You didn't have a bridge. I had one in addition to a back tooth like the one you describe. I had been getting regular cleanings and checkups, but still they were unable to see the issue with the back tooth until I complained of pain, at which point they referred me out to have the bridge removed so they could see underneath. The tooth had to come out, at which point I decided at the same time to have a bone graft done where the bridge had been (if there is no tooth in an area for an extended period of time, the bone dissolves.) So now I get to wait for that to heal and then get TWO implants. Plus a crown on the bottom tooth opposing.
My regular dentist isn't the best, but the community clinic is what I get when using medicaid. They originally filled the bottom tooth with a huge filling when I couldn't afford a crown (after first telling me they couldn't do a crown and offerring to pull the tooth and put in a partial denture -- I declined, fortunately, and a later second opinion was that the tooth was saveable.) The crown will need to be a bit high, but that works since the opposing tooth will be an implant so they can make it shorter.
All this courtesy of my local university undergrad and grad student clinic, which is not free but a lot cheaper than a private practice would be. Most is not covered by medicaid, which would prefer I just not have any teeth I guess. Or dentures, I don't know. Not for me, I'll find a way to pay for it all.
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