Removal of bridge without damaging. Any suggestions?

Question

During a root canal, the dentist loosened my bridge. He says it has to be removed and re-cemented. As I do not want a new bridge he is having me remove by eating taffy and all sorts of sticky candy to try and remove the bridge gently. It has been several weeks now, and while it is indeed looser, it is in no way ready to come out. Any suggestions?

George Tsangaroulis, DDS · Answer

First have your dentist verify there is no other decay under any other of the abutment teeth, and all the teeth have good bone support.  This can be verified on X-rays and measuring the pocket depth of the gums.  If you are noticing that the bridge has gotten looser over the past several weeks, it may be time to have your dentist attempt to remove it.  This can be done safely with an instrument called GC pliers which have soft yellow pads submerged in a special powder to provide a better grip on the porcelain, and it will not scratch the surface.  The instrument would wrap over the tooth and the dentist would slowly and gently tug to each side while at the same time pulling gingerly.  Keep in mind the longer you wait, the more you are risking plaque and debris getting inside the bridge to the teeth which can not only cause  secondary decay, but also potentially affect the root canal that was done by incorporating bacteria into the system.  To keep it clean in the meantime, I would highly suggest using an electric toothbrush, "Thornton's floss" a thicker floss that adheres more plaque, and a waterpik.  So if you are finding that months have gone by, you may want to consider having it manually removed and replacing the bridge.  Good luck!

Prince Arrington III, DDS · Answer

This is a tough question because time is not on your side. A loose crown or bridge means that bacteria can get under the crowns and cause further damage, ie, recurrent decay. In the past I used a Richwill crown remover which works on the same premise as taffy. It is a hard plastic cube, about the size of a sugar cube, that can be softened in warm water. The softened crown remover is then placed between the crown or bridge and the opposing tooth and the patient bites until the plastic hardens. A quick opening by the patient breaks the cement seal and removes the crown or bridge. If the crown has been cemented with a cement that bonds to the tooth and crown, this is risky as the tooth may fracture. If the tooth is brittle following root canal treatment, there is the same risk, but I am assuming that the loose portion of the bridge is the root canal tooth. Last but not least, all of the teeth involved have to be periodontally sound with great bone support. If this method is not an option, then prepare yourself to replace the bridge. If you intend to wait longer, which I do not recommend, at least use a daily fluoride rinse to help prevent recurrent decay. Good luck!

Mark Edington, DDS · Answer

This may sound weird, but I have found that Sugar Daddies are the ultimate tool for loosening dental crowns.  Often if you can loosen dental work gently, the final pull-out can be accomplished safely by your dentist.  If you cannot get it out the easy, gentle way you may need to replace the bridge.

Removal of bridge without damaging. Any suggestions?

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Removal of bridge without damaging. Any suggestions?

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