For anyone who has suffered serious tooth damage, dental crowns and bridges in Jacksonville, NC are like a lifesaver. They are both restorative dental treatments designed to bring back function and appearance to otherwise damaged teeth. As always, saving your natural teeth is always a top priority with your dentist, and crowns and bridges make it more possible to save those teeth. After the dentist has done their job, it’s up to you to maintain your dental work. Here’s how to make it last.

Keep Up With Dental Appointments

Whatever the reason that your tooth suffered damage, hopefully you won’t repeat any bad habits, like avoiding the dentist. Now that you have a dental crown or bridge, it’s all the more essential that you keep up with your dental appointments, visiting at least once every six months, if not more often.

Avoid Dangerous Foods

What are dangerous foods? They’re the ones that can damage your dental work. Your crown or bridge is strong, but it’s not indestructible. Hard foods like really crunchy fried chicken, ice, nuts, hard candies, peanut brittle and the like are no-nos, now that you have a dental crown or bridge. Do yourself a favor and avoid these forevermore.

Don’t Grind Teeth

Are you a teeth grinder? If you don’t know, consider asking your sleep partner. If you grind or clench your teeth, known as bruxism, it can wear down or damage crowns and bridges over time. Talk to your dentist about getting a custom night guard to protect your restorations while you sleep.

Ready to learn more about dental crowns and bridges, or simply ready for your next appointment? Contact your Jacksonville, NC dentist today to get started.