Guess it just becomes part of your “new normal,” if that makes sense…
I get what you mean about the “new normal,” but I’ve actually found that bridges can start to feel almost completely natural over time. Took me maybe two years before I stopped noticing mine altogether, except for the occasional popcorn kernel incident. Stress definitely makes me more aware of it, but honestly, most days I forget it’s even there. Chewing gum didn’t work for me—I always felt like it stuck to the bridge and made things worse. Maybe it just depends on the person or even the type of bridge?
Yeah, popcorn kernels are basically bridge kryptonite. I’ve had mine for about a year and honestly, I barely notice it unless I’m eating something weird or super sticky. Gum is a hard pass for me too—tried it once, spent the next ten minutes fishing it out with a toothpick. I guess some folks just adapt quicker than others, or maybe it’s all about the fit. Either way, I promise it gets less weird with time.
Popcorn is the worst, right? I remember thinking I’d never eat it again after my bridge went in... but I caved eventually. For me, the “weirdness” faded after a few months. Now it’s just part of my mouth—unless caramel’s involved, then all bets are off.
Now it’s just part of my mouth—unless caramel’s involved, then all bets are off.
That resonates. I found the “foreign object” sensation faded after about six weeks. At first, I was hyper-aware of every little thing—temperature, pressure, even the way food felt against the bridge. Popcorn hulls are a nightmare though, agreed. Sticky foods like caramel or taffy still make me nervous since they can loosen the cement or get wedged in places you can’t easily clean. But honestly, after a while, it really does start to feel like your own teeth—at least until you hit one of those tricky foods.
I’m with you on the sticky stuff. Even after a couple years, caramel and anything chewy still make me pause—just not worth the risk of pulling something loose or getting it jammed in there. For me, the bridge became “normal-ish” after a couple months, but there’s always that slight awareness if I’m eating something tough or extra crunchy. I will say, the sensitivity to hot and cold totally faded, which surprised me. It’s not exactly like real teeth, but honestly, most days I forget it’s even there… until snack time gets adventurous.
