If you have a dental bridge or partial, then you know how important it is to get regular dental checkups. Your dental professional will monitor the condition of your dental appliances to make sure that they fit properly, and that there are no sharp edges that may injure your gums.

While keeping regular dental appointments is essential to optimal oral health, certain things may lead to sores or skin breakdown under your bridge. Here are some ways you can develop skin breakdown or lesions under your dental bridge and what you can do about them:

Weight Changes

If you have gained or lost a considerable amount of weight, you will need to have your bridges reevaluated to make sure that they still fit. Ill-fitting dental bridges can become too tight or slip out of place, causing friction wounds underneath the appliance.

To prevent this, your dentist will take new measurements or impressions and submit them to the dental lab where a new set of partials or dental bridges will be made. In the meantime, avoid wearing your poorly-fitting bridges if you develop sores in your mouth. While waiting for your new appliances to be made, rinse your mouth with warm salt water which will help sooth irritated gums and promote healing. You can also increase your dietary intake of vitamin C, which will also help promote wound healing and lower your risk for infection.

Degenerative Bone Disorders

If you have a degenerative bone disorder, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or osteoporosis, then the bones in your mouth and your jaw may deteriorate or change shape. Because of this, your dental bridges may no longer fit properly, leaving you at risk for developing friction ulcers, pain, or infected wounds.

If you have a degenerative bone condition, work with both your physician and your dentist to monitor your medical and dental health. Your physician may recommend that you increase your intake of vitamin D and calcium to help prevent further bone damage, or he or she may prescribe a medication to help stave off the future effects of osteoporosis.

While these treatment options may not reverse current bone damage, they will help lessen the severity of future bone loss and soft tissue damage inside your mouth as a result of dental bridge misalignment.

If you gain or lose weight, or if you develop a degenerative bone disorder, make an appointment with a dentist that offers dental bridge services. He or she will examine your gums and other soft tissues inside your mouth for evidence of sores or irritation. When discovered early, skin breakdown from ill-fitting bridges can be treated effectively so that they do not progress or cause a serious infection. 

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