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Do I need a deep cleaning?

nanovon: I took a general cleaning and an x-ray. The dentist there told me I should do a deep cleaning next time because one of my molars has a visible tartar. I don't have any insurance and must pay out of pocket for that. Is my problem serious? If so, is a deep cleaning needed? Dr M: Subgingival calculus, leads to inflammation, which could lead to the onset of periodontal disease. Although it is not an emergency, I would still recommend doing a deep clean during your next check-up.

Looking for advice re crown being replaced with composite/cosmetic bonding

Danielle94: Hey I went to my dentist to get my two crowns redone ( front teeth) I was also getting the two teeth next to my front teeth in composite bonding So when I went for my crown prep appointment my dentist asked me if I would let him try something he hasn’t don’t before but he has seen it done in the states. So instead of renewing my crowns he popped my existing crowns off and replaced both in composite/cosmetic bonding the price was the same as it took so long.He said that if they fail or crack he will replace at his cost with crowns. Aesthetically I’m amazed my teeth look perfect much better than I imagine crowns could ever look on my front teeth. I’m super worried about them failing especially when he hasn’t given me a time frame for replacing them if they do fail. So much that I had myself in tears over it I’m scared to eat anything that isn’t soft. He has assured me that it is safe to do so but I just can’t help but worry. I have always fully trusted my dentist I’ve been with him for 10 years and I moved 2.5 hours away and travel to him after trying a few others that I didn’t feel were upto standard. Am I being silly and worrying over nothing? Looking for other peoples opinions on this and if anyone has had the same done and it’s been fine? Also k should mention it’s a private clinic not nhs Dr M: The main disadvantages of composite bonding, is the fact that they will discolor over time. Crowns don't change colour, but any filling material does. Composite fillings are also not usually as strong as normal crowns. Although the dentist did check the bite, to make sure they don't take too much pressure, there is still a risk of fracture if biting into anything that is too hard. The results look good. Hopefully the dentist sticks to his word of replacing it free of charge, if they break. Danielle94: Dr M said: The main disadvantages of composite bonding, is the fact that they will discolor over time. Crowns don't change colour, but any filling material does. Composite fillings are also not usually as strong as normal crowns. Although the dentist did check the bite, to make sure they don't take too much pressure, there is still a risk of fracture if biting into anything that is too hard. The results look good. Hopefully the dentist sticks to his word of replacing it free of charge, if they break. Thank you so much for the reply I appreciate it. When you say fracture do you mean fracture to the composite bonding or to the tooth underneath? The reason he has opted for this I understand is because anytime one and crowns they are never quite right and look two wide and bulky. The reason I wanted new ones was due to a receding gum line around the crowns. I underwent gum contouring beforehand. The worry was that the gum would reject the new crowns again. It’s catch 22 really . I’m going to ask him what sort of time frame he is giving me with them when I return. Dr M: Usually the composite fillings fracture. Not the teeth underneath. In terms of the crowns, crowns usually have a very smooth margin, and if placed in the correct area, i.e not in the biological zone, they should not have any effect on the gums receding. Has your dentist investigated other causes for the receding gums? A lot of times it is due to habits, such as brushing too hard or using the incorrect brushing technique. Danielle94: Thanks again for the reply. I actually went to see a gum specialist regarding the recession and he said my front tooth was over erupting and it possibly could have been a factor but other than that he said that he could see no reason why my gums would be receding said that there ere perfectly healthy couldn’t understand it. As I am happy with the results of the composite on my next visit I am going to ask what time frame my dentist is giving me with these and I’ll take it from there. I’m starting to feel more comfortable with them ( they felt very alien at first )

Shadow on silver filling

jetts4u2: I was told I have a shadow on two old silver fillings, dentist said that fillings age out and I need 2 redone. I also have a corner of my rear molar that they want to put a crown on. My old dentist just retired and said chip on rear is fine if it doesnt' rot for now, keep it in check. New, young dentist wants the crown,but now he wants to redo 2 silver fillings because of a shadow around filling, which he says is decay. I have no pain on any teath, and when he sticks his pick into a cavity, I can feel the probe going into rot, had a couple cavities in last couple years. Seams he is doing preventative maintenance work, not required. Am I missing something. Oh, I hate getting cavities fixed, sucks, hurts. So, not into having pretty molars. I have had dental work done my entire life, so not neglected. I am 58, so if it's bad, pull it. Thanks for any info. Plus, I have to pay $320 after insurance to get these 2 fixed, which isn't an issue, but better things to spend money on. jetts4u2: Oh, they did not take xrays this time, so entirelly visual by dentist. Dr M: I would confirm the presence of the cavity with an x-ray. You are well within your rights to ask for an x-ray to confirm the presence of a cavity, before consenting to any filling jetts4u2: Dr M said: I would confirm the presence of the cavity with an x-ray. You are well within your rights to ask for an x-ray to confirm the presence of a cavity, before consenting to any filling I get xrays next visit. Will cancel for now, xrays in 6 months. Thanks

Chipped tooth repair?

Erik: I have a chipped tooth (Lower left 30) otherwise I have good dental health. The chip is at the inner gum line where the enamel of the crown meets the root. Other than being able to feel the chip with my tongue/finger it causes me zero discomfort. I have been advised that it is fine and to keep brushing it. Knowing nothing about dentistry my self I do not know the proper course to correct this before it becomes a bad issue for my tooth. So I have a few questions; 1, Is it ok to just let it go with normal dental care and this will not jeopardize the tooth? 2, Is this something that can be repaired to protect the tooth? 2a, If its repairable just what can be done? I attached 2 probe pictures. The chipped area has not changed in approximately 6 months. It does not bleed but the coloration is yet another concern for me. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Dr M: The area can definitely be fixed with a dental filling. Did the dentist take an x-ray to rule out any decay that might be the reason for the chip? Erik: Yes. Full x-ray set was done. No decay detected anywhere. What makes me wonder is why both the hygienist and the dentist would suggest leaving it alone. Would the filling just be for appearance or would it protect the tooth? Dr M: The filling in that area is sometimes technically difficult, due to being close to the gum line. Exposed dentine like that might later on lead to cold sensitivity and a filling might help to cover the exposed dentine. If there is no decay detected however, and you are not experiencing any cold sensitivity, you can only monitor it for now. Erik: Thank you very much for your response. Having limited knowledge in dentistry it just seemed odd to not cover an area on the tooth that was not naturally exposed. I just didn't want to risk an otherwise healthy tooth. I understand your answer and truly appreciate your time.

Is this a cavity or discoloration?

mbd: I have noticed a shadow on a tooth. Do you think it could be a cavity or just the natural color of the tooth? Thanks for your help. Dr M: Could be a cavity. Only way to know for sure is by taking an x-ray mbd: Can you see a cavity? Thanks. Dr M: There does seem to be a small cavity that you can fix with a filling. mbd: Can you help me see it on the xray? Where is the shadow on the xray? What part of the tooth? Thanks for your help.

A local dentist told me one of my tooth cannot be save, is that true?

blueplanet: Dear Experts and Friends, I have an abscess near the root of the second premolar teeth on the left side (See the attached photo). The abscess has leaked pus before. I am foreigner working in Vietnam. I have consulted a local dentist. He has taken an x-ray image of the area where the problem is (See the attached x-ray image). According to this dentist, one of the tooth is overly infected and cannot be saved. It has to be extracted. I am very concerned about the consequence of teeth removal. I would like to see if there is any opinion regarding my present dental condition. The same dentist has also prescribed augmentin, metronidazol and prednison to me. After consuming the antibiotic, I felt great. Dr M: Difficult to see clearly on the photo or the x-ray, but it seems like you might an abscess that is periodontal in origin. With the bone loss seen on the x-ray around your teeth, as well as the condition of your teeth in the photo, it seems like you might have periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is a gum and bone disease, leading to bone and gum loss surrounding teeth. I would leave the tooth for now if not symptomatic, but go and see a periodontist as soon as possible for a full mouth evaluation. blueplanet: Dear Dr M, Thank you very much for your advice. Fir some u known reason, the blister is deflating. It is almost flat. Like what you said, i should consult a periodontist. Thank you again.

Problematic wisdom teeth

someusername123123: Hi everyone! Rushing up to the questions, here are some recently made X-rays (12 Dec before and 19 Dec after the extraction try). The surgeon who made it seemed quite professional to me (almost 20 years of experience) However, he said he did not expect it would be such a complicated procedure. During the 1'30 procedure he was able to cut off the roots and remove some parts of the tooth, as the place was extremely difficult to reach out for him (and he did not want to extract the 7th tooth). Important to mention, that he did not specialize particuraly "in bones", although he specializes in implants. Right now (~3 weeks after) I'm still feeling a bit of pain in some kind of movements, but it seems to be better every week. So I have several questions regarding my issue: 1) is it safe to live with that dead part of the tooth inside? 2) what to do with the second tooth (from the right side)? can the same procedure (with leaving the rest of the tooth) be done? 3) are there some other methods dealing with this situation I wasn't informed about? Thank you in advance for your help and time Dr M: There is a chance that the residual tooth root and crown, could lead to an abscess formation later on. I would suggest seeing an oral surgeon to remove the residual pieces as well as the opposite and opposing wisdom teeth. Best to see a specialist in case like this.

Best treatment for front teeth cavaties

sarajeanne: Cavaties at the bottom of my daughters front teeth both on the ridge of the teeth she is 11 yrs old with braces Dr M: Do you have photos you could share?

Unusual: Maxillary Incisor Chipped at Gumline...Possible Causes and Consequences

Brause: I have seen a lot of fractures, but not such a shallow, sub-horizontal chip (upper middle left incisor). How could this have happened and what are the likely consequences? Since it is a the gumline, treatment is probably difficult...and enamel does not replenish itself. Dr M: Could be a pre-existing enamel malformation that was only recently exposed due to recession? Does not exactly look like a chip. If the gum tissue allows, clinical crown lengthening could be attempted, and the defect restored thereafter. Brause: Dr M said: Could be a pre-existing enamel malformation that was only recently exposed due to recession? Does not exactly look like a chip. If the gum tissue allows, clinical crown lengthening could be attempted, and the defect restored thereafter. If true, then it is clinically irrelevant. Hurrah! Brause: Brause said: If true, then it is clinically irrelevant. Hurrah!

Upper and lower teeth touching at rest

Ishi: Have been having issues with my teeth for the past several months, since April 2023. My upper and lower teeth keep touching, even at rest. I have a history of teeth grinding and have been wearing a night guard for the past 5 years. Recently had my wisdom teeth removed and a crown replaced in the past year which seems to have started this entire problem. It appears I have lost significant vertical dimension and need to restore this. I have seen about 10 dentists and orthodontists with numerous x-rays and CT scans and MRIs. TMJ and alignment issues have been ruled out by previous scans and ortho visits. If I wear my night guard during the day and night, my teeth start hurting. Right now my primary concern is that my upper teeth and bottom teeth are constantly colliding with each other, BOTH when I talk and at rest. The only way I am able to talk without my teeth clashing is when I physically make a gap between my teeth (with a finger or some type of food). I am really tired and frustrated with this problem. Any help would be great.

Crown getting problem

gizmo777: Went in for three crowns on the top . When I got there they had me scheduled for 6. I didn't want to do 6 they said they'll line up better and look better well I let them do it . After shaving my teeth down when they went to put on the temps one side of my mouth the temps wouldn't fit and I heard the tech or dentist say the mold is messed up or wrong. They couldn't fix it I went home in pain. The next day I had to go to another dentist of the same business but a different office to get a temp put back on. She told me that they messed up and did the Second Step first and should have fixed my bottom teeth before doing so many top crowns. She said now I will have to wear partials all the time for crowns to fit and she'll have to open my bite. Tried on partials on and yep some teeth not being able to come together. Told her I couldn't handle that or accept it .She said well you have other teeth to chew on. What can I do to fix this it doesn't sound right at all

Can a new crown going on a molar be made wider to help fill in the space from a recently removed wisdom tooth.

dandelion: I recently had wisdom teeth (#'s 1,16) removed. It feels a little startling when I touch it with my tongue that there is a big space where the wisdom teeth were removed. Molar teeth (#'s 2,15) recently had root canals and are awaiting new crowns. Generally speaking, is it possible to make the new zirconia crowns for the molars wider to a certain degree (going toward the cheek side) to help fill in a little of the space created from the wisdom teeth removal. Or do the crowns need to be symmetrical for bite and mouth comfort? The lower corresponding molars and wisdom teeth are still in place. I had two upper teeth removed when I was young as part of an orthodontic procedure so I have 12 upper teeth now. Dr M: I would rather suggest just giving it some time. You will get used to the new '' space'' behind your second molar, just like you were used to the space behind your third molars. FranklinDental: Hi thanks for sharing your review but according to my knowledge it will take some time. if you want detail information must visit:https://franklindental-supply.com/blogs/news/temporary-crowns-uses

Did I mess up my root canal?

locacoca: Two days ago, I had a root canal done through a crown. The dentist put in a permanent filling as well. He said I should have been able to chew on it. However, it still is tender and it aches when I do so. I'm also still affected by hot and cold (but nowhere near as much as before. I think the sensitivity is going away on that front). The pain is responding to medications but it definitely still hurts when the meds wear off. Should I go back to the dentist as soon as possible or wait it out? Did my root canal fail? Did I mess it up? I'm scared and in pain and frustrated. I don't know what to do. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Dr M: It might be that the filling is too high and just needs an adjustment. High spots could cause pain when putting pressure on the tooth. It also sometimes takes some time for the finished root canal to settle. It can sometimes take a month. If the pain is gradually becoming better, I would suggest just keeping an eye on the tooth. FranklinDental: It can indeed be a frustrating and confusing experience. we'll delve into the common symptoms of jaw infection after root canal, explore the reasons behind this issue, and discuss the available treatment options. here is link for, https://franklindental-supply.com/blogs/news/symptoms-of-jaw-infection-after-root-canal

Foliate papillae??? Lingual tonsil??? Cancer??? Help!!

tillyrose81: What is is this at the back side of my tongue. Its like a skin tag. Flappy. Sometimes sticks up. Sometimes lays flat. No pain No bleeding No ulcers Discovered nearly a year ago but unsure how long it has been there prior. Pictures are magnified

Dental splinting

Harpreet: i removed my braces , and they put a fiber behind my front teeth , i learned it is called dental splinting , so i have some questions about it. I recently learned that the correct way to close my mouth is my molars touching and my upper teeth slightly in front of the bottom ones , i've tried to breath like this but i've been having headaches , is it because of the splinting? Dr M: What you are referring to is actually called a fixed wire retainer. This is common practice after ortho treatment has been completed, in order to prevent relapse or movement of your front teeth. In terms of the headaches, I would suggest mentioning this to your dentist. It might be that you have a grinding issue and in need of a bite plate.

Medical Flexible Spending Account

tsquared: Does anyone use their medical FSA account to pay for their dental work? Please share any experience. Thank you!! tsquared: I am a medical FSA participant and use tax free money to pay for my dental work. I have an been a participant since 2011. I was just wondering if there is anyone else out there who does something similar.

Coffee stain, tooth decay, or something else?

KarlA554: Hello, I am 24M, I don't smoke, and I drink a few times a month. This is in the top left of my mouth. It doesn’t hurt, I just noticed the discoloration and wasn’t sure what it was. I drink coffee 1-3 days per week so thought it could be from that. I just saw the dentist two weeks ago and they didn’t mention anything about this, so I’m hopeful they saw it and weren’t concerned rather than missing it if it’s an issue. Any chance it’s tooth decay or something problematic? And could that white stuff just above the brown spot be tartar, or is that anything to worry about at all? Thanks! Dr M: Could be plaque or calculus with some superficial staining? When last did you have a proper cleaning done? KarlA554: My last cleaning was on 11/20 and they didn't mention anything about this. They also took X-rays and didn't mention anything about the results to me, so I assumed there were no issues there.

Root Canal?

daintybow88: Hi everyone I would just like a second opinion if possible. I had a check up today and was told fixing this decay could lead to a root canal with it being close to the pulp. I am booked in for the filling and once she has opened it up, she will let me know if a root canal is needed. Do you agree that this is a possibility with where the decay is? I had an xray in Jan (left) where the shadow can be seen but it was never mentioned. Dr M: There is a high likelihood that this might end up in a root canal. The only way to know for sure is to remove all active decay. Judging by the earlier x-ray, the situation seems more or less like it would have been the same. Keep in mind, that even if the x-ray does not involve the nerve, any filling extremely close to the nerve, might irritate the nerve and then eventually lead to a root canal, even if it is a few years down the line. daintybow88: Dr M said: There is a high likelihood that this might end up in a root canal. The only way to know for sure is to remove all active decay. Judging by the earlier x-ray, the situation seems more or less like it would have been the same. Keep in mind, that even if the x-ray does not involve the nerve, any filling extremely close to the nerve, might irritate the nerve and then eventually lead to a root canal, even if it is a few years down the line. Thank you for your reply. Fingers crossed the filling will be okay. I am not in any pain so do you think it isn't too close to the nerve? I have read all sorts of negative things about Root Canal like it leading to disease else where in the body and it has scared me some what! Please do you have any reassurance on this? Dr M: If you don't have any symptoms, it is a good sign. A root canal might be avoided altogether, but again, the only way to know for sure is by cleaning out all the decay. Root canal therapy is a time tested, well documented procedure in scientific peer-reviewed journals. A lot of recent social media posts, including some Netflix series, have put root canal therapies in a bad light. Most, if not all, of this misinformation is not based on any scientific consensus. There is a reason why this therapy is still taught as a standard of treatment in dental schools all over the world. daintybow88: Dr M said: If you don't have any symptoms, it is a good sign. A root canal might be avoided altogether, but again, the only way to know for sure is by cleaning out all the decay. Root canal therapy is a time tested, well documented procedure in scientific peer-reviewed journals. A lot of recent social media posts, including some Netflix series, have put root canal therapies in a bad light. Most, if not all, of this misinformation is not based on any scientific consensus. There is a reason why this therapy is still taught as a standard of treatment in dental schools all over the world. Thank you so much for all your help. The current filling has lasted me 25 years so I cannot complain really. Have a lovely day ahead!

Can anyone inform me on what this red spot is in my gum? Its been there for a few months but hasnt gotten any worse or better.

Cdulin:

Do I need to remove any of these wisdom teeth (xray attached)?

substantial_tower: 20s male, no smoking or drinking. Two dentists (in USA) said I need to remove all of them. At the moment, no pain or any problems. In other countries, people don't remove wisdom teeth as often, so this feels like something I should do if there are any concerns. Lower left tooth is sideways, so probably need to be removed, but unsure about others. Thoughts? Xray below. Dr M: Lower right wisdom tooth is partially impacted. This tooth creates a high risk of recurrent pericoronitis, and therefore the top + bottom teeth would need to be removed in my opinion. The left top wisdom tooth can also be removed and the lower left wisdom, only monitored for now, to ensure it doesn't cause any damage to the adjacent second molar. If it does, it would need removal as well.

Bump on gum, X-ray good

smith26: Painful bump on upper right gum. No. 5 has pain but surface is good and X-ray is good. No. 6 has a crown but no obvious trouble (X-ray good). Infection? Bruxism? Dentist (in UK) says no obvious dental cause. Any suggestions? Dr M: The photo is unclear. Could be a bony outgrowth only, which is normal. Do you have the x-ray to share? smith26: Thanks for the reply. I managed to get the X-rays and a better photos. Hope these are more informative. Hurting for about a month on and off. The root treatment is the crowned tooth in the photo (tooth no 6) and the pain is from the tooth in front (no. 5). Dr M: It looks like the pain might be referred pain from the crown and root canal. On the side of the mesial root ( root closest to tooth no. 5), there appears to be some bone loss. This might be an indication of a periodontal abscess. This could happen if one of the roots of tooth no. 6 has a crack. Remember root canal teeth are dead teeth, and can still fracture over time, even if protected by a crown. I would suggest that you get a CBCT scan of this area. It would provide a 3D image of the area, and hopefully some more information about where the pain is coming from. alakuni: Discovering a bump on your gum can be an emotionally unsettling experience, and it's natural to feel concerned. You've already taken the right step by having an X-ray, which can provide valuable insights into the issue. The good news is that a clear X-ray is reassuring, as it can rule out more serious problems like cysts or tumors. However, the presence of a bump on your gum may still need attention. It could be due to various factors, such as an infection, an injury, or a blocked saliva duct. It's essential to consult with your dentist to determine the cause of the bump and explore appropriate treatment options. They can provide guidance and support to address the issue, alleviate your concerns, and ensure your gum health. Remember, your emotional well-being matters in this process, and seeking professional help is a positive step toward resolving the situation. smith26: Thanks for the reply and suggestion. CBCT scan done. Could someone take a look please? Can the root-treated (many years ago) tooth no. 6 be saved? C_Smith.zip drive.google.com smith26: CBT scan showed bone loss and impossible to save toosh. Tooth extracted. Headache gone!

Need advice for cavity hole, filling keeps coming out and now the nerve hurts, need experienced dentist

penandpaper545: I have a cavity that that was filled, but the filling fell out form oil pulling. It was filled 3 times previously. Now the nerve hurts if I chew on it or have cold on it. Also the dentist anesthetic doesn't work on me, I can still feel it. I am also pregnant. Is there some solution for this situation that doesn't require drilling or numbing? Like a cap or crown of gold? Looking for a very experienced dentist in Georgia. Dr M: If the nerve is indeed exposed or irreversibly inflamed, it might actually be an indication for a root canal treatment on the tooth. If you are pregnant, I would suggest seeing a dentist as soon as possible. The safest time for extensive dental treatment is during the 2nd trimester. It might be necessary to at least remove the nerve in the mean time, to prevent pain and infection and then complete the treatment after the baby is born.

Temporary Dental Implant

sendicott: What happens when your temporary dental screwed in implant is exposed from behind do you put anything behind it to make it stop throbbing? Dr M: What do you mean temporary implant? Are you talking about the healing abutment? The implant crown ? Was the implant placed recently? Throbbing pain might only be normal post-operative surgical pain.

There's a hole in my gum

Kaylieangel: I have a wisdom tooth growing on top and I accidentally bite the below of my gum and now there's a hole. Its been about 2months and the hole is still there. I hurts like every single second and its somewhat swollen. Is this serious? Do I have to go to a dentist? LADentalclinic: If you're in constant pain and have swelling, you should definitely see a dentist. It is unlikely that this condition will resolve itself. Best of luck Beautifulsmile: Beautifulsmile said: I’m 13 and I have 28 teeth well taken care of brush floss and everything but there is a third molar it looks like my wisdom teeth are all ready here and I counted my teeth and it still said 28 but that’s not the problem the real problem is that this is a small hole in the bottom back of my mouth the very back on the left side and it looks the the photo from the other person do you know what it is and why it is there there is a little pain like when I touch it with my tongue and I grab a floss pick to see if it was a tooth coming in and i saw a small line in my gum like my gum broke in half like starburst but not all the way but none of my teeth are not cracked and I’m getting metal braces soon and my teeth are not really crooked but why is there a hole in my gum at the left side all the way in the back of my mouth I also use burning mouth was to kill bacteria I don’t understand I don’t eat guava and cheese cake but sometimes I don’t like chocolate cake of a Twix and sneaker bar but I brush Beautifulsmile: Sorry typo I do like chocolate cake Beautifulsmile: I’ll eat chocolate cake Twix and sneakers but I’ll brush I typed a little fast I also added photos of my mouth if that’s ok so that you get an idea of what I’m talking about Beautifulsmile: Beautifulsmile said: I’ll eat chocolate cake Twix and sneakers but I’ll brush I typed a little fast I also added photos of my mouth if that’s ok so that you get an idea of whDecember 52023 7:06 Eastern standard time Beautifulsmile: Beautifulsmile said: December 52023 7:06 Eastern standard time Pm Dr M: Looks like there is pocket behind your last lower wisdom tooth on the left. This creates an area where food gets stuck. This pocket can be surgically removed, or can be eliminated when you remove your wisdom teeth, which is sometimes the case when orthodontic treatment is required Beautifulsmile: Dr M said: Looks like there is pocket behind your last lower wisdom tooth on the left. This creates an area where food gets stuck. This pocket can be surgically removed, or can be eliminated when you remove your wisdom teeth, which is sometimes the case when orthodontic treatment is required Wait but my wisdom are not causing me pain at all it’s just that small hole and how can I get it removed because it’s like a cavity in my gum that’s need to get filled with pink glue or something Beautifulsmile: Beautifulsmile said: Wait but my wisdom are not causing me pain at all it’s just that small hole and how can I get it removed because it’s like a cavity in my gum that’s need to get filled with pink glue or something I don’t think I will ever need to get my wisdom tooth remove because I have four and there is space for them thanks because I was not sure if those were my wisdom teeth because I’m 13 and not 17 or 20 years old but I looked at photos and it said the 3rd molar is your wisdom teeth Beautifulsmile: Beautifulsmile said: I don’t think I will ever need to get my wisdom tooth remove because I have four and there is space for them thanks because I was not sure if those were my wisdom teeth because I’m 13 and not 17 or 20 years old but I looked at photos and it said the 3rd molar is your wisdom teeth Do I have to remove that wisdom tooth or like should I go to the dentist asap Beautifulsmile: Beautifulsmile said: Do I have to remove that wisdom tooth or like should I go to the dentist asap Is there any option I have besides removing the wisdom tooth because I have 28 teeth in my mouth including my wisdom teeth why I should have 32 and I don’t want to make that 27 I want to have a beautiful smile that’s why I’m getting braces silver rubber bands with silver brackets I have a beautiful smile but I want it to look prettier Beautifulsmile: As you can see that is my profile name Beautifulsmile: Beautifulsmile said: Do I have to remove that wisdom tooth or like should I go to the dentist asap Let me know like what’s wrong with the pocket and other options because It might be to early to get my wisdom teeth removed plus maybe I might not have to I can keep my wisdom teeth forever unless I feel pain which I doubt

No teeth on one side and implant not an option

artkan55: I have a situation in which I have only 1 tooth on my upper left side (I have only a few missing teeth elsewhere). I may have to get this tooth extracted as it is giving me trouble. I am a cancer patient and have been advised not to get an implant. I am wondering what options do I have? For example, can I get a denture that can be glued on that side? Any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you. AK Dr M: Most likely you are looking at a removable partial denture, which can also be adjusted easily enough, so that it doesn't cause unnecessary pressure on the remaining teeth. Acrylic dentures are also easy to add on to, which might be necessary, since cancer related treatments, might lead to the loss of additional teeth. artkan55: Thank you.

Is my Dentist SCAMMING me(33m/disability/welfare) and my MOTHER (65/senior/disabled/welfare)?

healthyteethlover: It was an emergency. I needed help. I didn't know where to go for help. And he took advantage of me when I was down bad. My gums were swollen and red. My gums were oozing white pus by the minute. My gums were bleeding constantly. My teeth felt like they were being eaten alive by plaque-rot. It was an emergency. I was DESPERATE for help. And he took advantage of me. The SCAMS all began 3 months ago in October on the 9th of Monday in the year of our Lord 2023 in Northern California, San Joaquin County. I think me(33m/disabled/welfare) and my mother (65/senior/disabled/welfare) is being SCAMMED by our dentist (new dentist we just signed up with). I recently signed up for a new Medi-Cal health plan and I had to choose a new dentist. I chose a dentist half way across town because this was only one I found that accepted my new health plan. I went in for a visit and he seemed very friendly and helpful and he earned my trust immediately. The dentist recommended the following work to be done: tooth removal deep cleaning dentures The dental office called me 2 weeks later to set up an appointment. I asked to speak with the Dental Professional himself to ask more questions and he told me how much it would cost after insurance paid their share. He told me approximately $10,000. He was very helpful and earned my trust more. I told him I live in poverty and I only have $0.33 left at the end of the month to buy groceries so I have to purchase groceries on credit. I also told him that I was able to scrounge up credit cards from family to pay for my care and if I could make payments to pay it off instead. He told me that I need at least a $2,500 down payment if I wanted to make payments. I agreed to this down payment and he told me to come right this moment into his office to get it done. I went into the office and I told the receptionist that I would like to make a down payment. The dental professional came into the office and told me I had to sign up for their store credit card. I was lost and confused but I trust him so I signed up for their store credit card. (SCAM RED FLAG #1 AND #2) I have a friend in sales and he told me that what the dental professional did was use a manipulative sales tactic called lowballing to get customers into the door to prime them to purchase a product. I also have a friend that works at a department store who told me that stores get a commission for every person that signs up for the store credit card regardless if the customer gets approved or not and that the dentistry is using their customers as cash cow to get paid every time a patient signs up for their store credit card. Now. I successfully signed up for a store card and he told me to come back after telling me that I could get the work done this day. (He just wanted me to sign up for a store credit card so his store could make $). But I demanded that he serviced me this same day as he said he would. I had to argue with him but I got it. I asked him how many teeth am I going to get pulled out today. He said 7. I don't know much about dentistry but I assumed this to be normal. (SCAM RED FLAG #3) I have a friend who works in dentistry who told me normally patients would take out 1 or 2 max teeth at a time due to the pain involved and that he was just trying to fast track my procedure so he can farm other patients as cash cows. Next he told me to come back to pull the other teeth out. I asked him about my mercury fillings because I read on a blog that mercury fillings are a health hazard. He replied that he would be happy to take them out as well (without even inspecting them). He also tried to SELL me on taking out my impacted wisdom teeth when I never even mentioned them. (SCAM RED FLAG #3) He was trying to use me as a cash cow to milk my medi-cal health insurance with extra procedures that I did not need. Needless to say, he never took out my mercury teeth as he promised. After pulling out all the teeth that I was scheduled to remove. He made me make another appointment for a deep cleaning. It was an absolute nightmare this experience. He made his assistant come to help me after waiting for half an hour. His assistant asked me how I was doing and if I was ready for my dentures. I told her I did not receive my deep cleaning yet. She was confused because she was instructed by the dental professional to make a molding for my dentures. I had to argue with the dental assistant for up to an hour (why did I have to argue). I HAD to pull up my receipts to PROVE that I PAID for a deep cleaning which I NEVER received (why did I have to pull up my receipts)? Finally after much headache and arguing I was able to receive my deep cleaning from the dental professional and lets just say he wasn't happy because he was not gentle at all and I told him it was hurting and he replied, "I know," and pressed harder. Idiot. (SCAM RED FLAG #4) He tried to play me for a fool and tried to pull a quick one on me by skipping out on my deep cleaning. GOOD thing I KEPT my receipts or I would've never received my deep cleaning. AFTER my deep cleaning was done, the dental professional told me to go make another appointment. I didn't ask what for because I trusted him and he seemed very cool so I went to the receptionist to make another appointment. The receptionist seemed VERY confused and asked me what it was for? I replied that I do not know and I was just following the health care dental professional instructions for making another appointment. They made me wait in the waiting room for an hour while they figured out what for. The dental professional finally replied that it was for another clean-up (after a deep clean though)? (SCAM RED FLAG #5) My friend who works in the dentist field told me that I DID NOT need another cleaning after a deep cleaning and that he was using me as a cash cow to milk my medi-cal government paid health insurance. SCAMMING IDIOT! I then went in for my denture moldings and during the process I kept telling him that this is hurting me and he kept replying, "I know" as he pressed harder. I figured it was just part of the routine so I stomached it. Not a scam but just a sign of evil, piss-poor character and loose piss-poor morality. I was blinded by my own trust for health-care professionals. I thought all the bad guys are in hell and not on earth. I trusted him and he seemed trustworthy so I brought my mother(65/senior/disabled/female) to the office. They took her x-ray and told her that they would call back in 2 weeks after contacting her government paid, medi-cal health insurance for coverage. I asked them what procedures needed to be done and they answered several tooth removal, crown removal, and dentures. 4 weeks passed by and they never called back so I called back to follow up. They told me that my mother(65/senior/disabled/female) needed to come back for another x-ray. (SCAM RED FLAG #6) Are they milking my mother(65/senior/disabled/female) as a cash cow to get paid by her health insurance by making her get extra procedures done that she doesn't need? Also, the dentist has shown signs of abuse towards me and therefore his patients. So in summary I would like to ask reddit's fine dental professionals after all things considered: ARE ME(33M/DISABLED/WELFARE) AND MY MOTHER(65/F/DISABLED/WELFARE) BEING SCAMMED BY OUR DENTIST AND BEING TREATED UNFAIRLY BY A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL WHOSE JOB IS TO CARE FOR HIS PATIENTS? IF I AM BEING SCAMMED WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLETHAT I HAVE TO REPRIMAND HIM? SO FAR I HAVE CONSIDERED TO LEAVING AN INTENSE NEGATIVE REVIEW ON THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS: BETTER BUSINES BEREAU. HIS DENTAL PRACTICE WEBSITE. GOOGLE BUSINESS REVIEWS. DBC CA GOV CONSUMER COMPLAINTS WEBSITE. (https://www.dbc.ca.gov/consumers/complaints.shtml) MEDI-CAL WEBSITE COMPLAINT FORM. IT IS NOW DECEMBER (CLOSE TO IT) AND I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED MY DENTURES AFTER THE MOLD BEING DONE ON OCTOBER 30TH, 2023 2 MONTHS AGO. WHAT PROTECTION WOULD I HAVE (LEGALLY OR OTHERWISE) IF THEY LOST IT? healthyteethlover: hello mods can you delete this there has been a huge misunderstanding

Roots too short/damaged for treatment?

denu555: Hello everyone. To put a long story short: had a botched root canal followed by a cyst, got referred to an endodontist, had vitality tests and detail x-rays done on the botched tooth, in addition to a recent (weeks old) panoramic brought along to the office. Please correct me if I'm wrong (this seems like the literal opposite of what should be happening), but I did feel cold/pain during the vitality tests. Regardless, I was told I should get it removed. I don't mean to argue, but the appointment left me a little confused. There was no mention of fractures, cyst size, etc. as the reason to go straight to extraction and nothing new seems to show on the detailed shots compared to the panoramic from earlier. Are my canals too short/fractured for an apicectomy, repeat root canal, etc.? What is the deciding factor here? Thanks in advance for any and all information!

Could I do a filling instead of an extraction to this tooth?

MNVA: Dr M: The x-ray is not suited in order to give a clear opinion. A peri-apical or bite-wing x-ray would be better in order to determine the extent of the decay. Based on THIS x-ray however, it does seem like the decay extends below the bone level, so in my opinion an extraction would be a better option

My Mom Needs Help, But We're Severely In Poverty

helppamela1: TW: Rotten Teeth I do not know who else to turn to, because we’re both at our wits end. My name is Amber Giza and my mom’s name is Pamela Giza. We’re both 26 years old, and 56 years old, respectively. This letter is in regards to her and her dental health. For the past few decades, my mom’s dental health has been declining, rapidly. My mom has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Herniated Disc Disease, and because of the intense amounts of pain she’s in, she has to take prescription opioids. One of the side effects that they have is that it dries her mouth out. She can’t brush her teeth, because of how sensitive her teeth and her nerves are. It's been at least since 2020 since she’s seen a dentist. The reasoning behind it is because of not having enough money. It also doesn’t help that she has no dental coverage or insurance. In Washington State, she doesn’t qualify for Medicaid or any form of affordable dental coverage, because her income is apparently too high. As of 2023, she earns roughly $1,400 per month, on disability, and she spends over 90% on it on our rent. For me, I make about $940 a month, also on disability. We’ve tried looking into dental grants, but we have no luck. We’ve been phished, lied to, and nearly scammed, because of our income situation. We’ve spoken to a couple of orthodontists about her situation, and it would take around $55,000 for the medical procedure that she needs. This is money that neither of us have. This is money that none of our immediate family has. To really see how bad her teeth are, here's a photo I took of her mouth, as best as I could: As you can see, the right side of her mouth is severely infected. The last tooth she got removed was one of her top incisors. Her bottom-left canine, pre-molars, and molars are the most infected. The right side of her mouth isn’t as bad, but it’s getting there. In the end, she just wants all of her teeth removed and to either have implants or removable dentures. Because of how bad her teeth are, it’s affected her mental and physical health. Because of her teeth, she doesn’t like going outside in the condition she’s in. She’s very self-conscious about her face. It’s also getting harder for her to eat and chew foods. The only type of medical care she can do, is take more pain killers or NSAIDS for pain, or she has to keep going back to the urgent care and get antibiotics. She can’t do that forever, because she is a carrier for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Often, she breaks down because she doesn’t know about her financial options, what to do, where to go, or who to talk to. Meanwhile, I’m in college still, trying to get my degree. I can’t get a job just yet, because I’ve tried holding down a job and do school, but it took a massive toll on my mental health. We have no one else to turn to, in terms of asking for help with getting dental grants, and for getting my mom’s teeth out. Please help us out, in any ways that you can. I don’t want my mom to die of septicemia, because I have nowhere to go, should that happen. Please, if there's anything you can do to help us out or any resources you can think of, please message me/let us know. I'm sick and tired of having to try and win the dang lottery, just to save my mother's life! Monaliha78: helppamela1 said: I do not know who else to turn to, because we’re both at our wits end. My name is Amber Giza and my mom’s name is Pamela Giza. We’re both 26 years old, and 56 years old, respectively. This letter is in regards to her and her dental health. For the past few decades, my mom’s dental health has been declining, rapidly. My mom has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Herniated Disc Disease, and because of the intense amounts of pain she’s in, she has to take prescription opioids. One of the side effects that they have is that it dries her mouth out. She can’t brush her teeth, because of how sensitive her teeth and her nerves are. I'm truly sorry to hear about your mom's challenges, Amber. It's essential to consult with her healthcare provider to explore dental care options tailored to her health conditions.

Tiny line of bump in gums

parthipan: got tooth pain (sudden sharp pain) two months ago and got my teeth scaled but the tooth ache returned and noticed a tiny bump that is not so visible but can be felt with my tongue the pain came from that area ( the arrow mark ) , slowly another line of bump started appearing ( the line ) the gum at those areas is softer than normal. Went to a dentist who then prescribed gum paint and see if it heals, but it doesn't seem to should i be worried? Dr M: I am not familiar with the term '' gum paint '' however, during a scaling, calculus comes off from the tooth surface. Beneath those areas of calculus, the enamel sometimes becomes demineralized, and can then chip or cave in, forming an area you can feel with the tongue. Sometimes these areas, if big enough, require fillings. However,the photo is not clear and it could also be cingulum protrusions on the specific teeth, which is a normal enamel formation. parthipan: that makes sense, thank you for the reply : )

Peridex oral rinse at the dentist today

Morgan815: Went to the dentist for a cleaning today, I got prescribed local del of chemo into dis of 4 back molars for 60 dollars each after my insurance (Dhmo) I have very bad gums they were 6 and the other 4 back molars teeth in March so that wasn't a total surprise (those teeth are now at a 4 and were at 6/7 level before. But I also got prescribed a one time mouth rinse at the dentist called peridex which I never heard of before today for 150 dollars, is this a normal rinse to perscibe to someone like me? I looked up the drug online and it costs 12 dollars and your supposed to do it after the dentist at home so something isn't adding up but may be totally off Patient history Bad gums Bad over bite jaw grew on the top after my braces later in my teen life and doesn't affect my daily life that bad and don't want to do surgery as it looks awful and painful and expensive No cavities Dhmo insurance will be upgrading to ppo in January

White bump

Kranee: Started as small mouth colored bump Friday become larger white bump as of Saturday night/Sunday morning - on floor of mouth Kranee: Started as small mouth colored bump Friday become larger white bump as of Saturday night/Sunday morning - on floor of mouth Dr M: The floor of the mouth is a high risk area. This white lesion should be investigated further by your dentist or oral surgeon, to rule out any neoplasia. Although the duration of the lesion is still short, this needs to be treated as a priority.

Special needs step brother needs help

BoglimChronicles: Hello, my step brother Josh has refused to see a dentist in many years. We took this picture last night and we are VERY concerned. Just wondering what the general opinion is here and if it's too late for some of his teeth. We also do not have dental coverage. He is unemployed and on SSI Dr M: Difficult to say to without an x-ray. You would need to see a dentist in person, so that the teeth can be evaluated, in order to discuss the best or cheapest treatment options.

Temporary dental implant/bridge

sendicott: Hi! I just got dental implant/bridge surgery on Wednesday because my former dentist botched my two front crowns so my new dentist saw me last Monday, and I had the surgery on Wednesday! My question is I’m 4 days post surgery and I have a dull ache that comes and goes but it’s not insane! Is that normal? Dr M: This sounds like normal post operative surgical pain and should subside after 7-10 days. If it feels the same or worse after that, you need to arrange a follow up visit with your surgeon. sendicott: Ok thank you

What are these little bumps in my mouth, not painful, I first noticed it when I was inspecting my mouth when I was sick a month ago.

gggsgsgsgsgsg: Dr M: Minor salivary glands. This is a normal occurrence in the mouth

Swollen Gum

dentalissues15: Just to start, I have booked in with my dentist but they can’t see me until Tuesday so I am looking for some advice in the meantime. I woke up a couple of days ago with swelling along the right side of my gym which was making it look like my face was a bit swollen. I did not have any pain it just felt a little weird to smile. I did a salt water rinse in an attempt to reduce the swelling and wait it out to see it if went down. Later in the day I took some painkillers for a separate issue but I noticed by the evening that the swelling had reduced to just being above one tooth. Since the swelling has stayed around the same same size still with no pain as it is but the same feeling when I smile. It is tender/minimal pain to touch. This morning I went floss between the tooth it’s above and my gym started bleeding. One of the teeth I had a filling on about a month and a half ago and I’m unsure if this is related. But I have had no pain in this tooth since the filling. And there is no obvious boil or pimple shape on my gym it is just very large outwards compared to my surrounding gym. If anyone could offer any advice as to what this could be, what I can do to help it until my dentist appointment and anything I should be avoiding that would be great, thank you!

Slight/dull ache one month after root canal on molar

a.s.l: I had a root canal procedure 1 month ago. After my tooth was fine and swelling went away quickly. Now (3 weeks later) I have a very slight/dull ache, I wouldn't say it is sore per se, but it is rather irritating. Its like I can constantly feel that tooth is there yet it is not painful. It is only this tooth and no other that is annoying. I know that I also have a problem grinding my teeth at night, however I wear a think mouthguard to protect them. My question is, given the very slight nature of this discomfort, whether this could be due to grinding my teeth or an issue with my treated tooth? I am reluctant to go back to the dentist as its so expensive! Any reply would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks! postendo: Hi I just saw your post and I'm in a similar situation almost 3 months after a root canal. Just wondering did your pain eventually fade away or did you have to circle back to your dentist/endo ?

Are these cavities?

Tylerb: I noticed one side is occasionally slightly sensitive. I looked and thought I had a cavity for sure but I noticed the same tooth on the other side has a hole also. Are these both cavities or is that just how that tooth looks. Dr M: Might only be a discolored pit. To rule out a cavity, an x-ray is needed or a clinical examination in order to determine if the pit is sticky or not. alakuni: Cavities, also known as dental caries or tooth decay, are more than just holes in your teeth. They can be a source of frustration and worry. Cavities develop when bacteria in your mouth produce acids that eat away at your tooth's protective enamel. This process can be emotionally distressing because it not only causes pain and sensitivity but also affects your self-esteem. The emotional aspect of cavities is real – the fear of dental visits, the discomfort of eating, and the anxiety about how it might impact your smile and overall health. The good news is that with proper oral care, regular dental check-ups, and timely treatment, cavities can be prevented and managed. Caring for your oral health goes beyond just the physical; it's about preserving your confidence and well-being. Don't hesitate to seek professional help and guidance to address cavities and maintain a healthy, radiant smile. Your emotional comfort is an essential part of your dental journey.

Need help on making sense of some x-rays

Sarar: Hi, These x-rays are actually for a relative of mine. She's 57 years old and a non smoker/drinker. She's already showed her x-rays to three dentists and they all agree that the upper right central incisor and the upper left canine need a root canal. She's already booked her appointment and I'm not questioning the diagnosis or the treatment plan. I just like to know more about how to read dental x-rays and that's why I'm making this post. I know the canine is broken and there's obviously the huge cavity that's quite near the pulp in the x-ray. Regarding the incisor, I can see the huge cavity but in both cases I can't figure out why they're in need of a root canal treatment. I'm trying to learn what signs indicate the need for that treatment course, so any help is deeply appreciated. Here are the x-rays: Thank you Dr M: Does she have any symptoms on these teeth? If the symptoms are not spontaneous and lingering and the tooth responds to vitality tests( heat and cold) , then you can get away with a normal filling only. A cavity close to the pulp only, is not in itself an indication of a root canal treatment. alakuni: Exploring dental X-beams can be sincerely overpowering, however you're making a proactive stride towards figuring out your oral wellbeing, and that is excellent. Assuming you're having a befuddled or restless outlook on the X-beams, make it a point to out to your dental specialist or oral wellbeing proficient. They can walk you through the pictures, make sense of what they uncover about your dental condition, and address any worries you might have. Keep in mind, you're in good company in this excursion. Your dental group is there to give the direction and backing you want to get a handle on the X-beams and make proper moves for your oral wellbeing. Your prosperity and genuine serenity are their main concerns, so trust in their ability to help you through this cycle.

Cant stop crying

Laura84: i have always had a massive phobia of the dentist but braved it and made an appointment. After a few appointments, talking, molds done and a lot of reassurance, I had my front 4 top teeth removed today and dentures fitted and I hate them. I cried as soon as she showed me. They look massive like horse teeth, I’m not exaggerating they look stupid. She filed them down slightly but now they look worse cause the bottom edge is just perfectly straight, no gaps or bit between the teeth to show they are individual. She told me to give it 24 hours as I was swollen and said they will look fine tomorrow if not to call and she would fit me in. I regret getting them done so much and have cried pretty much since. I can’t even look at myself. I look stupid. Is there anything she can do to change the appearance of the ? Dr M: If it is a plastic denture, and the aesthetics is way off, the teeth can be replaced with other teeth of a different shape and size. I would suggest allowing at least 2 weeks of healing to take place first alakuni: Many individuals experience profound uneasiness and stress connected with dental issues. It could assist with contacting the dentistry gathering or a psychological wellness proficient who can offer help and understanding. Discussing your thoughts with other people who have gone through comparable circumstances can give solace and significant experiences. Furthermore, think about conversing with a humane dental specialist regarding your feelings of dread and concerns. They are prepared to deal with patients who are restless or upset, and they can work with you to find an answer that limits your trouble during dental systems. Finding a way the way to look for help, whether from a discussion or an expert, is a gutsy one. Your sentiments are legitimate, and with the right assistance, you can track down the solidarity to defeat this test and recapture control of your close to home prosperity.

Refund For Dental Work

NeedDentalAdvice: Hi I am wondering if I can get a refund for poor treatment by a dentist, and what the best way to go about it is. I've give a summary of what happed here: I had a crown fitted a week ago (porcelain) . Before being fit, I received a call asking me to come in for a new mold to be taken. I was away on a trip however. The dentist then said they had spoken with the lab, and a new mold was no longer required. I said that I could fly back to have the mold done again if this would help to ensure the crown would fit correctly, the dentist said no need. When it came time to fit the crown, it needed to be shaved down a lot in order to allow me to close my mouth. The dentist was very defensive and hostile in response to any questions I had (very unprofessional), and very heavy handed with the procedure. I went to a second dental practice to get a second opinion. They did an x-ray and found there was a gap between the tooth and the new crown. I.e. it didn't fit. I have sent the x-ray to the original dentist who did the crown, to get their comment. They have refused to make a comment so far, and are instead asking me to come in for an appointment next week. I after the treatment I have had, I am not comfortable letting this dentist work on my teeth again. I would just like a refund, as I don't believe due care and attention has been taken, and the dentist has been quite unprofessional and hostile towards me. What is the best way to handle this if the dentist is refusing to admit any fault, and/or give a refund for this? alakuni: Looking for a discount for dental work can be a sincerely difficult encounter. It's totally justifiable that you may be feeling baffled, frustrated, or even restless about this present circumstance. On the off chance that you accept that you are qualified for a discount for dental work, opening an exchange with your dental provider is fundamental. Begin by examining your interests and the explanations behind looking for a discount. Clear and fair openness is of the utmost importance for tracking down a goal. Recollect that your dental wellbeing and your monetary interest in it are critical. Trust simultaneously and the responsibility of your dental supplier to address your interests. While it very well may be an intricate and close to home excursion, cooperating can prompt a fair and good result for the two players included. Your prosperity and inward feeling of harmony are significant, and the goal of this matter will assist you with pushing ahead with certainty.

Does my tooth really need an extraction

tombaird: I have a back upper-molar which has had root canal treatment in the past. The filling has come out and at my recent check-up the dentist advised that it would be better to remove the tooth rather than replace the filling. She said it's a walking timebomb for infection and to trust her on this. I don't want to loose it. What do you think? Dr M: Do you have any x-rays you could share? Need more information to comment on the prognosis of the tooth tombaird: An X-Ray was taken but I don't have access to it. The dentist did not say the tooth was in poor condition just that it would ''most likely become infected at some point'' Dr M: Unfortunately we can't really comment without more information Dr M: Go for a second opinion if you are unsure. alakuni: The prospect of requiring a tooth extraction can be genuinely overpowering, and having worries about the need of the procedure is regular. To decide whether your tooth genuinely needs extraction, it's essential to talk with a mindful dental specialist or oral specialist. They will cautiously evaluate your dental condition and give direction in view of your particular case. Extraction is commonly looked at when as a tooth is seriously harmed, contaminated, or represents a gamble to your general oral wellbeing. Trust in the ability of your dental expert and their obligation to your prosperity. They will talk about the purposes for the suggestion and investigate elective choices, for example, root waterways or dental crowns, if suitable. Your dental group is there to help you through this cycle, guaranteeing your solace and dental wellbeing are a first concern.

Malocclusion and ligament pain

sendicott: I went to the Endodontist today for X-Rays and he said that I have Malocclusion and that I have a inflammation of my ligament above my crown and so my front and back teeth don’t align properly so it makes my front teeth hurt when I bite down to eat so I have to do a soft foods diet until I can get my braces or Invisalign

ProDentim

Tigerjeff: Saw this product advertised, sat thru detailed video. Thinking abt ordering one bottle ($69) and try it out. Tried to google unbiased reviews… and it’s weird. I can’t find any. I find a bunch of what I consider sketchy “reviews “ w/ misleading titles. The Google search pops up several supposed “reviews “ in various newspapers; one article states that there were “many” complaints concerning the product— then the rest of the article goes on to discuss the product, its ingredients, how great it is. WTF? I’m willing to try something for a month — but the sort of odd Google search results leave me wary. If this is such a great product, why is there a need for such an organized ad campaign … that from my perspective doesn’t give a straight answer? In other words, why the effort to portray what are obviously canned sales pitches, as unbiased reviews? I’m sure there is a lot I don’t know , but it’s irritating and frustrating.

Does alveolar recession reverse in toddlers who have had an early incisor extraction due to a fall?

Dentalquestions6484: Our child had a fall at 3 years old and had the primary/milk/baby upper central incisor extracted after it turned necrotic and developed a sinus. A couple of years later , I can see the bone/gum around where the tooth was has become higher that than the neighbouring teeth where the teeth have not been extracted. I understand this is due to lack of blood flow now the baby tooth has been removed Questions: When the permanent tooth comes in , will the bone/gum tissue regrow so it’s even with the neighbouring teeth? Any other issues that may be caused by the early extraction of an incisor? Thanks Dr M: Early loss of a primary tooth, can sometimes result in rotation or mal-positioning of the permanent incisor upon eruption. This is because one of the main purposes of baby teeth is space maintenance and to assist in guiding the eruption of the permanent tooth. This might then result in an orthodontic issue at a later stage. As for the gum line in comparison to the neighboring teeth-you will have to wait and see until the permanent incisor erupts. Gingival margins can be be adjusted, but only at a later age preferably. Most likely there won't be any major issues, although there are risks. You will just have to wait and see. Dentalquestions6484: Thanks for the reply! Yes I’m prepared for the tooth to come out misaligned , which could be fixed with braces, so not worried about that - more worried about any loss in alveolar bone which isn’t reversible Out of interest do you know where dentistry whitepapers are on the internet? I figure there must be research into this sort of thing (eg 200 children were studied with early primary tooth extraction , this is the result 5 years later etc) strangely I can’t find any information on this topic

(Ignore duplicate thread - I cant seem to delete )

Dentalquestions6484: Our child had a fall at 3 years old and had the primary/milk/baby upper central incisor extracted after it turned necrotic and developed a sinus. A couple of years later , I can see the bone/gum around where the tooth was has become higher that than the neighbouring teeth where the teeth have not been extracted. I understand this is due to lack of blood flow now the baby tooth has been removed Questions: When the permanent tooth comes in , will the bone/gum tissue regrow so it’s even with the neighbouring teeth? Any other issues that may be caused by the early extraction of an incisor? Thanks

Been prescribed medication for trigeminal neuralgia

rach.atkinson: Have had dental problems on and off for 6 months ! Had an extraction in January and since then had problems ! Dentist had done all they can and has referred me to a specialist dental hospital in Leeds . The waiting list is between 16-18 weeks! The pain seems to be getting worse. Today they have prescribed me Carbamazepine as this is the only option left that they can do for me. Will the place they have referred me to be able to do more for me if these tablets do not work as I’m panicking now thinking I’m going to have to live with this pain for the rest of my life and quite frankly it’s starting to make me depressed ! I’ve had x rays done and went to the hospital for an x ray and 2 dentists can see no problems with the tooth . Thanks in advance honestdoc: I'm not from the UK. Please tell me as much detail about your pain/problem. Dr M: Good day Carbamazepine is often prescribed for neuralgias. If the tooth that was extracted was a difficult extraction or a surgical extraction, there is a chance that the nerve could have been damaged during the procedure, or even during the administration of the local anaesthetic. The pain that you are experiencing now-is it related to another specific tooth or just a generalized dull, burning or tingling pain? I have had cases where the nerve did get an injury, and then I also prescribed Carbamazepine in order to help with the " nerve pain" , but in most cases what is needed is time. A nerve injury, if not permanent, can sometimes take months or even a year to heal fully again, as the fibres regenerate. rach.atkinson: The extraction was a simple one and there were no problem. It’s a dull pain but gets sharper every now and again. I can feel it on the back tooth , the extraction site (the one in front ) and the tooth in front of that one . rach.atkinson: Had tooth pain in October/ November last year went to dentist had a failed root canal so they took the tooth out . I’m a slow healer my dentist says as the extraction sites have always healed slowly. A few weeks after there was pain that I told them was my back tooth. Had numerous appointments to alter my bite. Paid for a mouth guard for sleeping . Things improved for a few days then this pain kept coming back. Had x rays in the dentist and was sent to the hospital and none of the dentists could see anything wrong on the x rays lve Exhausted all options with the dentist . I’m on a referral waiting list but it’s looking like 16-18 weeks. Dentist has prescribed me a dose of 100mg carbamazepine to take once a day and she will review . I’ve just taken my first tablet Dr M: It might also be that one of the other teeth might have a crack and then a CBCT scan might be the only way to possibly see it, since conventional x-rays won't reveal a crack in all instances. Have you been taking any anti-inflammatory medication? It is possible that an occlusal adjustment might have been needed, but if there was no real relief, further investigation might be needed? Have you been referred to a specialist of any kind? rach.atkinson: Yes I’ve been referred to a dental hospital in Leeds. I’ve had one of the scans that move around your head is that a CBCT scan. I will attach the photo Dr M: The x-ray you attached is a panoramic x-ray which is still only a 2 dimensional image. A CBCT scan is a 3 dimensional view of the area rach.atkinson: rach.atkinson said: Yes I’ve been referred to a dental hospital in Leeds. I’ve had one of the scans that move around your head is that a CBCT scan. I will attach the photo Also paracetamol and ibuprofen haven’t helped at all Dr M: Do you perhaps have any smaller peri-apical x-rays of the area in question? rach.atkinson: No that’s all I have unfortunately thank you for your help rach.atkinson: I was prescribed carbamazepine and took for 14 days and there was no change in pain , actually it’s got worse ! Dentist told me to stop taking and made me an appointment to do further investigations on Wednesday . Still getting worse but feels like it’s spreading . My neck hurts and the extraction site in front of the painful one and the 2 teeth in front of that one too. Also my upper jaw feels painful sometimes too. I haven’t had a normal dentist x ray since just before they did the extraction on the other tooth in January so I’m hoping they will find something on this updated x ray on Wednesday . zorba25: Hi sorry to hear your traumas, I wanted to post a reply on unfortunately we can’t help with an answer but my husband has been and still is suffering something similar. Been in pain since around June time eventually gained access to dentist and now has seen various ones plus a private CT scan done various xrays but none of the dentists can establish what is causing the pain. It is the same chronic every day with occassions where it increases. He got referred to a dental hospital and has seen root canal specialist today to rule out issues with a previous one but again nothing showing. The guy is suggesting now not dental pain and has referred him back to the original person he saw to look at pain blockers and check what else it could be. We have tried gum shields antibiotics allsorts but nothing has worked if anything made it worse. Just thought it may be worth replying to say not alone and also to see if anyone may suggest anything to sort us both out strangely enough we are from similar areas if you mentioned Leeds we were referred to the Sheffield one. zorba25: rach.atkinson said: I was prescribed carbamazepine and took for 14 days and there was no change in pain , actually it’s got worse ! Dentist told me to stop taking and made me an appointment to do further investigations on Wednesday . Still getting worse but feels like it’s spreading . My neck hurts and the extraction site in front of the painful one and the 2 teeth in front of that one too. Also my upper jaw feels painful sometimes too. I haven’t had a normal dentist x ray since just before they did the extraction on the other tooth in January so I’m hoping they will find something on this updated x ray on Wednesday . Hi Did you ever get anything sorted and any outcome of the cause?

Travelling tooth ache

parthipan: Occasionally i used to have a sharp not so painful tooth ache in my "right lateral incisor" and consulted a dentist and got my teeth scaled 7 days later the tooth ache returned (very less frequent this time) but in addition to my "right lateral incisor" my left lateral incisor also started having these sharp, (moderate) pain in my "left lateral incisor" note: after paying another visit to the dentist on that very night i had throbbing (mild) pain in my "left lateral incisor" which lasted for the night and didn't come back again but then the occasional sharp pain persists in both the right and left lateral incisors additional note: the dentist keeps saying that there is no dental plaque or tooth decay MattKW: Sounds all very vague. Any Xrays to show us? parthipan: sorry for the late reply The tooth near the suspected tooth (canine on the right) failed to sense heat in a vitality test but i decided not to get any treatment on my tooth for the moment and the occasional tooth ache slowly faded away after using cloves for a day on the gums. as of now i don't have any toothache since a week should i get a root canal procedure on my canine?

Went to a dentist and was told this is Mandibular Tori however she wasn't 100% confident

Anon123: Have gone to a dentist recently to get an opinion on a lump behind my bottom teeth. Dentist said it may be mandibular tori however she wasn't 100% sure. Due to the high cost in my country I am not in a position to get more xrays/opinions and was wondering if anyone here could help. Just looking for some peace of mind on this issue or if I need to seek further assistance. Growth is quite small still and is only present on one side which I know is less common for tori growth. Thanks in advance! Dr M: Do you have any x-rays at all? Is the growth hard? Is it painful? Although it is less common, you still sometimes get unilateral tori. Anon123: Dr M said: Do you have any x-rays at all? Is the growth hard? Is it painful? Although it is less common, you still sometimes get unilateral tori Haven’t got the X-rays sent to me however they were only front/side so there was a bit of obstruction. No pain and quite hard am unable to press into it at all. Slight discomfort during the initial growth stage. Dr M: Mandibular tori are classified as hamartomas which means that they have limited growth potential. Best advice-observe only for now. If the area becomes symptomatic, continues to enlarge, or becomes ulcerated, you would need to seek the opinion of an oral surgeon.

Air pocket/small hole in temporary crown

sendicott: I have a question! Will the small hole/air pocket that is in my temporary crown affect my permanent crown because it is a pain MattKW: It usually won't be a problem for your permanent crown as the permanent crown material can be thinner and stronger. But is does suggest that that your tooth has been under-prepared and if the dentist starts adjusting your permanent crown, ask him to confirm that the final thickness is OK. Thickness is easily measured with calipers. We can't give you permanent crowns with holes. sendicott: What does it mean by under prepared? Do they need to see if they can take more of the tooth off? It also feels like it’s throbbing! That’s not normal right? MattKW: The temporary crown gives a rough guide as to the likely thickness of the final permanent crown. When the permanent crown is tried in for fit, then any adjustments are made before cementing. The thickness of the permanent crown must be correct before cementing - if too thin, then more tooth needs to be removed, a new impression taken, a new temp crown made, and a new permanent crown made. This is not costed to the patient as it would indicate the dentist miscalculated way back at the first preparation. A leaking temp crown lets fluids get inside and will often cause sensitivity.

New crown

sendicott: How long does it take for a new crown to adjust to your mouth because I had one put on permanently on Thursday and I get my other permanent crown on October 23! Please help me figure out what to do while I am wearing the temporary crown! MattKW: You should be able to function normally with it straight away. If your bite feels uncomfortable, then go back to the dentist for an adjustment. sendicott: Ok because when I bite down on it, it still feels weird! I feel like I have a snaggle tooth!

Complex extraction at age 73 of big back molar in lower jaw

worrier: My dentist says my tooth is beyond repair and needs a complex extraction - decayed, infected, and broken below gumline, but it causes no pain or discomfort. It is a big molar right at the back of my lower jaw but she says it isn't a wisdom tooth. I will be having it done with local anaesthetic and I am terrified with all that I have read. I am 73 and read that complications are more likely at my age, though the dentist says age doesn't matter. My fear of having it pulled, and the expense, is causing me to procrastinate, but would waiting put me at high risk of future problems? Do lots of people of my age have this procedure with no problems during or post-extraction. I'm in the UK. MattKW: Can you put up Xray images? Preferably a full-mouth OPG and a smaller periapical. Ask your dentist for copies. worrier: Dentists in the UK don't normally give patients copies of the Xray images, but I don't see why not as I am paying for treatment. I will try to obtain them. Has anyone else in the UK requested and received copies of their Xray images? MattKW said: Can you put up Xray images? Preferably a full-mouth OPG and a smaller periapical. Ask your dentist for copies. MattKW: You only have to ask. See here about Disclosure. Obviously ask for digital copies, about 500kB is more than enough resolution.

A strange growth between the tooth and the cheek

Georgeden: I've noticed a strange growth between my cheek and tooth. I've had it for several months; initially, I thought it was a natural structure, but I've begun to feel it more and more. I don't have it on the other side of my jaw. When I touch it with my finger, I don't feel any pain. However, I often perceive it as a bubble in my mouth, feeling it with my lips closed. Unfortunately, I regularly feel discomfort in that area after eating something hard, like M&Ms, or foods that require strong chewing. After such an injury, the area can hurt for several days. The tooth in that area doesn't bother me, and I can bite down on it. What could it be? Some time ago (about 16 months), I used a lot of mouthwashes and tooth applications from the pharmacy containing ethanol. I had toothaches back then, and it provided some temporary relief. I'm afraid that because of this, I might now have a serious issue or gum cancer. MattKW: That is simply the buccal frenum (elastic and striated muscle fibers). You will have one on the opposite side.

Hard bump on roof of month

steve12345: I am a 27 year old male with who does not use tobacco. I beleive this bump has been there for years and gets irritated from time to time. It is as hard as bone to the touch and not painful. When I saw what it looked like I got worried. My denist never have mentioned it but I never brought it up because I was not worried until I saw it. Attached is a picture. Any idea what this? It is on the left side of the image. could be. MattKW: Can't see anything significant. Relax.

How to treat an infected tooth... in Northern Uganda

digross: My colleague in Lira, Uganda, has an infected molar, and has been in pain for over a month. She went today to the local dentist, which is "DentAid". The dentist said to pull the tooth because "it is weak", and that is why he cannot fill it. No mention of a crown, or what do to with the gap. There are few choices — Uganda has very few dentists! I doubt there is a second opinion to be had! We are wondering what to do next. Pull the tooth? Request a filling? Request a crown? If they cannot do a crown or filling, what then? If anyone has advice, we would appreciate it!!! MattKW: The diagnosis is also hard for me to read. However, it appears to be talking about pulpitis in teeth 18 and 48. These are "wisdom teeth"and are usually extracted in most people. Wisdom teeth do not need replacement as they are redundant.

Neglected teeth for years, have cavities in my wisdom/molars, is it too late to stop it from spreading in this state? (pics included)

cavityguy22: Neglected my body for years due to depression during my teens, now I'm taking steps to build healthy hygiene habits. I've had these cavities in my mouth from since I was 15 (now 22) and weirdly enough it hasn't seemed to give me a tooth ache which I'm very happy for. I plan to get these removed in the future but I'd like to know, if I consistently brush every day, will it stop the cavity decay from progressing down to my nerves? Or is it at a point of no return where it'll just keep spreading no matter what I do? MattKW: I can't evaluate decay in your teeth based only on photos. Go to a dentist and get full examination with bitewing Xrays.

Possible Lingual/Inferior Alveolar Nerve damage which has led to Trigeminal Neuralgia

S3B: Good afternoon everyone (I am from South Africa, so excuse the time difference for those experiencing it), I am new to the forums, and you can call me Seb. I am just here to enquire about some recent dental issues I have encountered which has left me in a state of chronic pain. I will get into details a bit later, considering I first just want to get to the bottom of the situation. I'm suspecting I might have sustained damage to my the Lingual/Inferior Alveolar Nerve on the right side of my face (my perspective) which might have led to a condition referred to as Trigemnal Neuralgia (TN), commonly known as "Suicide Disease". I'd like to enquire about the necessary steps I'm supposed to follow in case I had an injury to any of the nerves which might contribute to said condition. Who do I see to determine if this is in fact nerve damage; a Neurologist or Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon? Are there tests they can run to ascertain 100% if I have indeed sustained a nerve injury? Would you be able to PHYSICALLY SEE this perhaps? I have already gone back to the dentist, but she told me to wait 2 weeks and has put me on Celebrex 200 for the time being. Can this potentially heal over time, or am I screwed for life? I know in some cases, nerve damage can be permanent. My pain is EXCRUCIATING, and it doesn't stop (which has me worried, and is the main reason I came to this forum). It's like a stinging/aching pain, and it feels like it's in the back of my mouth behind the 3rd molar where the dentist injected me (x3 times, due to not anesthetizing easily). I don't think it's the tooth that had to get an inlay that's causing the problem (this tooth seems fine now). It almost feels like I'm still getting injected, or alternately, stabbed in the nerves in the back of my mouth. PLEASE, if anyone can help me, it would be much appreciated, even if people can link me to other threads. I am in a state of constant chronic pain and I haven't been able to function normally. I have even cried a couple of times, up to the point where I am not even able to cry anymore. This is really a SERIOUS issue to me. Any help would be MUCH appreciated. Thanks you in advance. Regards, Seb P.S. A GP has also put me on Panafcort (Prednisone) 5 mg x 24. I was supposed to take 12 this past Thursday after I had just seen the GP, and then another 12 yesterday (Friday), 24 hours later. I haven't taken ANY thus far, considering I am doubtful when it comes to Prednisone and cortico-steroids (I have been on them before and suspect they might've contributed to my lower-immunology and persistent allergy (Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria). Is it a bad decision abstaining from what the doctor's recommended if I'm doubtful? Busybee: I'm very sorry that you are in so much pain. I had transient Trigeminal neuralgia years ago. It was very distressing but in my case I'd get random shooting pain and I would not have any warning of when. It went after three or four months but I would panic if I didn't have painkillers with me. I think mine was caused by a too high nightguard and possibly also a whiplash injury a couple of years earlier. I was helped by nurofen codeine tablets. Cortico steroids do have side effects in some people. In my case they make me fall asleep. I've needed them for a severe allergy. It's good to know exactly what's happening before taking something so strong on a regular basis. Have you tried any regular painkillers? What dental work did you have just before this started? MattKW: If this pain started up after recent treatment, that is the logical place to start before getting into more obscure diagnoses like TN. "If you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." If your dentist can't define the pain, then go to an endodontist to rule out tooth pain. They will then guide you elsewhere if necessary. S3B: Hi again, Thanks so much for the feedback everyone, I really appreciate it. I'm trying to keep this as short as possible for the time being, for the sake of brevity, and will get into the more finer details a bit later if necessary. Just to some things up quickly: I recently had work done x2 on my 1st molar on the right hand side of my lower jaw (mandible) from my perspective. Both were inlays done by 2 different dentists. The 1st dentist's inlay I didn't like (my bite was screwed up), while the 2nd one did a good job, except for the pain I now have in my mandible close to where she injected me and worked on the tooth. This pain only came after I saw the 2nd dentist who did a good job with the 2nd inlay. The 1st doctor who did a bad job gave me x2 injections, while the 2nd doctor who did a good job gave me x3 injections (both due to the fact that I don't anesthetize easily). Personally, I think I should wait a bit longer with regards to injections (maybe a bit longer than the average person actually), because my reaction time seems slow (i.e. maybe we can do away with 1 shot only, but we must just wait for long enough, or at least a little longer than average). Maybe I feel like we DIDN'T wait long enough, and possibly overdosed on injections. What are the chances that I might have suffered needle injury due to having had TOO many dental injections in the same region in a short time-spain? Could this have damaged a nerve perhaps? Could the anesthetic have played a role? I also hear a weird clicking/crunching sound more or less where the pain is felt when I bite up and down properly. This doesn't sound like it's my jaw's bones, but more like it could be tissue (flesh) damage. Could this also potentially indicate nerve damage? This is what originally got me worried: the pain and the sound, originating from the same area. The pain seems less now, but it's still there. It's lingering, and I feel it most of the time and it's hard NOT to focus on it. It's almost like a new permanent sensation my jaw has now. I am however still on the painkillers. I'd like to find out what steps I should take in case of needle injury/trauma, stiff painful jaw and this weird sound I'm hearing when I'm biting up or down. Am I overreacting? I'm scared I ignore this/don't treat it right in time/don't see the right doctor in time and end up with permanent long term problems. Is there anything I can do in the meantime at home to help with the recovery process (apart from drinking painkillers, trying to eat healthy and maintaining good oral hygiene). Any help/tips would go a long way toward putting my mind (and hopefully pain) at ease. Thank you. Busybee: How long ago was the treatment? MattKW: Nerve damage from routine injections does not match with your problems. At most, if the nerve has been pranged (unlikely), then you may have transient numbness for several days, just like bruising.It is actually quite difficult to directly hit the Inferior Alveolar Nerve (IAN) as it is tucked away behind a spur of bone. I might get it once every 3-6 months, and the patient gets an immediate electric shock to the lip. Local anaesthetic is also extremely safe. There must be billions of LA injections every year in dental and medical situations. To overdose would take a huge amount, at least 30mL in a very short time, and I've heard of doses higher without ill effect. Most dental cartridges contain about 2 mL. The first signs will be agitation. Every dental injection causes some muscle damage, and the occasional trismus afterwards can happen rarely. It will settle. If you have your mouth open for a long time, this can upset the jaw function and give TMD symptoms. Resolution is aimed at palliative care by limiting your opening when eating or yawning. These things settle down in most cases. If you're going in for a long dental session, ask for a bite block. Again, I would be looking at the tooth that was recently filled for the primary source of pain. S3B: Dear MattKW, Thanks so much for your input, it really means a lot. I'll try give it some time and be a bit more patient. It's just that I've never experienced lingering pain for so long, so it's got me all worried and upset. In the past when they'd worked on this tooth, it seemed fine within 2-3 days. I have however done some research which has indicated that people can hit the lingual nerve (very rarely) when doing injections, but it is quite a rare incident (some also mention the inferior alveolar nerve being a potential target). People also react differently to the anesthetics used (e.g. Novacaine, Lidocaine etc.). Also, there was another article I skimped through which advised against injecting repeatedly. I'll link it when I have some more time. I would however like to establish the following: if something went wrong during the injection, how can you exactly pick it up? I'm assuming it's not that easy finding out where the needle went, and what it might've hit? There aren't tests they can do to evaluate this? Like let's say for instance someone wants to take a look at their nerves and if they were in fact damaged/bruised, could you pick this up with any testing? Also, which doctor should you be consulting? Lastly, if this was in fact just standard post-op needle bruising, is there anything I could do to speed up/improve/maximize recovery perhaps? Please let me know if you've got any additional tips/recommendations. MattKW: Quite the opposite. The lingual nerve is shallower than the IAN, and is easily struck; I probably hit it 1 in 5 injections, and this gives an electric shock feeling to the tongue. You just pull the needle back and reinsert slightly to the side. People don't react differently to different LA solutions. The only difference is that most contain adrenaline to make it work better. This will often give people a few heart jitters because the injection, being close to a nerve, is also close to veins and arteries. If it really annoys people, I give them a plain solution. All dentists probably carry at least 1 LA without adrenaline. The degree of damage is determined externally by testing the residual amount of numbness to the face. Simply from needle trauma, I've never had to do this because it will resolve within a few days. It is only in cases where there has been serious damage to the nerve like after surgical extraction of wisdom teeth where closer monitoring is required. You can't change the rate of healing. Like any bruise, it can take up to 2 weeks. honestdoc: Dr. MattKW is right. Nerve damage results in feeling numb afterwards. Your mouth recovers very quickly after injections. Like Dr. MattKW says, you can't change the rate of healing but you can try corticosteroids to minimize excessive inflammation (you had previously mentioned abstaining from). With the type of stabbing, stinging pain you are experiencing, hopefully a neurologist may be able to help or manage it. S3B: I think a Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon would be the better option if I'm REALLY worried about persistent pain, especially considering it's in my jaw (lower) where the pain is localized, and that's what they specialise in (apart from the fact that they've studied dentistry as well, unlike Neurologists). Wouldn't they be more qualified in dealing with LN and IAN injuries/problems resulting from dentistry, than say a Neurologist? I know you guys think I'm over-reacting, but the pain comes up more stronger than usual every now and then (in fact, it just came back stronger just now (this afternoon) than it was this morning; maybe my painkillers have worn off). Also, the fact that I'm obsessing about it due to the level of pain and and it's persistence has me worried. I'm just scared it never goes away, and I need to figure out what the next steps I should take, would be. I was thinking this would be nerve pain if it wasn't general post-dental injection pain. Unless this is tooth-ache. But the type of pain is like stinging/biting/zapping/aching, so I'm scared it might be more than just regular post-dental healing pain. It's also hard to localize it exactly. I'm going to wait till the end of this week and keep on taking my painkillers as described and then take things from there. I've found out about doctors in my local area specializing in these types of conditions. S3B: Busybee said: How long ago was the treatment? It took place on the 19th of October 2018, so I'm going on my 3rd week now actually. This is why I have become a tad worried... Busybee: S3B said: It took place on the 19th of October 2018, so I'm going on my 3rd week now actually. This is why I have become a tad worried... After dental treatment I would give it three months before worrying. The worrying helps nobody and just makes you more anxious every time the pain happens. You've had one lot of treatment after another so it could just be your body reacting and your jaw trying to adjust to a different bite. It may be your nerve has been irritated but nerves tend to calm down over time. The time it takes varies with each individual. I'd also suggest ibuprofen first. Corticosteroids are serious meds and should not be taken if you can find relief using alternative medication. You should not take them long term. I found relief using an ibuprofen codeine tablet. These can be highly addictive, but they have fewer side effects than Prednisolone. Either way you should protect your digestive system. It took three months for my shooting pains to go. In my experience pain can be at its worst just before it stops for good. The neurologist will likely tell you that it should settle. There is little they can do other than try to diagnose and refer you for pain management. It's worth trying different things such as a biteguard to see whether you have pain relief when the jaw is relaxed, MattKW: I DO wish that you would see an endodontist first to make sure you rule out a toothache-related pain. I've had a few patients who have gone to neurologists who were found later to have had a toothache. That's after they've usually been drugged with Lyrica and Tegretol in a simplistic bombarding to try and control the pain. If you do end up at a neurologist in the end, they're going to feel more secure knowing you've completely eliminated the dental possibilities. Your problems began after dental fillings; the injections have nothing to do with it as I've already detailed. MattKW: Thank you, honestdoc. Apart from my joke about zebras, I also like to espouse the KISS principle, "Keep It Simple Stupid". S3B: MattKW said: I DO wish that you would see an endodontist first to make sure you rule out a toothache-related pain. I've had a few patients who have gone to neurologists who were found later to have had a toothache. That's after they've usually been drugged with Lyrica and Tegretol in a simplistic bombarding to try and control the pain. If you do end up at a neurologist in the end, they're going to feel more secure knowing you've completely eliminated the dental possibilities. Your problems began after dental fillings; the injections have nothing to do with it as I've already detailed. I'll consider this if the pain persists. Just keep in mind that I'm reacting like this because of unexpected long-duration pain after recent dentistry. I've never had pain for this long, which has led to my incessant worry. Also, people can hit your your nerves with common injections during routine dental visits, with pretty bad consequences as well. I'm sure this doesn't happen too often, but unfortunately, it can: I'm assuming dentists are VERY aware and VERY WELL COVERED regarding the aforementioned. S3B: Busybee said: After dental treatment I would give it three months before worrying. The worrying helps nobody and just makes you more anxious every time the pain happens. You've had one lot of treatment after another so it could just be your body reacting and your jaw trying to adjust to a different bite. It may be your nerve has been irritated but nerves tend to calm down over time. The time it takes varies with each individual. I'd also suggest ibuprofen first. Corticosteroids are serious meds and should not be taken if you can find relief using alternative medication. You should not take them long term. I found relief using an ibuprofen codeine tablet. These can be highly addictive, but they have fewer side effects than Prednisolone. Either way you should protect your digestive system. It took three months for my shooting pains to go. In my experience pain can be at its worst just before it stops for good. The neurologist will likely tell you that it should settle. There is little they can do other than try to diagnose and refer you for pain management. It's worth trying different things such as a biteguard to see whether you have pain relief when the jaw is relaxed, I'm giving it between 4-8 weeks (going on my third now). From what I can gather, if someone did in fact hit a nerve, this is the time-span it'll take to heal naturally by itself (unless there's been permanent damage). After this time-span I guess you can look at further investigation. I am still taking a Celebrex 200 during the morning and evenings (2 in total per day), but I've stopped with the Mypaid forte pills for now which are anti-inflammatory and pain relieving (containing 400 mg Ibuprofen and 325 mg Paracetamol). I've been told to not take this for too long a period, 'cause it's bad for your stomach apparently (is that why you mentioned the 'digestive system'?). Do you rate taking both these at the same time would be a bad idea? Also, I already have a retainer/biteguard. I don't always know how much it helps with my grinding; I think this tooth of mine is pretty f*cked (excuse my language) from taking the brunt of the 'grind', so to speak. I'm considering looking at other alternatives. I have very bad anxiety, and I think it's only getting worse, which has contributed TOO negatively to my bruxism (grinding). I live a very stress-filled life at the moment I'm afraid. S3B: honestdoc said: Dr. MattKW is right. Nerve damage results in feeling numb afterwards. Your mouth recovers very quickly after injections. Like Dr. MattKW says, you can't change the rate of healing but you can try corticosteroids to minimize excessive inflammation (you had previously mentioned abstaining from). With the type of stabbing, stinging pain you are experiencing, hopefully a neurologist may be able to help or manage it. Panafcort (Prednisone) 5 mg x 24 is what I've been prescribed, where I need to take 12 on one day, and then 24 hours later another 12 (which I haven't done as of yet). It's not a long duration for taking Prednisone, which they usually advise against (some people say long term use can have disastrous effects, especially once you try to get off of it again (I'm talking about people that have to take it regularly, as prescribed). I'm just paranoid about taking it because I'm scared said drug might've contributed to my dip in general health (I recently became very allergic and now suffer from Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria), and if I'm not mistaken, I had this drug along with penicillin round about the same time my allergies started. I am thus hesitant/dubious when it comes to taking Prednisone. Just look at all the bad rap people give it when you Google it. I know it helps with inflammation however, but I also know it inhibits your immune system. I'm scared of doing that when I'm recovering from dental pain/injuries. I don't know how much I like the idea of HOLDING MY IMMUNE SYSTEM BACK in order to reduce inflammation. Isn't the inflammation a sign of healing/recovery? Why would you want to curb that? Isn't inflammation a 'natural sign of recovery' that should be left to sort itself out? I'm scared it leads to 'impaired' healing which might yield even longer term issues. How often do they prescribe Prednisone in dentistry for post dental pain/injury/inflammation? Do you perhaps know? MattKW: That video is so mixed up and misleading, I'm insulted by it. But,... that's the internet. Everyone gets a soapbox. He talks that he was injected into the lingual nerve. No, we don't do that because we are passing BY the lingual nerve. We may skewer it on the way if we totally ignore the screaming patient. I don't think any patient would let me do that. We pull back and redirect. He talks of prolonged anaesthesia of not just the lingual nerve but also the IAN (tongue, and lip). What, they were both skewered in the same injection? That IAN is hard to hit directly at the best of times. We don't aim blindly. The lingual nerve is ~1cm deep, the IAN is ~2.5cm deep. We can't see them, but there are bony and tissue landmarks which guide us. There are a few techniques for aiming at the IAN, but they all have pros and cons. He confuses 3% prilocaine with 4% articaine. It was articaine that raised some concern following a Danish study which has since been discredited. Usage of articaine here in Australia was behind that in Europe and USA, but has become very popular for certain reasons. There has been no increase in lingual nerve damage. I have no idea what happened to this poor fellow, but LA is not matching up. There have been cases of dentists reusing empty dental cartridges for other solutions and getting them mixed up - can't imagine anyone being that idiotic anymore, but maybe....? He makes it sound as if dentists have the lawyers on side. No, we can't be found negligent unless we have stepped outside the normal procedures (like reusing cartridges). Maybe this fellow should try dental treatment without LA in future. Or maybe just brush his teeth. honestdoc: S3B said: Panafcort (Prednisone) 5 mg x 24 is what I've been prescribed, where I need to take 12 on one day, and then 24 hours later another 12 (which I haven't done as of yet). It's not a long duration for taking Prednisone, which they usually advise against (some people say long term use can have disastrous effects, especially once you try to get off of it again (I'm talking about people that have to take it regularly, as prescribed). I'm just paranoid about taking it because I'm scared said drug might've contributed to my dip in general health (I recently became very allergic and now suffer from Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria), and if I'm not mistaken, I had this drug along with penicillin round about the same time my allergies started. I am thus hesitant/dubious when it comes to taking Prednisone. Just look at all the bad rap people give it when you Google it. I know it helps with inflammation however, but I also know it inhibits your immune system. I'm scared of doing that when I'm recovering from dental pain/injuries. I don't know how much I like the idea of HOLDING MY IMMUNE SYSTEM BACK in order to reduce inflammation. Isn't the inflammation a sign of healing/recovery? Why would you want to curb that? Isn't inflammation a 'natural sign of recovery' that should be left to sort itself out? I'm scared it leads to 'impaired' healing which might yield even longer term issues. How often do they prescribe Prednisone in dentistry for post dental pain/injury/inflammation? Do you perhaps know? You are right to be concerned with corticosteroids like Prednisone. I don't prescribe it often and only as a Dose Pack for 7 days. It is more effective Anti-inflammatory agent than Non Steroids like Ibuprofen. Busybee: Prenisolone does suppress the immune system S3B. They give it to me when I have an allergic reaction. I don't think my body would tolerate it on any regular basis. It is really strong and works great on reversing anaphylaxis but I'd never consider taking it for pain. I am sensitive to various meds and this is one of them. You really should get a proper diagnosis before taking prescription meds. You shouldn't take prednisolone and ibuprofen at the same time. The dose you mention is similar to what I've been given for allergic shock. I've taken paracetamol at the same time as ibuprofen. It works but I cannot recommend it as I'm sure it's not great for your body to do that too often. I find codeine is a great painkiller but as mentioned there's a risk of addiction particularly if you have chronic pain. You should always try to reduce inflammation to promote healing. For example I'm sure you've heard of RICE for sprain injuries. (rest, ice, compression, elevation), most of that relates to reducing inflammation. Inflammation may be a natural reaction to protect the area and promote healing in the first instance, but it also damages tissues over time, may cause scar tissue and causes pain.

Swollen Gums or Periodonal Abscess In Between Bottom Teeth?

larryjoe: I haven't went to the dentist in years. Yes that is on me. I was planning to go to one soon in a few weeks to get cleaning done... most likely deep cleaning as I haven't had one in years. Recently, I notice that in between two of my bottom teeth, not the middle ones but a bit to the right of it... there is like this inflamed pimple that is there. When I went to brush it with my toothbrush, I then notice blood coming out of it. Now the last few weeks when I been brushing my teeth, I been very lazy not brushing all the areas of it. Also I been eating a lot of junk food and crunching food in that area of my teeth so that could be a cause? I also haven't been eating healthy as well lately. After that, I then put in some mouthwash and rinsed and spit it out. Then the next day, did the same thing. Now the pain is not as bad as it before that. However, that thing is still there and looks inflamed and swollen? It is literally like a red inflamed spot right between two of my bottom teeth. Does anyone know if this is for sure a periodonal abscess? I had read of swollen gums and gingivitis and at first I thought it was swollen gums but could this be a periodonal abscess? If I post a picture, could one tell what it is? The thing is I only been brushing teeth with toothbrush and using listerine mouthwash. I also boiled water with salt and rinsed a bit with that but only did it once. I read listerine and boiled water with salt is good. So if it is swollen gum or gingivitus, then it can clear up on it's own? I had planned to go to the dentist in a few weeks or next month but when this happened recently, I thought if I go there now, they would give me some antibiotics and then I would come back in few weeks to get a cleaning done so I figure I should let this heal on it's own? Or because I'm not sure what it is... I should go to a dentist and have it looked at? I read if it is periodonal abscess, it needs to be drained? At the moment, it is still there and can feel it with my inner tongue when moving my tongue but there isn't noticeable pain... but a bit of discomfort if you touch it with the tongue. Has anyone had this before? Thanks. larryjoe: Okay so it seems like the dentist would have to do a procedure on you then if you have periodonal abscess no matter what or not? I noticed this days ago and just recently when I went to brush my teeth with electric toothbrush and brushed that area... it started bleeding again. But this is with an electric toothbrush so it is harsher than a regular toothbrush. But if not brushing it or anything, there is little to no pain at all. What am I suppose to do here? larryjoe: Hi would like your feedback or other people feedback on this. Went to dentist and he had me go get an x ray done. He then said we going to do deep cleaning on all 4 quadrants of the teeth. On the first visit, he did that and got rid of that periodonal abscess. He tells me it isn't in the tooth but the gum area? He said nothing else need to be done. I said I read online that if you have periodonal abscess, you either get the tooth removed or a root canal. He says it is not necessary. He says my periodonal abscess was not minor but also not serious but in the middle. He said nothing is necessary. I then went to get the 2nd deep cleaning done in another quadrant of my teeth and he says it is fine. Have you or anyone heard about this? He says I just have to do 2 more deep cleanings in the other 2 quadrants and that is all. Quote lancerollins Reply larryjoe: Does anyone have feedback on this? Moderator... it still shows my last post is awaiting for moderator approval.

Need a dentist's opinion regarding tooth nerve damage

Bianca: My top right incisor (on my right) has a very small cavity so there is no dull or sharp pain as of yet, however what I am feeling I can only describe as a twinge or twang or a zing inside the tooth and then it stops. It happens randomly during the day. Whether I've been active or just sitting makes no difference... Whether I've just eaten or drank or not makes no difference. It's like a tiny person just decides to pluck at the nerve whenever they want. Is it normal & Why is this is happening? Is something stimulating the nerve itself to twinge or twang or is it Just my brain prompting the nerve to suddenly act out then stop? It doesn't make sense as surely if it's cavity there should be pain as well (not that I'm asking for it.) I'm just trying to understand why the nerve is acting so randomly

I wanted to know whether I have a bite problem or not?

Patient: I wanted to know whether I have a bite problem or not? Personally, I feel like there's too much space on the sides between the sets of my upper and lower teeth, which appears weird to me. Also, when I'm trying to close my bite entirely (especially so that there's no open space on the sides), I see that most of my upper front teeth almost entirely overlap the ones below (which may be a sign of overbite? I'm not sure). I want to know if this is a normal sort of alignment or is there a bite issue that needs to be taken care of? Dr M: More info needed. Possible study models and full orthodontic evaluation needed, in order to determine if there is bite problem and the extent of the problem. MattKW: At least give us a few photos. patrickhachee: Agree with @MattKW Patient: Patient: like this and when i need to close it . the lower teeths goes backto touch the upper MattKW: Please add photo when closed but pull back lips so we can see teeth. If you can also get side-on shots L & R too, since this seems to be your major concern.

How bad are the receding gums in my case

Ronald: I recently visited a general distist for a teeth check-up and cleaning and I also took the opportunity to ask him about my receding gums (please see the below image). I felt disturbed because the dentist was very cavalier about the whole thing, saying that "it is very common" and when I pressed him about him on what steps I should take, he brushed off my concerns and said not to worry about it. I am pretty worried by his response and was wondering if other people here could chime in on it: Ronald: Here is another photo of the back of the teeth: kml1998: Your gums are fine

White dots on the gums?

ellie: Hello. Can someone please tell me what these three white dots on my gums are, they are actually whiter than on the photo and I had them for over a year. They don't hurt. Today I noticed another single one on my upper gum. Please help.

Worried about white lump on Frenulum of tongue

Perfectsmile: Within the last week I have noticed a small, whitish lump to the right of the Frenulum under the tongue. It is painless and I'm wondering if anyone might be able to advise what it is. Perfectsmile: Perfectsmile:

Multiple issues with teeth - looking for second opinion

Yollei: Hello, is there any dentist willing to consult with my some dental issues? Thanks in advance. Dr M: What seems to be the issue?

Is this normal bone and gum structure?

Cdulin: Dr M: Everything appears normal. I feel we have had a lot of similar posts.

Root canal treatment ongoing for more than 6 months.

Ktulu: Hi. For more than half a year now, one of my lower premolar is giving me troubles. It was cleaned and applyed fillings with medication for countles times since. The doctor subscribed antibiotics, anti-inflamatory for a couple of times without results. He tried numerous "medications" and some "disinfectants" as he calls them in temporary fillings. One of this disinfectant (about 1 month ago) made a slight change. That evening I felt some very sharp, stabbing pains, like lightning strikes. They lasted only fractions of a second, repeating every ~5-10 minutes. This went on for 2-3 hours than stopped. Since than the tooth is slightly better, but far from good. Every time the doctor cleanes the root canal (once a week) and changes the medication, it gets much worse for a couple of days. I guess from the stabbings while cleaning the tip of the root canal. However he's using an apex locator tablet-thingy. (Last time i saw some red coloration on the absorbant paper point he was using) Especially during the night and in the morning, I feel the tooth being high and very sensitive. Even to slight touch, slight pressure, sideways movement etc. Later in the day it becomes less sensitive, I can eat softer food. I've also noticed, that stickyer food, (similar to chewing gum) that pulls on to the filling is painful. What is your opinion, what should I do? I feel like the doctor has ran out of ideas and medications to try. The nurse sometimes loudly laughs at me in the background when I arrive and tell the doctor that again nothing has changed. Thank you. (the x-ray was made 2 months ago) Dr M: I would suggest maybe seeking a second opinion in a case like this. It is not normal to have the 1st phase of a root canal to be done over several months. I would also suggest taking a CBCT scan in order to rule out additional canals or cracks in the tooth. Ktulu: Dr M said: I would suggest maybe seeking a second opinion in a case like this. It is not normal to have the 1st phase of a root canal to be done over several months. I would also suggest taking a CBCT scan in order to rule out additional canals or cracks in the tooth. Thank you. I forgot to tell, that I always feel pain when the doctor reaches the bottom of the root canal while cleaning it. Especially when he uses the absorbant paper points to dry it out. Is this normal? Dr M: Could be chronic infection. Difficult to say for sure. I would still suggest more advanced radiography in a case like this with a second opinion. Ktulu: Eventually I went for a second opinion. The doctor wanted a new x-ray. I asked if I should bring a CBCT for more detail, but he asked for a regular one. See attachment. He thinks the first doctor performed the root canal washings incorrectly, and the fluid exited the canal around the tip. He now changed the temporary filling to Calcium 2 weeks ago. I should return in a week. It helped maybe a little, but it still has the sensitivity to bite and lateral push. Especially in the morning. Doctor sais, there is nothing more to do, but maybe a permanent filling, and if more problems arise, it needs to be extracted. My question is, could it be left the canal open, or with temporary filling/cotton/medication, and the exterior closed with some harder filling that would last 5-6 months? And changed every now and then? Or any other solution? Half of the crown is missing, so curently a temporary filling only lasts around 1,5 month. Thank you. Ktulu: Dr M, what do you think? MattKW: A CBCT - up to 18% of lower premolars have a 2nd canal. And there could be lateral branches from main canal or bifurcation at apex. Also, there should be no bleeding unless the apical constriction has been breached; very unusual. You feel pain when the paper point is inserted? Are you having the dressings changed without LA? Ktulu: Yes, I feel pain when the paper point is inserted. Last time when the Dr. filled the canal with calcium, he explicitly asked me to signal when I feel a stabbing pain. And I felt a pretty sharp and strong pain. Than he stopped. He told me, that it is even better if the calcium exits the apex into the surrounding area. He also said that the canal is already very wide. If I'm correct, he used a size 60 needle? He mentioned that this rarely happens. Yes, I never ask for any type of anesthesia. Aren't lateral branches from main canal visible (if they exist) on the x-rays I've posted? I should mention that there are days when it feels much worse. Very sensitive. When I do some cardio, I feel pressure or even pulsating feeling. Thank you. MattKW: It's not better if the CaOH exits the apex; sure, it can go up to the apex, but not be forced beyond that point. So he packs it in until you feel pain? - an interesting technique. Size 60 is very large. This and the idea of pushing CaOH beyond the apex suggests that there is no natural apical constriction anymore. Not ideal - it makes success a bit harder, but still possible. You won't see lateral canals on a standard Xray. John Morgens: It sounds like you've been experiencing persistent pain and discomfort with your lower premolar despite multiple attempts at treatment. Here are a few steps you could consider taking: Seek a Second Opinion: If you feel that your current dentist has exhausted their options and you're not getting relief, it might be a good idea to seek a second opinion from another dentist or an endodontist (a specialist in root canal treatments). They might offer fresh insights or approaches to resolving your issue. Consult a Specialist: An endodontist specializes in treating issues related to the inner structures of teeth, including root canals. Consulting with a specialist could provide you with more advanced treatment options and a higher level of expertise. Imaging: If your current treatment isn't resolving the issue, your dentist might consider performing more advanced imaging, such as a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan, to get a clearer picture of the root canal system and the surrounding structures. Possible Re-Treatment: In some cases, a root canal treatment may need to be redone if there are persistent issues or if the infection wasn't completely resolved during the initial treatment. Consider Extraction: If all other options have been explored and the tooth continues to cause severe pain and problems, extraction might be considered as a last resort. In such cases, discussions about possible replacement options like dental implants or bridges could also be initiated. Effective Communication: It's important to maintain open communication with your dentist. If you feel that your concerns are not being taken seriously, you might want to express your frustrations and discuss your options. If the behavior of the nurse is affecting your confidence in the treatment, you should address this issue with the dentist as well. Remember, your oral health is a priority, and it's crucial to work closely with a dental professional to find a solution that addresses your pain and discomfort. Always consult with a qualified dentist or endodontist who can provide personalized advice based on your specific situation. Ktulu: MattKW said: It's not better if the CaOH exits the apex; sure, it can go up to the apex, but not be forced beyond that point. So he packs it in until you feel pain? - an interesting technique. Size 60 is very large. This and the idea of pushing CaOH beyond the apex suggests that there is no natural apical constriction anymore. Not ideal - it makes success a bit harder, but still possible. You won't see lateral canals on a standard Xray. Hello Dr. MattKW. I've taken today the CBCT scan of my tooth. Could you please take a look? Thank you. export MediaFire is a simple to use free service that lets you put all your photos, documents, music, and video in a single place so you can access them anywhere and share them everywhere. www.mediafire.com Ktulu: Ktulu said: Hello Dr. MattKW. I've taken today the CBCT scan of my tooth. Could you please take a look? Thank you. export MediaFire is a simple to use free service that lets you put all your photos, documents, music, and video in a single place so you can access them anywhere and share them everywhere. www.mediafireHere you can find a small and free 3D DICOM (.dcm) viewer if you don't have one: 3DimViewer - Browse /3DimViewer/3.x at SourceForge.net 3DimViewer is a lightweight 3D viewer of medical DICOM datasets. sourceforge.net

Toothache after dentist removed plaque.

gunner0788: Hi i went to the dentist with some mild pain on bottom and top right of mouth. Dentist did a clean and since then the tooth that had alot of plaque on is hurting when i bite down. Is this normal? The tooth doesnt hurt if im doing normal daily stuff but if i eat on that side or bite down it hurts for a few secs.

I bit the bullet and went

Rach.writes: I finally dragged myself to the dentist last week for the first time in years. I’m both terrified and not terrified of the dentist - I guess it’s not so much fear of going but fear of being shamed and made to feel bad? I’m 26 and have a longgggg history of anorexia and depression which has ruined my oral hygiene efforts, as well as being chronically ill and on tonnes of medication that have left me with a mouth dryer than the Sahara desert I found out at my appointment that I need to have 5 teeth removed and definitely need 4 fillings and a root canal (plus possibly 2 more fillings but we didn’t get the X-rays done to confirm that because after the first 3 ones I couldn’t bring myself to do another one. They were pretty sure that 2 more teeth had cavities but it could just be discolouration apparently. I’m scared for all of it really - the dentist was lovely and reassuring but it still feels like a lot. I’ve got 5 appointments booked in to get started with things - the first is for a deep clean (and we’ll do the final X-ray then), then 2 fillings, then the other 2 fillings, then the root canal and finally the first extraction. I’ll then book the other 4 and go from there I guess. Yeah, so that’s me. I don’t really know why I’m posting, I feel kinda embarrassed that I let things get so bad? MattKW: Good for you. If there's nothing requiring urgent attention, start with the easiest step and gradually build up your confidence and trust. Some patients are OK to come once a month rather than overload and try to do too much too quickly. Rach.writes: MattKW said: Good for you. If there's nothing requiring urgent attention, start with the easiest step and gradually build up your confidence and trust. Some patients are OK to come once a month rather than overload and try to do toThank you! Sadly have to go back tomorrow because one of the teeth that was due to be extracted has cracked in half today and is causing a lot a lot a lot of pain. Hoping they’ll be able to just take it out then and there because I can’t deal with the pain for much longer. Terrified but ready to give it a go!

Can a good bridge be done on a 45 slanted molar?

jayup98: Hi all, My elderly mum needs to do a lower first molar, and an option is to do a bridge from the second bicuspid to the second molar. But the second molar has slanted 45° into the gap of the missing first molar. Is a bridge still viable? Thanks in advance MattKW: Very poor resolution pic. Really hard at that sort of angulation. Also have issues of opposing molar in upper arch is over-erupted, and the back (distal) surface of the tilted molar is a damned hard place to get clean. You would have to do a 2-part bridge with a crown on the tilted molar attached to a pontic that had a male connector. Then a single crown on the tooth at front of the gap with a distal female connector. Long term success rate - poor. I wouldn't do it.

Dental fear

Darwin: Haven't been to dentist in years for lack of insurance. Now I have dental insurance but fearful to go to dentist for fear of what they will find. I brush, floss and use mouthwash daily. Receding gumline. Black tartar. Dr M: You will have to go to the dentist. The longer you wait, the more severe any existing issues become, which might also become more expensive. MattKW: It is often not as bad as you might think. Take the first step by getting a consultation and examination, then take each issue step-by-step. Darwin: MattKW said: It is often not as bad as you might think. Take the first step by getting a consultation and examination, then take each issue step-by-step. I have an appt. in 2 weeks, but I have such anxiety. MattKW: Tell them of your anxiety and see how they respond - it will give you an idea of how they will treat you. The first appt for someone in your pposition should be examination and Xrays, followed by discussion. No need for a procedure like cleaning. patrickhachee: I get it. going to the dentist after years away can feel daunting! But you're already doing great by brushing and flossing daily. The dentist will help get your mouth healthy without judgment. Catching up on checkups is important even with good home care, some things need a pro. Take the leap and book that first appointment! It'll give you peace of mind knowing your smile is in good shape. Katz: Darwin, I get it..... I become sick to my stomach starting the day before appointment. I fight cancelling visit until I walk through door and I want to bolt from the office before my name is called. I hate the smell & I hate the sound of the drill. These are the things I do, low dose of Xanax (get from Dr. & only use for dental visits). I take minimum dose so I can drive & fully function safely. I take about 30 mins before leaving home. take calming music & headphones. Wear really comfortable clothes. I have a friend whose dentists uses a blanket if patient want to use it. Plan ahead of time for something comforting afterwards when you can eat or drink, warm tea, etc. take a nap afterwards if needed. All the extras are great , but what gets me in the dentist chair is Xanax. Hope this helps Katz: Darwin....... A really important thing I forgot to say is to make sure you tell your dentist if you take Xanax or something similar, dose amount, etc. Btw, I had my baby teeth capped as a preschooler. I remember the dentist telling me if I couldn't sit still he'd end up drilling through my cheek. I also was emotionally & physically abused at home, lots of head & face stuff, so I definitely have some anxiety regarding dental visits! And yes I did get lots of therapy. )))). Good Luck!!!!

Tiny white bumps on soft palate

oralhygiene: I'm 25 years old, have been diagnosed with PCOD, and have mild inverse psoriasis. Recently, the back of my mouth has felt rough and sandpapery. I took a photo and saw these whitish-yellow dots on my soft palate, as depicted in the image. These lesions don't hurt and don't itch. I'm not taking any medication right now. Neither smoke nor drink alcohol at all. P.S. A week ago, I spent more than 24 hours experiencing acute acidity (sulphur burps). Is acid reflux to blame? I appreciate it in advance.

Right canine painful root canal attempt

daverich: Hello, I am not sure what I went through is normal as I am not sure what to do and need your advice. Short story: I have been having persistent tooth ache for a week or two before I could get the appointment for the root canal treatment last Thursday. The tooth was very sensitive to the cold and hot and sweetness. But before the appointment the pain almost disappeared. I have been taking 3 ibuprofens in the evening to help ease the pain and it helped – apparently reduced the inflammation. I need to point out at night the pain started from somewhere near my upper check bone and then spread all over the upper part of my right jaw. It was rather horrible at times so I took diclofenac a few times to calm it down. They took the xray which showed no inflammation on tooth top. They gave me a hefty altracaine doze which numbed my upper lips and upper cheeks and somewhat numbed the tooth. They started opening the tooth and it was a little bit painful at that time. But then when she approached the nerve cavity the pai just went through the roof!!! I have not been treated like this in all of my life (42). I asked to maybe kill the nerve with some medicine or put the painkiller directly into the canal – which she tried and which hurt strongly as well. Sending waves of pain through the right of my head. Then they waited ad tried to open the canal and when she opened it up it started bleeding – she tried to stop the bleeding and then managed to put some medicine and close the tooth with the temporary filling. Now I need to visit them the coming Thursday. I hate to even think of this. I have high blood pressure and do not want to go through this excruciating procedure ,let alone wait till they drill through the canal, which is very long and huge with a thick nerve inside!! She said the tooth was not responding to altracaine because there was the inflammation inside the tooth itself. Can this be? Have I run into a wall of the medical dental science here which cannot make it painless???? Can you now just kill the nerve before drilling it out??? Please help!

Xray Safety

thru: When I went for a dental appointment and they wanted me to take a full mouth xray, I was not asked to wear one of those vests. There was one on the wall, but it wasn't suggested I wear it. I asked if I needed to wear it and they said I could if I wanted to. So they brought over just one side and put it on one side (front or back of me I do not remember). It all happened so fast and I expect them to have more knowledge than me on these things. What changed? Why do they have them on the wall but then say it's just for if you want it? Dr M: Modern digital x-rays contain a lot less harmful radiation than there historic predecessors. In our practice, we use the lead apron on patients that are pregnant and it is absolutely indicated to take an x-ray. I would not worry if I were you. MattKW: They are not recommended at all in Australia anymore, even for pregnant women. This is mostly due to the fact that nearly all standard dental Xrays are going sideways through the patient's head, not the abdomen. I had one hanging on my wall for years in case anyone asked for it, but I didn't proffer it because it's unnecessary. See attached sheets.

Diagnosis and treatment of a yellow stain in front tooth since childhood

israb: I have this stain on my front tooth that has been there since it came out. Now, in my 20s, it is still there. Can you help me with the diagnosis and possible treatments for it. MattKW: Molar-Incisor Hypomineralisation (MIH). More commonly seen on molars, but happens occasionally for incisors (my son has a small one). They are fairly shallow (unlike decay) - as suggested in attachment, you can try GC Tooth Mousse. Apply a dab 2-3x daily after first brushing your teeth and try not to disturb for at least 30mins. I have seen some good results that have made the white marks reduce in size, but not always completely disappear. Otherwise, it would require a drill-and-fill.

Normal teeth or bite problem?

Sourick: Hi. So below I've attached a pic of my teeth, and I wanted to know whether I have a bite problem or not? Personally, I feel like there's too much space on the sides between the sets of my upper and lower teeth, which appears weird to me. Also, when I'm trying to close my bite entirely (especially so that there's no open space on the sides), I see that most of my upper front teeth almost entirely overlap the ones below (which may be a sign of overbite? I'm not sure). I want to know if this is a normal sort of alignment or is there a bite issue that needs to be taken care of? MattKW: Not much we can suggest from here based on a protruded position like that. You'd be better off actually seeing a real dentist or orthodontist. Patient: i have exact same problem

Any good dental night guard for cracked upper front tooth?

music-fps: Earlier this year I cracked my RIGHT upper front tooth. I've twice seen my dentist (and then checked with an endodontist who did a cone beam CT scan-- he just told me that the upper jawbone structure is sound) who said I should try an OTC prepare-it-yourself night guard. You see, the tooth really only slightly bothers me during sleep when it simply physically feels a bit strange or weird. I've looked at products at Amazon but tend to read only the 1 star reviews since I don't trust the 5 star ones. In the 1 star reviews, people complain that it's not so easy to drop the plastic form into boiling water, let it cool a bit and then bite down on it when one puts it in the mouth to make it fit the teeth. Some of these products seem lousy too and maybe will have a bad taste when used during sleep. Have any of you found an OTC product that is fairly easy to fit to one's teeth and which is durable and has no awful taste? Please state the name of it and where I might find it/buy it. Thanks MattKW: Why wouldn't you get a dentist or prosthetist to make you a proper nightguard? As an experiment, I once bought a DIY whitening kit from the internet - you take your own impression with the putty and tray they supply, post it to them, and they send back the whitening tray and bleach. Even in my hands, there is no way I could make a decent impression. As for a boil-and-bite, that's simply hopeless. You'll waste your money. music-fps: OK, thanks Matt for that info. You see, I've never used any kind of tooth guard so I've no experience with these objects. Also, instead of directly getting a proper nightguard made by a dentist, I only wanted to see how these fit and if I might be able to make a useable OTC one that would feel good during sleep. I'm a light sleeper and also use a CPAP machine which employs a "nose pillow" (a thin, soft rubber item with 2 holes, one for each nostril) pushing up on me under my nose. I wondered that with the nightguard and the CPAP nose pillow, I'd have maybe poor sleep especially if the OTC prepare-it-yourself one might force my mouth open a bit. [I can't have my mouth open during sleep due to the nature of the airflow from the CPAP machine.] MattKW: Definitely don't bother with OTC night guard if you are using a CPAP; you won't be able to close your mouth.

4 Dentists, 4 X-Ray Outcomes. Worried About Radiation Exposure

Light Worker 770: I visited the dentist regularly and had good teeth until Covid. I admit I was one of those scared to death and didn’t visit a dentist for 3 years except for 2 cleanings for fear of getting the dreaded thing. Finally, April 20, I went to a dentist nearest to where I live. I had moved my offices during Covid and my regular dentist was now 46 minutes drive away. 1) Dentist No.1 (April) She did a whole mouth x-rays and determined I needed 19 fillings, some very minor than others. I thought it made sense since I hadn’t been to a dentist in a long time. She did a cleaning and the whole thing cost me $300 and both cleaning and x-rays took over 3 hours. But during the cleaning, she talked non-stop about her family, marital issues etc ( I'm a couples' therapist in private practice). At times, she'd stop cleaning and just talk. If felt like she needed a therapist than a client. Needless to say, I didn’t go back. 2) Dentist No.2 (May) May 14, I visited another dentist. I told her about my other x-rays but she insisted she wanted to do her own and charged me $124. This time I needed only 17 filings. Hurray! She was very pleasant and knowledgeable, and I felt comfortable with her. Because I don’t have insurance (self-employed), she said she’d send me a 4 -phase treatment plan. She said it was important I do all the work within 6 months, so the condition of my teeth doesn’t get worse. She also advised to get started on Colgate PreviDent 5000 Plus Care Toothpaste to slow down decay. I bought it on my way home and got on it that night. May 21, I went in for my first fillings appointment visit and they told me dentist 2 wasn’t in so another dentist would see me. This other dentist was nice too but fresh out of dental school. She filled 2 teeth. My next appointment was 2 weeks later June 7, that was was cancelled too because dentist 2 was unavailable for 3 weeks. I was asked if I wanted to see the dentist I saw in my last visit and I said ok. So made appointment for June 14. I went in, waited 16 minutes, then she told me she would only do 1 tooth because she was running late with her appointments. Ok. I can relate. Made another appointment for June 21 when Dentist 2 was expected back. They called and cancelled 2 days before the appointment but asked if I was okay with seeing the dentist who'd be working on me. I really wanted to see dentist 2 because the dentist who was working on me kept saying to the dental assistant Dentist 2 is better at this and asking the dental assistant what dentist 2 does this or that. I was losing my confidence in her, but she was really pleasant and seemed to want to do a good job, and I liked her. Took 45 minutes to fill only 1 tooth though. Made another appointment for the following week July 3 but I had to cancel to fill in for a colleague who wasn't feeling well. I made another appointment for July 10 but it was pushed to July 15. Again, 45 minutes to fill only 1 tooth. I made another appointment for July 22 but at this point in time, we’d done 4 out of 17 teeth in 2.5 months, and I’m worried the condition of my teeth will get worse by the 6-month deadline. I decided I needed to transfer to another dental clinic and see if they could work on me faster. 3) Dentist No.3 (July) We made an appointment for July 27. I called the other clinic and cancelled the July 22 and told them why. I also told the new clinic I had x-rays done May 14, so they asked the other dental clinic to send the x-rays over. While we waited for the x-rays to be sent from the other clinic, the new dentist looked at my teeth, zeroed on the 3rs molar, and tapped it hard with some metal thing and asked if I felt pain. I said no. He asked if it was sensitive told cold or hot food. I said no. He asked if I had any pain, I said none at all. He said even if I felt no pain or sensitivity, I needed a root canal on my 3rd molar on the left side. Complete shock to me. No mention of root canal with my April 20 x-rays with dentist 1. No mention of a root canal with my May 14 with dentist 2 (her treatment plan didn’t have a root canal work). Before the other x-rays came in, Dentist 3 did another x-ray of my 3rd molar on the left side and showed it to me. I had seen my previous x-rays blown up on a big TV screen above my head and this new x-ray on a computer screen looked so bad all the way to the root. I wondered how dentist a and dentist 2 missed it and dentist 2 even said, I’d be good for 6 months. I was on Colgate PreviDent 5000 and water flossing religiously. Dentist 3 said I needed a root canal work right away. I asked how much it cost and he said $1300 plus but could go up to to $1600 if there was a complication. I told him I hadn't budged for a root canal because it was not in my other dentist's treatment plan. He said the other clinic had sent the x-rays and asked me how much I could afford for the visit and after I told him he said he’d do 6 other teeth that needed minor work and do the root canal the next visit. Cost me $1934, a few dollars shy of the $2000 I told him I could afford and 215 dollars difference from dentist 2 treatment plan. I was happy with the work he did on the 6 teeth though. I had 4 teeth done in 2.5 months, 6 in one day was an amazing feeling. And dentist 3 said he'd do 4 more in the next visit. I could see myself beating that 6-moth deadline. But there was the problem of the root canal. I made my next appointment in 3 weeks to do the remaining other teeth before doing the root canal on the left 3r molar. He works in many other clinics (cosmetic dentist) and this was the only available time. It worked for me too since I was worried about going from no root canal treatment plan to a root canal in 2 months. The morning of the appointment they called me to say the dentist would not be available but there was another equally good and experienced dentist who was available. Again, not learning from my lessons and probably too desperate I said ok. 4) Dentist No.4 (August) She looked at the right side of my teeth said she’d do 3 teeth but the third molar on my right needed a root canal too. Yes, another root canal!!!. Dentist 3 had made no mention of a root canal on the right side only the left side. He'd told me he'd do all the 4 teeth on the right side in the next visit and it didn't include a root canal. More x-rays were done on all the 4 teeth on the right which I wasn’t even shown. She asked if she should do the root canal. Again, I told her I hadn't budged for it because I wasn't expecting another root canal. She did the 3 teeth and left the 3rd molar on the right for the next root canal appointment. Here is my problem. In 3 weeks, I’ve gone from no root canal to 1 root canal on the 3rd molar to 2 root canals on both the 3rd molar on the left and 3rd molar on the right. Each root canal costs $1300 or more, so that’s $2800 upwards. At this point I think I need another opinion. I’ve done many x-rays in a short time and worried that the next dentist will also want to do more x-rays and this will be too much exposure to radiation. But I also have 6 months deadline before my teeth get worse. Any advice? Similar experiences? Dentist’s insight?

Can anyone tell me why there seems to be a difference in color and texture in the area I circled.

Cdulin:

3 months constant pain and headache after wisdom tooth exctraction, so tired

Lululu: After exctraction of two upper wisdom-teeth 3 months ago im having constant headache and pain somewhere in nearby teeth in both sides, but more often on one. Can't localize exact place. It feels like something is inflammed inside. Pain there comes almost always with headache. Since last weeks my forehead getting warm and body temperature is 37° in the evenings. The sockets itself looks good and healed. The gum looks fine also, not red, no places hurt if press. Only bothering thing is a small (1mm) sharp bone spur/spicule on the side of the socket, but it does not hurt itself. I already visited my doctor and did target X-ray of 7-8 molars, and he said everything is fine and need to wait more time. But it is not fine, im so tired already of constant pain and nowhere in internet i can find anyone with similar problem. Should i insist on making CT? What can be the reason of pain, can it be bone spur or some kind of teeth shift maybe after freed space? Cold water helps a bit. 1 tablet of 400mg Ibuprofen helps for 1+ day. But im usually taking only one per week. Lululu: I think i found the source: it is probably TMJ disorder, all symptoms are similar. Also having a weird popping sound on one side of jaw when chewing. John Morgens: Constant pain and headache after wisdom tooth extraction can be caused by several factors: Strain in facial muscles: Mouth and jaw muscles tighten up during a tooth extraction, which affects the face as well as head muscles, causing headaches. The strain starts from the gums and goes all the way up to your head. It’s also possible to feel jaw pain too. You are more likely to experience jaw pain and headaches if you have dental or tooth extraction fear. Improper bite: When wisdom teeth grow into a mouth that doesn’t have enough room for them, it can cause other teeth to shift, resulting in an improper bite. An improper bite can cause your lower jaw to compensate, and this may cause pain and soreness, including headaches. Postoperative headaches: Oral surgery can leave you with a stiff jaw, which can lead to tension headaches. The surgery itself may also lead to postoperative headaches, including migraines, caused by anesthesia, stress and anxiety, pain, sleep deprivation, blood. Dental problems: Dental decay or oral surgery to remove impacted wisdom teeth can also cause postoperative headaches. Infection: You can experience pain or headaches after teeth removal due to an underlying infection, dry socket, decaying bone, or sinus damage. Fractures or tears: Depending on the amount of physical force required to remove the tooth, you may end up with small fractures or tears around the extraction site, which can cause headaches. It is important to contact your dentist or oral surgeon if you experience constant pain and headache after wisdom tooth extraction for three months. They can provide you with specific instructions and advice based on your individual case. In the meantime, applying a hot or cold compress to your head, taking pain relievers, and avoiding hard or crunchy foods may help alleviate the pain.

Broken teeth two weeks. This happened yesterday

Need help: Level 7 pain. Can't sleep. I was given 7 days of 500mg Amoxicillin x3 and 600 mg x4 IBU. It looks like this (worse) after 24 hours of meds. Now spreading to left gums. Had soup last night. No chewing. Do I need anything more to function. I want to sleep. Swollen gums all the way up to the top gumline.

Why do my teeth hurt when I bite down? It started a few days ago.

Mikay: So a few days ago I was having dinner and I was chewing something and I immediately felt a bit weird. Now when I try to chew something one of my premolar/molar teeth on the upper right side hurts when I bite down. Also the gums around that area hurt when I push my tongue against them. I've attached a video link that better shows where the pain is. The area where I touch down with the pick is where it seems to be the most tender. The gums hurt when I touch that area but also its painful when I bite down in that area. I am 26M, I don't smoke, don't drink, and have no medical conditions. I'm planning to make an appointment with the dentist in a few days. MattKW: Maybe you jammed some food in there and did some mild damage. If so, it'll heal within a few days. Another possibility is a tooth fracture - quite unlikely in an unfilled tooth, but can happen. Your dentist can use a FracFinder and transillumination to see if this is likely. John Morgens: it sounds like you might be experiencing dental sensitivity or a dental issue in the specific area you mentioned. Here are a few possible reasons for the pain you're feeling when biting down: Dental Decay/Cavity: A cavity or dental decay could be causing the pain. When you bite down, the pressure might be exacerbating the pain by putting additional stress on the affected tooth. Cracked Tooth: If a tooth is cracked or fractured, biting down can cause discomfort or pain. Cracked teeth can be sensitive to pressure and temperature changes. Gum Infection or Abscess: Pain when touching the gums and when biting down could be a sign of a gum infection or abscess. These infections can cause localized pain and discomfort. Dental Restoration Issues: If you have a dental filling, crown, or other restoration in that area, it's possible that it has become dislodged, damaged, or has an issue, leading to pain when biting. Gum Recession: If your gums have receded, the sensitive root surface of your tooth might be exposed, causing pain when pressure is applied. Sinus Infection: In some cases, a sinus infection can cause upper teeth to become sensitive to pressure, leading to pain when biting. It's important to schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible to diagnose the cause of your pain. Your dentist will conduct a thorough examination, possibly including X-rays, to determine the underlying issue and recommend appropriate treatment. In the meantime, you can try to avoid chewing on that side of your mouth and practice good oral hygiene to help alleviate discomfort.

Should I worry about my dental implant?

Julialuk: Finding: a patient (28 years old, without chronic diseases) visits a dental clinic in the clinic of maxillofacial surgery. A patient with foreign pain in the area of 12 teeth received 5 days ago. In a private dental clinic, amoxicillin was given for 4 days. Since then, the discomfort has gone. In surgery of maxillofacial diseases and maxillofacial surgery, a test for dental attendance was carried out The agonist and teeth are vital. The patient denies the presence of fever, swelling, hyperemia, bleeding. The implant was installed without complications in 2014. Dg: after implantation in the area of 12 teeth and perimucositis in the area of 12. I have been seen by 4 doctors who refer to other specialties. Please advise something. John Morgens: Based on the information provided, it is difficult to determine whether you should worry about your dental implant. However, it is important to note that dental implants can cause complications, such as infections, gum recession, and nerve and tissue damage. If you are experiencing any pain or discomfort related to your dental implant, it is important to contact your dentist or periodontist right away. They can evaluate your case and determine if there are any issues with your implant.In the case provided, the patient has been seen by four doctors who have referred them to other specialties. It is important to follow up with the recommended specialists to determine the cause of the pain and discomfort. It is possible that the pain is not related to the implant, but rather to another issue.if you want to get more information you can visit mylifesmiles where you can get online appointment and also get advice from professional Dentists.

Chipped Tooth From Behind

truxxxa69: Hey yall, So a piece of my tooth cteeth. off. Its the left one right next to my tw front teeth. The front if it looks fine. The dentist is not immediately avaliable, so may anyone recommend something for the tooth for a temporary 2 month fix. Thank you!

Perimucositis?

Julialuk: Finding: a patient (28 years old, without chronic diseases) turns from a dental polyclinic to a clinic of maxillofacial surgery. The patient notes pain in the area of the 12th tooth that occurred 5 days ago. In a private dental clinic, she was given amoxicillin 500mg x 3 for 4 days. Since then, the discomfort has passed. In the clinic of dental diseases and in the clinic of maxillofacial surgery, a test for the viability of teeth was conducted Agonist and teeth are vital. The patient denies the presence of fever, swelling, hyperemia, bleeding. The implant was installed without complications in 2014. Dg: after implantation in the area of 12 teeth and perimucositis in the area of 12. The patient was referred to different specialists (dentist, maxillofacial surgeon, periodontal surgeon), but there is no consensus.

Periodontogram frequency

macbar: I had a periodontogram done about a month and half ago. I am planning to have braces but now the doctor has said that before doing the orthodontics I would need to do another revaluation periodontogram. This would be only 3 months apart so I am not so sure any significant benefit or reason except to hit me where it hurts in my wallet. Any advice? MattKW: Not necessary; ask him what he thinks has happened in 3 months. If your periodontal condition is so bad as to require 3-monthly charting, then you wouldn't be getting braces.

Dry mouth? Something else/more? Looking for solutions.

goldrock82: Hi - 48 yr old male here. Been dealing with what I feel is dry mouth for a year or so now and it's very annoying. I'm a former tobacco user and although I realize I need to go, I haven't been to the dentist in years. I don't go because I've never been fan and of course concerned about potential bad news from tobacco use. Despite this, I do brush and floss regularly and my mouth and gums seem to be ok, from what I can tell anyway - so take that for what it's worth. Some aspects/symptoms of what I feel is dry mouth is the following - 1) I need to speak a lot for work and it doesn't take much speaking for me to feel like my mouth is dry and it needs some relief (water, lozenge, etc.). 2) I keep waking up with progressively worse cotton mouth in the morning 3) I seem to get some markers of dry mouth like enflamed taste buds and little sores in my mouth - they do go away but show up routinely 4) occasional slight metallic taste from my upper inner gums 5) more sensitive to alcohol & spicy foods than before - specifically tongue and roof of mouth. I've tried so many remedies of all types, e.g., dry mouth tooth paste, Biotene mouthwash, Salivea mouthwash, dry mouth lozenges, drinking lots of water, jolly ranchers, etc.. Nothing seems to make my condition improve and all of the remedies above are only very temporary. I have noticed that eating seems to relieve my dry mouth feeling, maybe because when I eat more saliva is produced, I don't know. One of the most annoying parts of my dry mouth is the frequent feeling of my upper inside gums near my hard palate. They feel almost always feel rough and dry and I'm always running my tongue over them. It's sort of the source of the most dryness. I've attached some images. One of them (Picture #1) I've included arrows which show the location of part that's a bit rough and dry. When I look at the arrowed parts in a mirror and shine a light, those spots have a whitish appearance as compared to the rest of my mouth. In the pictures, the arrowed parts don't appear to be that white. Picture #2 doesn't highlight the whitish part either. Picture #3 does seem to show some of the whiteness and I've added an arrow showing what I mean. The gum is darker right night to the tooth and has some kind of white coloration as it gets further away from the tooth. I don't know if this is normal, an indication of dryness, or something else or worse. I've also included an image of my tongue. I feel like the my tongue has some kind of whiteness going on and I do brush it and scrape it but it doesn't really seem to get much better. I've been reading on line as to what it could be and it's too hard to come to a conclusion. Things that come up are dry mouth, thrush, trapped bacteria on tongue, diabetes induced dry mouth (I'm not diabetic last I checked), and leukoplakia. I'm going to visit a dentist but need to figure out who to go to. So for now, does anyone have any insight as to what might be going on based on the information provided? If it's dry mouth, are there better solutions? Any prescription meds that can help? Thanks for reading and any insight you have to offer. MattKW: There are salivary tests available to get a quantitative assessment of your salivary issues. If your dentist doesn't have a kit available, then referral to an oral biologist would be an idea. Note that the quantity of saliva alone may not be the problem - saliva contains both mucous (sticky) and serous (runny) components. I attach a file with the more common causes of dry mouth highlighted (medicines, alcohol, smoking,...)

Brother's teeth are bleeding. Flossing equipment.

caringbrother: Around a week ago me and my brother (14) got into the talk of flossing. He doesn't like to floss and when he does what we later figured out was that he doesn't do it properly. He almost never reaches his gums! He complained about how he can't be gentle and his teeth are bleeding. I later confirmed with our dentist that he has gingivitis. He asked me if I could floss for him and show him how to do it. He initially thought that I am more gentle that he is. I had nothing against it and asked reddit for advice. But a lot of the comments were he can do it by himself. We developed a plan which I shared with our dentist. People there insisted that I should wear protection. I first thought it is not necessary but well and I quote Shit's nasty. So I talked to our dentist. We have a good and interactive relationship with him as well as all our other physicians coaches instructors etc. He thought that my Idea was a very kind and effective one. Reddit had proposed to me to floss from Monday too Saturday and he flosses than on Sundays. My brother has no disability but simply doesn't really like to floss and has no routine. To the comments that tell me he should do it by himself because he is old enough etc. Well we tried for more than 3 years. And even our dentist explained to him the consequences of not flossing properly. It didn't work. I look at it in the same way a student who is not interested in a subject. Telling him to study won't change a thing! My goal is to build a routine that he follows. And yes, he has no cavities and brushes hist teeth regularly. So now that these points are out of the way, the question of for me is the proper gear for flossing. Many in reddit have said that I should wear protection. But the question is what exactly. Because I didn't want to keep his patients waiting anymore I didn't get the chance to talk to him (dentist) about this in detail but he told me protection goes both ways: I keep myself protected and protect him equally. He just told me that there is no such thing as too much protection. And it is very easy for us to get any kind of medical gear as long as it isn't really sth that's unique, in fact because of covid we do have a lot of it in our basement. So what would you suggest? Only serious replies please

Micro cavity dentist and hygienist ignored I might need to get filled after my next visit in January-February?

Phobiamaximuh: So after skipping out on the dentist for 5 years I have to get three luckily small fillings, also see about getting my top wisdoms removed because their position has caused larger cavities to form on each. Dr M: Difficult to judge from the photo if it is indeed a cavity or only stained pits and fissures. To be 100% sure, a clinical exam and x-ray is needed.

What is this blackish/red spot in my mouth next to removed wisdom tooth area

dreamymoon: Been there for about a week. Dr M: How long ago was the wisdom tooth removed? Can't see clearly on the photo. Quality too poor. dreamymoon: Dr M said: How long ago was the wisdom tooth removed? Can't see clearly on the photo. Quality too poor. Last year in October.

Roots extraction

marip1: I had a tooth that fell out because of decay. The roots are still remaining inside the gums. What is the procedure to remove the roots? Dr M: Good day It depends. If the roots are clearly visible, they can be split and elevated out quite easily. If you leave it for long, there will be gum tissue growing over the roots and then the removal process might require a more surgical approach, involving cutting of the gingiva as well as sutures. It is best to see a dentist as soon as possible, since these roots might also be an infection risk. Canary: I recently had a tooth removed that had decayed so bad the top of it finally broke off. The dentist literally had to dig for an hour to remove a root that was so small it reminded me of a needle in a haystack. Apparently the roots were growing apart as opposed to meeting together at the tips as well which created a issue to remove. Took a x ray after to make sure it was out.

Corsodyl mouthwash

Kazim: Hi, I have a 9 year old, who has bleeding gums on one side of her mouth when she brushes. I bought Corsodyl mouthwash for her. Only on the inside label does it say that it is to be used by children over 12 unless recommended by a dentist. Do you think it will be ok for her to use the mouth wash at least a few times? Thanks! Dr M: It might be a better idea to have her see a dentist. Might be time for a cleaning. Children often struggle with juvenile gingivitis due to eruption of permanent teeth and exfoliation of primary teeth. A normal salt water rinse should also suffice. I would not let her rinse with the Corsodyl for more than a week. Always remember, a mouthwash is never a replacement for normal brushing twice a day. It is only an adjunct. Kazim: Dr M said: It might be a better idea to have her see a dentist. Might be time for a cleaning. Children often struggle with juvenile gingivitis due to eruption of permanent teeth and exfoliation of primary teeth. A normal salt water rinse should also suffice. I would not let her rinse with the Corsodyl for more than a week. Always remember, a mouthwash is never a replacement for normal brushing twice a day. It is only an adjunct. Thank you! I will keep Corsodyl mouthwash away from her in that case. I also bought Corsodyl Active Gum Repair toothpaste, but again, on opening it, realised that it is for 12 year olds and over. Is it ok for her to use it as her permanent toothpaste? It is less minty than her current toothpaste, so I suspect that she will like it. If not, do you consider Corsodyl Active Gum Repair toothpaste to be as good as Sensodyne toothpaste for adults? Can I have it as my permanent toothpaste? HINAARFAT: Kazim said: Hi, I have a 9 year old, who has bleeding gums on one side of her mouth when she brushes. I bought Corsodyl mouthwash for her. Only on the inside label does it say that it is to be used by children over 12 unless recommended by a dentist. Do you think it will be ok for her to use the mouth wash at least a few times? Thanks! Crest 3D Whitestrips, Professional Effects, Teeth Whitening Strip Kit, 44 Strips (22 Count Pack) https://amzn.to/44M7b3F MattKW: Brushing and flossing regularly are the best form of oral hygiene - mouthwashes are much less useful and give people a misplaced sense of effectiveness. I would be brushing her teeth for her over the next week to make sure it is done properly.

Post Root Canal discomfort

ce2001: Hi, I had a root canal completed but after 5 weeks I was experiencing a small pain in the exterior part of it , I reported to my dentist, She did did some kind abrasions or cuts but after 3 more weeks, I am still with the same sensitivity. I am going with the dentist again, but I would like to know that if the root has been erradicated, what possible it's happening?, is it possible that the root hasn't been completely extracted?, or what else? Any light in my issue will be completely appreciated, thanks and have a good day! MattKW: Would need to see at least the post-op xrays, pls.

Should Root Canal Treatment be conducted during Pericoronitis?

RandomIndianGuy: I went to see a dentist in my town following tooth ache and funny taste in my gums (which I learnt later was the taste of pus). I mentioned these symptoms and also said that I had undergone restoration (filling) 2.5 years earlier on my last two molars (I don't have the third molar). The dentist after xray said that the filling was erroneous and that cavities have formed in the gaps left during filling. He immediately performed RCT on the first molar, following which my symptoms worsened the next day, and he had to extract pus the day after; when he told me I have Pericoronitis. I was prescribed Amoxicillin, Metronidazole, chlorhexidine mouth wash, and painkillers. It's been 6 days and I have not seen significant improvements. Although the initial sharp pain is reduced, now I have pain spreading to my jaw and temporal skull. I am worried if my infection has become severe. I have informed my doctor of this new spreading pain, and he says I may have chronic periapical abscess. I am scheduled for my next appointment in two days when I will know for sure what he has to say. As the thread title reads, I wanted to know if I've been misdiagnosed and if RCT is actually advisable during Pericoronitis?

Abcess

waq: Hi Need some advice I have a long lying issue. Around 15 years ago I took a knock to my tooth, which affected it and subsequently caused an abscess on my upper left pallete. I had 3 root canal treatments to seperate teeth and various courses of antibiotics. I had an operation to remove the abces which worked temporarily but it soon returned. My dentist says there's nothing wrong but I can still feel the swollen abcess on my pallete and the left side of my face has been swollen ever since Dr M: Do you have any recent x-rays of photos of the areas that you can share? Preferably after all the treatment has been completed. waq: Hi unfortunately not as they were done years ago Dr M: You will need a recent x-ray then to be taken of the area, to determine if there is indeed an abscess or not.

What is this behind my tooth?!

mesajay: I have pain behind my top right molar, it also smells funny (infection?!) but what is it? mesajay: Picture attached Dr M: It looks like either a piece of tooth or bone coming out through the gum tissue. Have you had your wisdom teeth removed yet? I would suggest going to your dentist, so that an x-ray can be taken of the area.

Molar eruption to the side of a bridge

shawnmcc: I was wondering if I should wait for my molar to erupt or go to the dentist to get my molar bridge removed before complete eruption of the molar below it to the side of the bridge. Dr M: Question-why is there a bridge placed over an unerupted molar in the first place? Do you have photos or x-rays that you can share? shawnmcc: My dentist had moved the first molar put a filler in place to keep the gap there. He thought I had lost the first so they put it in there to maintain. Dr M: Did he not take any x-rays to confirm that there was still a tooth that will eventually erupt? shawnmcc: I havent had xrays recently but one tooth has already erupted this one is begining to crown out of the gum. So it definently going to erupt and the crowns around the tooth feel loose and wiggly. Dr M: It sounds like the bridge will have to be removed and remade if this is the case shawnmcc: Definatly needs to be removed then because the tooth might actualy go partialy through it when fully erupts. The molar about to erupt looks whole so should be ok there.

Cavity??

Joy: There was a black spot on my teeth I brushed my teeth and it disappeared is it a cavity?? Dr M: If it disappeared, it is most likely only a stain. To determine if there are any cavities present, you will have to consult your dentist and take an x-ray of the tooth in question.

Does this resemble Erythoplakia?

Cdulin: Dr M: Looks like a localized area of gingivitis only

Painful Gums, Jaw, and Throat

myule: I'm experiencing a lot of pain and discomfort in my bottom jaw, gums, and throat. The soonest I can get to a dentist is 08/01. What can I do in the meantime? Would antibiotics help? myule: . myule: Dr M: You definitely need a cleaning done as soon as possible. There is a lot of calculus build up leading to gum inflammation and pain. It also looks like you have a cavity on one of your front teeth, so I suspect there might be some other issues as well. Antibiotics might slightly help, but only for a while, because antibiotics is never a solution to any problem. The underlying cause needs to be addressed. Try rinsing with a disinfectant mouthwash in the mean time, or phone around to see if you can get an appointment at another dentist for earlier. You can also use any anti-inflammatory medication to assist with the pain.

What can it be?

Kseniaksu: Good afternoon everyone! Tell me, please, what can it be. One morning I wake up, and I have a rough mucous cheek! This roughness goes only along the bite line with separation. Sometimes it becomes more rough, sometimes less. Sometimes reoccurrence occurs. I've been to 2 dentists and they didn't say anything. Please tell me what it could be) there are no white spots or anything like that Kseniaksu: Dr M: Might be related to grinding or clenching at night when you sleep. Nothing to worry about at this stage, but you can consider buying an over the counter night guard to sleep with, or if you have severe grinding, consider having a hard bite-plate made at your dentist.