Bridge swallowed – What to do?
If a bridge is accidentally swallowed, panic should not be spread. It is advisable to go to the dentist, so that he or she can provide the bare tooth stumps with a temporary denture, with which they are protected. The materials of the bridge are not digestible and the bridge will come out the same way it was swallowed.
The next time you have a bowel movement, it should be collected so that the bridge can be found again.After it has been cleaned and disinfected, it can be used again. However, if the bridge span is so large that the bridge can get caught in the oesophagus, stomach or intestine, it may have to be removed surgically. This should be discussed individually with the dentist and family doctor. The dentist may consider an X-ray of the chest and abdomen.
Types of dental bridges
If there are still teeth in front and behind the gap, the replacement of the lost teeth with a dental bridge is a good option. The remaining teeth are used as bridge pillars for anchoring the dental bridge. One speaks of a one-span dental bridge if the loss of only one tooth has to be replaced.
If there are several teeth next to each other or if there are two gaps, but there is still a separate tooth in between, it is a multi-span bridge. The part of the dental bridge that covers the gap is called a bridge member. If there is no own tooth left, an implant can also be used as attachment (i.e. abutment tooth).
To make the dental bridge, the bridge abutments have to be ground so that they can be fitted with a crown, mainly made of gold. Naturally, healthy hard substance is lost in the process. After taking impressions of the upper and lower jaws, the dental bridge is finished on the plaster model in the dental laboratory.
The occlusal surfaces are modelled so that they are exactly adapted to the opposing bite. The dentist then attaches the finished dental bridge to the bridge abutments with cement. A variation of the bridge restoration is possible if the dentition conditions allow it.
Inlays are used instead of ground abutment teeth for anchoring. The advantage is the reduction of the loss of hard tooth substance. The bridge abutments and the replaced teeth can be covered with ceramic or plastic.
The occlusal surfaces are modelled so that they are exactly adapted to the opposing bite. The dentist then fixes the finished dental bridge to the bridge abutments with cement. A variation of the bridge restoration is possible, if the dentition conditions allow it.
Inlays are used instead of ground abutment teeth for anchoring. The advantage is the reduction of the loss of hard tooth substance. The bridge abutments and the replaced teeth can be covered with ceramic or plastic.
