation depends on the type of crown.

Scan: We will take scan your teeth or in rare cases take impressions of your teeth, including the teeth prepped for the bridge, the surrounding teeth, and the gums.

Shade/Color: We will match using shade guide, for front teeth we may require you to visit lab for a custom shade.

Temporary bridge: We will make temporary bridge from the first impression, we will adjust it and temporarily cement it. Please avoid crunchy and sticky foods. If temporary bridge comes off you can use toothpaste in a pinch, or call the office.

Return for the final bridge in 1-2 weeks

At your second appointment, your we will remove the temporary bridge, check the fit of the new crown visually and with an x-ray, and cement it in place.