Replied by Jeanie (Florida) on 05/18/2015

I hope my experience working as a certified dental assistant for 30 years may help you.

First-

I would confirm that neither abutment tooth may need a root canal. Sometimes just trauma from working on a tooth multiple times can cause the nerve to die and root canal is needed to save the tooth. I do not know (of course) the history of your teeth, but also if decay was present under the old bridge, removed and build up or filling was placed....if decay (or even old filling) were close to the pulp of the tooth that can cause hyper sensitivity which will calm down in time or again may need root canal. Once a tooth is hyper sensitive the ligament surrounding it becomes inflammed (swollen) and causes the tooth to temporarily errupt out of plane of occlusion. (We are talking mm here) So then, once you eat, chew the tooth is the first in contact with opposing teeth resulting in repreated contact and becomes more so sensitive or bruised. Your dentist adjusted your bite (contact point) when you returned back after receiving the bridge. Sometimes the margin of a bridge (the connection point of tooth to bridge at gumline) is open or not completely sealed which can cause sensitivity and usually goes away in time. Your dentist can apply a desensitising gel if that is present. The span of a bridge can also stress teeth, if you had one tooth missing and a three unit bridge placed verses two teeth missing and a four unit bridge placed of course the longer span is more stress. The teeth supporting the bridge (the connectors) should be periodontally healthy as well. (without advanced bone loss)

I agree with your dentist that there is an adjustment period to the way a new bridge feels, as with most anything we feel this does not take long to "get used to". But with ongoing symptoms, there is a problem somewhere and should be investigated!

Teeth are as individual as people, no two may react the same way after the same treatment. At the same time, symptoms that a person presents are widely different per person (or as they have descibed)

Second-

I have seen a few people with metal allergies realized/diagnosed after a new bridge or metal framed partial were received. The bridges now are either porcelain fused to metal or all porcelain (no Metal) or rarely all cast metal. If yours is metal understructure with percelain covering you may want to confirm an allergy to the metals in your bridge by another Phd. Your dentist should have a metal contents information description from the dental lab who constructed the bridge stating what percent of what metals were used. Labs are required to send this information with new appliances. Most dentists choose semi-precious metals for labs to use, it is more economical than precious or gold. Is there any reason your dentist didn't use gold? By your description it sounds like you have the porcelain fused to metal, they are more bulky than gold or all porcelain. Gold is the most "friendly" metal to use in the mouth, also most durable.

If you need a root canal and your bridge has been cemented permanently, your dentist (or endodontist) can make a small incision in the bridge to perform the treatment without it having any harm on the bridge. Once completed a filling will be placed in that incision or access point. So now you have a filling in your brand new bridge!

I do not intend to critisize your dentist here, but I want to say many dentist's do not like to redo their work, it is a loss of income for them with chair time, materials, lab costs etc. If you demand the bridge be remade because you are unhappy with bulkiness, he or she should oblidge you. Sometimes you have to demand it, other times simply requesting will work. Most dentists will remake it at no charge for their time, only lab fee is charged. Whatever the diagnosis of your symptom is dental wise, I would request a gold bridge since that is what you had previous to the new bridge.

I hope this helps you! In the meantime....avoid chewing on that area if you are still in pain.

Jeanie

Replied by Timh (KY) on 05/19/2015

Replied by Loulou (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) on 06/26/2017

I am going through the same but more symptoms! Like swollen lymph node, ear infections, sinus infections, waking up everyday with swollen eyes, swollen brow bone, nausea, insomnia, hard time breathing at night etc.

Put in this 3 tooth bridge in May '16,2 months later starting feeling not myself, like something is not right, October went back to the dentist told me everything is fine not from the bridge. January came around got sicker with swollen lymph node, lumps all over my body went to my doctors did all kind of testing got referred to an allergist for reoccurring sinus infections, got referred to ENT for ear infections. March saw different doctor to get 2nd opinion on what is going on, I just needed someone to tell me what is wrong with me..No answers!!

In May started feeling large painful lumps under the armpits and around the breasts, June did biopsy came back unknown diagnosis.

Can you please tell what happened after your last message? Was it allergic reaction to the metal in the bridge?

Thank you,

Loulou