Datasets:

jonathankang

/

dental_QA

like 0

Gena: I am looking for some advice as I am in a state of panic! My front teeth are crowned,last week I bit into something and one came loose,my dentist prized it off but told me basically,the tooth underneath is fractured so not much for the post to adhere to,he cemented it back on,but told me I have two options,a false tooth on a plate or an implant at £2000, which I don't have,also he said if I have the implant ,I would still need to wear a false tooth for around six months in order for the site to heal.Has anyone else had this scenario? My concern is the temp false tooth,I am afraid it won't look like my existing teeth and to be honest I just don't want it,my front tooth feels a little wobbly again and I feel so stressed,I don't know whether to get a second opinion.

Loose front crown tooth underneath fractured

Bob22: I have a cracked molar and the dentist put on a crown (a gold one as he said they last longer) and this crown hasn't helped hugely to fix the discomfort i get when i eat hard food on it. He said there's no much else he can do short of a RCT, but he said i can either get that or just put up with the discomfort as he thinks the crown will support the tooth. The discomfort i can put up with (it's not terrible). However he said my bite is no good and that it is causing my molars to crack. He said the molar above my crowned molar is also "looking bad" and the crown is only buying time. So he suggested i get braces which will (apparently) fix my bite and change the pressure points on my molars. Is he correct? Also will the white braces work just as well (I'm quite vain, not sure i want those all-steel braces) PlacidWay-US: Hi @Bob22 if your dentist told you to wear braces please do so and you can also asses yourself if you really have a bad bite. About your concern on wearing braces you can have this invisalign, it is a clear plastic mold that aligns the teeth without the use of braces. This far too good compared to the traditional braces which makes use of metal.

Question about crown and braces

toothtrouble: Hello, I am a healthy, non-smoking, 23 y.o. female. Several years following a fall, I developed a complete fracture in the root of my front tooth. As advised by multiple dentists, the tooth was extracted by a very experienced periodontist and an implant was put in place. I wore a temporary flipper while it healed. My periodontist gave me the ok to load the implant after 3 months, but for insurance purposes I waited 6 months. I was assured that the implant was completely healed and ready. After lots of waiting and minor setbacks while the crown (as well as a veneer for my other front tooth for cosmetic purposes) were made, it was finally ready to go. My dentist (who is young but reputable and specializes in cosmetic dentistry) and the dental assistant attached the final abutment, crown, and veneer. I was pretty satisfied with the cosmetic result. It has now been 1 month. Two days ago, after flossing I noticed that the crown was loose. I was able to move it about 1mm front and back as well as side to side. I immediately called my dentist and went in the next day. After taking an x-ray and looking at it, she told me that it was either that the abutment screw was loose (most likely) or that the implant itself is loose. She is referring my to a local periodontist and says that he will need to drill into the back of my crown to access the screw and see if it is in fact loose. I am very upset. I can't even begin to imagine starting this process again. Not to mention that I am completely broke from this whole process. I am worried about the possibility of damaging the crown from drilling this hole and about the costs of all of this. It seems to me that the most likely issue is a loose screw caused by improper tightening or torque before loading. I do not understand how the screw could become loose on its own in such a short amount of time otherwise. Am I correct in thinking this? Do I need to be worried about making sure this dental office is accountable for their work? Does it seem like it may have been their error? Should I be making sure they pay for additional charges incurred? Thank you for taking the time to ready this and give me feedback! Belinda: toothtrouble said: Hello, I am a healthy, non-smoking, 23 y.o. female. Several years following a fall, I developed a complete fracture in the root of my front tooth. As advised by multiple dentists, the tooth was extracted by a very experienced periodontist and an implant was put in place. I wore a temporary flipper while it healed. My periodontist gave me the ok to load the implant after 3 months, but for insurance purposes I waited 6 months. I was assured that the implant was completely healed and ready. After lots of waiting and minor setbacks while the crown (as well as a veneer for my other front tooth for cosmetic purposes) were made, it was finally ready to go. My dentist (who is young but reputable and specializes in cosmetic dentistry) and the dental assistant attached the final abutment, crown, and veneer. I was pretty satisfied with the cosmetic result. It has now been 1 month. Two days ago, after flossing I noticed that the crown was loose. I was able to move it about 1mm front and back as well as side to side. I immediately called my dentist and went in the next day. After taking an x-ray and looking at it, she told me that it was either that the abutment screw was loose (most likely) or that the implant itself is loose. She is referring my to a local periodontist and says that he will need to drill into the back of my crown to access the screw and see if it is in fact loose. I am very upset. I can't even begin to imagine starting this process again. Not to mention that I am completely broke from this whole process. I am worried about the possibility of damaging the crown from drilling this hole and about the costs of all of this. It seems to me that the most likely issue is a loose screw caused by improper tightening or torque before loading. I do not understand how the screw could become loose on its own in such a short amount of time otherwise. Am I correct in thinking this? Do I need to be worried about making sure this dental office is accountable for their work? Does it seem like it may have been their error? Should I be making sure they pay for additional charges incurred? Thank you for taking the time to ready this and give me feedback! Click to expand... I am sorry you have this problem. There are two options: 1. The abutment screw is loose. This can happen if it is undertightened when the abutment is fitted. Your dentist should have used a torque wrench or torque driver to tighten it to the recommended value. Alternatively the implant may have been overloaded. This can happen if the implant tooth or the implant itself is placed 'out of harmony' with your bite relationship. If the crown has been cemented over the implant abutment, there is no way to access the screw without cutting through the back of the crown. This will unfortunately render the crown weak and liable to fail at some later date. Your dentist should do all this remedial work at no cost - including making a new crown. You are protected by the Sale Goods and Services Act which states that any item bought must be fit for purpose and of reasonable quality. Don't be persuaded otherwise. 2. The implant may have failed although this is less likely given the amount of time that has passed. An Xray will generally indicate a failed implant and removing the crown will confirm it. There is little redress if the implant has failed as this is a recognised risk and you gave informed consent. Were you fully informed verbally and in writing? Did you sign a consent form? If not, you will have grounds for full redress and/or a complaint to the GDC. I would advise you to talk to your dentist and allow him to rectify the situation. If it happens again, ask for your money back and find a better dentist.

Loose Implant Crown

hearsay: On March 1st I went to the dentist for tooth pain. It wasn't a horrible pain but enough that I wanted it looked at. The Doctor ended up filling 4 teeth #15, 14, 13, and 12. #14 was the reason I went in. When I left I had horrible pain, still in #14. I relate it to dry socket pain just less intense. It will last until I take Ibuprofen (400-800mg). Then it disappears for 8-24 hours. Literally pain free. However, when it returns it's the same dry socket type pain (less intense) and lasts for about 15-30 minutes. I feel certain the pain is in #14. However, I also have pain just above #14 where I am certain the novacaine was injected. So this was scaring me and I went back. The doctor decided to refill #14 and #15. Nothing changed. Today March 18th I still feel the same. I have an appointment scheduled for this Sunday however, I really don't want to go back again. My concern now is that they continue making the wrong decision. a) They pull it when it was just bruising or b) they see the bruise and say it's just the bruise and it turns out to be the tooth. I feel like I have several more visits coming up for this incident. When the pain comes I try to focus where the pain is but when I feel certain it's from the tooth I rub my cheek and it starts feeling better. Oh, and besides the 2 fillings I went 2 other times to adjust the bite. Even the dentist checked the bite and said there was no contact. I kept telling the dental assistant that I feel contact and she was clearly become frustrated with me. She even paused at one point for 20 seconds just thinking. I feel the pain right now as I am typing this. It is so difficult to know if it's the tooth, the bruise, or both. I attached a picture. Any advice? hearsay: Update: I went today. I just want to get this over with. They ended up telling me they don't know. The doctor didn't even see me just his assistant. She said that she would check my bite one more time. Then tapped my tooth with her tool. I didn't hurt at first but over the next several minutes it starting radiating. It's either the bruising or the nerve. I still don't know but am scheduled to have it pulled tomorrow morning. Who knows. But I will be glad to see this tooth go. I have developed a hatred towards this tooth. It has been bothering me for 18 days. hearsay: update: Now it doesn't hurt at all for the past 8 hours with no ibuprofen. I'm scheduled to pull it in the morning, but I have no pain at the moment. Woe is me.

Filling Issue - Hematoma or Nerve in Tooth

john nguyen: Got two dental implants, went to a new dentist, took some x rays. She me told that there is NO healing caps on the implants and she can't place crowns on them. Is this true that you must have a healing caps? Can they not cut the gum/tissue to access the implants? Thank! Reem Khaled: first question yes it is a must to have a healing cap for implants ... but actually I am still a dentist student so I cant really know why it is for it i didnt take this yet :d but as much as i know healing caps is very important for implants Second question is unfortunely they can't cutting the gum is a must also to be able to insert the implant within your jaw bone :\ but do not worry you can go for a doctor that would cut it with a laser device which will cause no bleeding nor pain Good luck and have a nice day

Healing cap for implants

alok: I had a slight sensitivity in one of the molars . Dentist said it was a cavity and cavity was filled with temporary filling and subsequently with permanent filling. But after the filling that tooth was slightly sensitive towards cold or sweet things but was bearable. I was feeling uneasy while biting food on that area but was adjustable. But after 5 months that tooth is very sensitive and biting on that tooth is not possible because it is causing pain during chewing. So I am using the opposite side of mouth. please help me about the problem. Bob22: I'm not a dentist but i had a similar problem (although yours sounds more severe) and it was a cracked tooth. I needed a crown and i may need a RCT depending on how that goes (it still has some discomfort when i eat hard food). Perhaps that is what you have

biting pain and sensitivity after 5 months of permanent filling

Mona: Hi all. I have had an eating disorder for a year and a half. I would purge regularly for weeks then stop and not eat instead, which is why I was diagnosed with a hybrid of bulimia and anorexia. I am working on recovering, and am happy to say I haven't purged in over a week. For the past couple of days, my bottom teeth have been aching all day long, and it's making me really nervous. I've also been drinking a can of diet soda everyday, which I'm going to cut out. The bad effects of purging on my teeth have always terrified me, so I never purge without gargling water and chewing 3-5 antacids straight after. I know that that could only slow the erosion, and that not purging is the best solution. I have attached pictures of the back of my lower teeth, just to get an opinion on the severity of the enamel erosion of my teeth and what treatment you think would be suitable, before my dentist appointment. I'd really appreciate any opinions. Thank you. PS. sorry about the quality--the angle is really difficult!

How badly eroded is my enamel?

Mamakin: Hello, I would really appreciate some guidance on a very tough decision. About 7 years ago, my well-respected dentist recommended that I replace four front lower teeth, that were slightly crooked, with a bridge. Well, this was the worst mistake I ever made and, in my opinion, downright negligent. He destroyed 4 perfectly good teeth for a quick fix and a nice profit. I am currently in the process of finishing a dental implant on a front upper tooth....this 1 tooth is costing me $7000+.....so that makes my bridge error even more disturbing. I hate the bridge. It feels like a foreign object in my mouth and it looks too perfect/fake. I found a "best of" prosthodontist (in another, larger city) to do the crown for my current implant. I want to give myself the best chance at a positive result, after my previous huge mistake. The question now is, do I replace the 4 bottom teeth that were destroyed, in order to rid myself of this bridge. I'm 57 years old. I take excellent care of myself and don't want to think of living with this bridge, for the rest of my life. The cost, however, is $10,000+. I have researched some of the downsides of even having a bridge....jaw bone loss, etc. But, I am also concerned about making another very costly mistake. Will the crowns hold up? Will one be likely to fall off at the most inopportune time? Will the result look as I want it to and will the replaced teeth feel 100% natural vs this bridge? If anyone has advice, experience or thoughts on this type of replacement, I would greatly value your feedback. Thanks so much! kelly123: Mamakin said: Hello, I would really appreciate some guidance on a very tough decision. About 7 years ago, my well-respected dentist recommended that I replace four front lower teeth, that were slightly crooked, with a bridge. Well, this was the worst mistake I ever made and, in my opinion, downright negligent. He destroyed 4 perfectly good teeth for a quick fix and a nice profit. I am currently in the process of finishing a dental implant on a front upper tooth....this 1 tooth is costing me $7000+.....so that makes my bridge error even more disturbing. I hate the bridge. It feels like a foreign object in my mouth and it looks too perfect/fake. I found a "best of" prosthodontist (in another, larger city) to do the crown for my current implant. I want to give myself the best chance at a positive result, after my previous huge mistake. The question now is, do I replace the 4 bottom teeth that were destroyed, in order to rid myself of this bridge. I'm 57 years old. I take excellent care of myself and don't want to think of living with this bridge, for the rest of my life. The cost, however, is $10,000+. I have researched some of the downsides of even having a bridge....jaw bone loss, etc. But, I am also concerned about making another very costly mistake. Will the crowns hold up? Will one be likely to fall off at the most inopportune time? Will the result look as I want it to and will the replaced teeth feel 100% natural vs this bridge? If anyone has advice, experience or thoughts on this type of replacement, I would greatly value your feedback. Thanks so much! Click to expand... kelly123: I hear your pain both health-wise and financially. I have crowns on nearly every tooth as well as a bridge for one side and an implant bridge (love it) for another side. I am having problems with tooth #7. If you can afford it, implants are the way to go since you are only in your 50's. Bridges can look great but they depend on the "neighbor teeth" for support. My mom just had one done for 4 missing front teeth. It looks great but I wonder what will happen if/when those canines fail. As you know, the nerve in them sometimes dies when they are prepped for a bridge. The problem with implants is the number of appointments needed to finally get them. If the aesthetics effects your daily living, you need to change it or accept it. I am a little vain and would change it. Best wishes! Mamakin: Thanks kelly123. Appreciate the feedback and well-wishes. Yes, an implant is quite an undertaking. Certainly not a quick fix. This is my 2nd. Lots to consider, regarding the front 4 lower teeth! PlacidWay-US: @Mamakin I assume you're after a quick fix? But I think considering implants even if it may take time is the best option. As you said you just wasted money and it's because you're after for quick result, So i'm suggesting that since you will be spending money then go for a durable and long lasting result where dental implants can provide. But to give you an insight of the time you need to spend for the procedure. The implant site is allowed to heal before the new artificial tooth is attached. This procedure may take from three to six months to heal. After that time period, your dentist will complete the procedure by placing a crown restoration. The healing process will depend on many factors such as your jawbone structure, age, and general oral health. But still the decision is yours, and having it done abroad just consider Mexico or Costa Rica you may find the cost of implants there more convincing. Good luck!

Remove bridge and replace with crowns/implant?

rokkdp: New dental implant does not look exactly like a tooth. There is a gap between the cusp and the gum line. From the cusp, the crown curves inwards toward the gum line. So it is kind of like the tooth top is there, but tapers towards the gum line. Almost like it was not made correctly to meet up with gum and look natural. Was this done correctly or should I look to have it replaced. It is in the back, so not noticeable. But I'm concerned with food getting trapped between implant crown and the gum. The implant is the #14 (I think) - second tooth in from back. DanyRoden: I think you have to tell this your dentist. PlacidWay-US: It looks bad! I agree with @DanyRoden, better go back to your dental implant surgeon. Implants should be placed as if it's natural teeth. In your case the gap is really noticesable and it may really affect the neighboring teeth as the food that trapped there can cause tooth decay. Where you had your implants? and what type of implants you dentist used?

Molar Dental Implant Does Not Look Good

SkuNk757: Im currently 25 years old and been a smoker for a long time as well as poly-drug use. I neglected myself alot as a kid and now here i am. I've noticed what i believe to be gumline pockets forming And a whole lot of other mess. My question is would it be better for me to have all them removed now and save myself the trouble later, which i understand that the gums will recede to where dentures no longer fit. I have no dental insurance and income is pretty scarce. If one of you knowledgeable folks could help me out with My best options i would greatly appreciate it. Also typical cost of repair is probably way more than just pulling them correct? I just wanna be able to smile without shame and depression. I haven't smiled in a picture in forever.

Whats going on with my teeth °Pics included°

pippyl94: Hello, My adventure with crowns started in 2005ish. At that time, I had a tooth extracted due to an abscess (#13). Not too long after, I had one of my front incisors extracted due to an accident that left it broken at the gum line. The dentist at the time decided the best option was to make a 7 tooth bridge from the incisor next to the broken tooth back to my molar behind the extracted #13. This cost $16,000 for just this round (thankfully my kind and amazing grandmother offered to take care of the cost). This was only the beginning. I moved out of the state, and a few years later started having some pain in #14 at the end of the bridge. I had it checked by the dentist here who determined that tooth would need to be pulled as well, meaning that long bridge would need to come apart. They asked me if I would like to have the long bridge again, which I said no to because I then had to pay again to have all of those crowns replaced (again) after this round if anything would go wrong with any of the teeth. This would be the second round of crowns on all of these teeth already. After many appointments I finally had the crowns finished, now with individual crowns in the front ( the one missing now with an implant) and a four tooth bridge to cover 13 and 14 that were extracted. Here is where my issue comes in: when the prosthodontist put the final crowns in, he seemed to have a lot of trouble getting them to stay and was getting frustrated. They kept falling out, especially #8, but also #7. He kept trying to make them stay in and pushing on them. For the next week my mouth was VERY painful right above that tooth, with stabbing and throbbing pain. I had never had that happen with other crowns. It finally faded and I thought everything was fine, until maybe a month or two later. I then noticed a small painless bump on my gum above #8. I didn't think it was anything much at first, but kept an eye on it. It got slightly bigger, but then it started leaking something and went back down. My degrees are not in the medical/dental field.... I initially thought it was one of those little bumps that happen it your mouth once in a while, BUT it then filled back up with fluid. I called the dentist and asked them to take a look at it to see if it was dental related. They made an appointment for an apicoectomy, which was about three months after I had all of the crowns put on. It continued to repeatedly fill with fluid and drain until the appointment. In the next year, my husband got laid off and we lost our insurance. A year after all of the crowns were placed, that same #8 came out. I called my dentist, but they informed me they would not be able to take me due to being on state insurance, even if I paid the full price out of pocket. Not even for a consult, which normally they offer for free. I went to the local community center, where they glued it back in. It would continue to come out several times in the next couple of years, while my husbands insurance went in and out- he continued to get laid off repeatedly. The community center glued it back in four times it total, and I have glued it back in countless times. Sometimes daily. The last time the community center glued it back in, she drilled some of the crown off for space because apparently my bottom tooth was hitting it on the inside of my mouth, pushing it forward and causing it to repeatedly come off. The metal post actually broke, with part of it stuck in the crown and the other half in my mouth. I'm guessing this was from the bottom tooth repeatedly causing force on it. My husband's work has finally called him back long enough now for my old dental group who performed the work to accept me back with the insurance. I went for a consult with the oral surgeon, who confirmed my hunch that by now I will need another implant. It has been worked on so much now that there is absolutely no tooth left to be seen on what was originally a full tooth. Before I could ask him, he mentioned he was going to ask about getting a reduced fee since it happened so soon. I then also had a consult with the prosthodontist who had placed the crowns. He looked confused when he saw the broken post and said that the cost might even be more than the estimate they had given me (about $4200). I now have an essix in and have an appointment for extraction/bone graft/implant coming up. The receptionist informed me that the manager states they can't offer any money off. Her reason is that they did not originally perform the first root canal. I do not understand what that has to do with the metal material breaking in two pieces most likely due to being hit by my bottom tooth??? In addition, now that they new year has started, the cost will be at least a few hundred more than the estimate, of course. Ultimately, right now I am extremely frustrated. I now have over $30,000 in my mouth- soon to be about $35,000. I am only 33 years old! There is now not much left under these crowns. Contrary to the somewhat offending comments/assumptions made by my dental group regarding oral hygiene and my health, I brush twice a day or more, floss AT LEAST once a day, use my water pic, and I must have mouth wash! The first dentist I went to suggested that my first born absorbed all of the calcium from my teeth. I hound my husband constantly to floss his teeth- which he does NOT...gross- yet his look perfect (for the time being...we'll see), yet I have so many issues. I eat healthy- vegetarian- and avoid hard/sticky candies. It's truly irritating and has been causing many tears and anxiety. I have three children and I would much rather pour all of this money into activities/education for them. At this point I am tired of always being at the dentist and ready to get an upper plate. I mentioned this to the oral surgeon and he stated it wouldn't be worth it because I would have to get the remaining teeth extracted. Right now I have 10 remaining on top, but I was consulted last year that #3 is close to needing an implant as well if the crown comes off again. I apologize for how long this is. I am new to this forum and do not know how long the posts typically are. I really appreciate anyone who has read this far. To sum it up, my questions are: What does the root canal have to do with the metal material breaking in two pieces due to being hit by my bottom tooth? I honestly do not remember who performed the initial root canal. I am guessing it was the first round in 2005, but they are no longer in operation to get records. Why did it hurt after he couldn't get it to fit? What specifically caused the pain/ bump on my gum after this? How often and how soon do metal posts usually break in two pieces like this? Should I consider getting a top plate soon (remembering also that if either tooth on the end of that four tooth bridge fails I will most likely be needing 3 or 4 more impants/ bone grafts,etc)? Should I consider having this done by someone else? I worry that it will not look the same as the others crowns in front. I am also worried about my husband getting laid off again. It is finally a long enough time period to get all of this taken care of (4-6 months). Is it unusual that they are not willing to work with me on the cost, given the time period and what happened? Please help me expand my knowledge on this! Thank you in advance!

Metal post material broke after a year?

Girish Kumar: Hi, Is anyone using 3D printer in any of the dental applications? Or does anyone know, where can 3D Printer fit in? Thanks Girish

3D Printing in Dental applications

amit kumar: are composite filling contane toxic bisphonel - A (BPA) ?

composite filling

Sally: Hi all, I got a crown in September 2015. Did not get a root canal. The crown is on my upper first molar. The crown has always seemed a little high when I bite. I am a teeth clincher. I have not been wearing my mouth guard. So I noticed the crowned tooth was very sore. Some of the soreness is gone but I now have some swelling on the outside of the tooth at the top of my mouth. It's near that boney ridge. It only hurts to rub my finger across it and to push on the outside of my face. It is not throbbing. My question is....am a getting an abscess or do I have swelling from clenching on that high crown. The soreness has subsided a tad bit. Any suggestions other than a trip to the dentist?

Crown and teeth Clenching

Jennifer4156: I asked the dentist for an all porcelain crown as I didn't want a metal line to show. I have had the crown on tooth#15 for 6 years now. All of a sudden I can see the metal line. Its hard to see in the pic but much more noticeable in real life and on the other side of the tooth. I was told if the crown is all porcelain you will not ever see a dark line at the top of the gum line. So what exactly do I have? I am going to have to get this crown replaced, so I really need to know what to ask for specifically as asking for an all porcelain crown you can still see the line. Ps. The dentist is no longer in business, otherwise I would call and ask for a copy of what was done exactly.

Is this an all porcelain crown?

Rachels145: About a month ago. I finished a long journey on restoring my mouth from being completely rotted out. Had a lot of teeth pulled, and the dentist tried to save a few by doing very deep fillings. And i've been brushing, flossing like crazy. But, I'm noticing small brown spots on some, and some discoloration, yellow between my front two teeth. I'm worried that maybe the deep filings did not save the teeth. Should I be worried? I spent thousands of dollars on it. And I want to make sure I should be okay, also. I'm a smoker if that has anything to do with my yellow discoloring that just wont go away whatever i try. I use a whitening tooth paste every day. And, the fillings are right in the middle of my teeth.

Recent extensive dental work, help!

nikkinewton33: Ok so as an expanded functions assistant I can place,adjust bite and polish restorations and for some reason lately I have been having trouble adjusting the bite. Not that I don't know what to do I just get very uneasy and nervous doing so. I think it's the thought that I could slip while using the drill. Does anyone have any good advise for me to conquer my fear?

Efda that needs help!

Kris: I have had a bad cold lately and when I cough really hard I can feel my fillings in my teeth. It's not that they hurt, it's just a very weird sensation. My mouth is riddled with fillings but it seems I can only feel the ones on the left side of my top jaw. Could they be loose? Thanks for any input! Zuri Barniv: No, you probably have a sinus infection. Go see an ENT or a dentist well-versed in sinus issues. You will probably need antibiotics. It's not possible to make a diagnosis online, but that is my best guess. Dr. Barniv

I can "feel" my fillings when I cough hard or shake my head

anamandy: A few days ago I had the feeling like I was going to get a urinary track infection. So I took one pill of the product pyridium and while it was in my mouth it started to melt before I could swallow it down with water. As a result, my teeth and inside of my mouth is now a yellow orange. I use the Colgate whitening toothpaste anyway but also purchased whitening strips but the stains are still there. I did an internet search and found that not only will the dye in this drug stain clothing and contact lenses but also permanently stain teeth. Since the bleaching agent in the toothpaste and whitening strips hasn't worked what can I do about this horrible situation short of getting veneers? Just want to add that while doing the internet search found that there is only one thing that will remove this dye .25% Sodium Dithonate or Sodium Hydrosulfite, but since this is for objects and not people I'm assuming that using a product like this to remove the stains on teeth can potentially poison you. So that's out. Also, do I have a case for litigation since there is no warning on the package? Too, shouldn't a product like this be in capsule form instead of an easy to melt tablet form? Partera: Hi, I also had this happen to my teeth after taking pyridium. Did you find anything worked to remove the stains from your teeth? Your response is much appreciated! anamandy said: A few days ago I had the feeling like I was going to get a urinary track infection. So I took one pill of the product pyridium and while it was in my mouth it started to melt before I could swallow it down with water. As a result, my teeth and inside of my mouth is now a yellow orange. I use the Colgate whitening toothpaste anyway but also purchased whitening strips but the stains are still there. I did an internet search and found that not only will the dye in this drug stain clothing and contact lenses but also permanently stain teeth. Since the bleaching agent in the toothpaste and whitening strips hasn't worked what can I do about this horrible situation short of getting veneers? Just want to add that while doing the internet search found that there is only one thing that will remove this dye .25% Sodium Dithonate or Sodium Hydrosulfite, but since this is for objects and not people I'm assuming that using a product like this to remove the stains on teeth can potentially poison you. So that's out. Also, do I have a case for litigation since there is no warning on the package? Too, shouldn't a product like this be in capsule form instead of an easy to melt tablet form? Click to expand...

pyridium stains on teeth

toothsaver: A new filling is sharp, and cuts my floss. Is there any way I can file it down myself? How do I prevent this from happening in the future? Should I ask the dentist to let me stick a piece of floss, so that when he is putting in a filling, I can immediately floss the edge before it hardens into jaggedness? Zuri Barniv: Your dentist should have checked this before you left. Ask your dentist to repair it. Do not try to do anything yourself, you will not be successful and could do damage.

filling makes it hard to floss

Susan M: Three crowns were done(14,19,31) using crown porcelain fused to high noble metal D2750 and core buildup D2950. For $150 each, the dentist suggested I upgrade to crowns with added porcelain, so there would be no black line on my gum line in the future. On his advice I agreed. When I got the insurance paperwork I noticed there was a charge on all 3 crowns for pulp cap direct D3110. Nothing was ever said to me about the pulp cap direct, so when I questioned it, his office insurance lady said that the insurance takes care of that, and whatever they don't take care of she will write that portion off at no cost to me. Two months after getting crown 31 it fell off. To my surprise it was a very very small partial crown. I questioned why I paid for an upgrade when there was no gum line involved, since it was such a small crown. The insurance lady told me the crown was all porcelain and the metal would have shown, if the upgrade hadn't been done. I also asked why there needed to be a build up and why it needed pulp cap direct. She told me he had to build up the tooth and the root was almost exposed which does not make sense to me. The dentist re cemented the crown and charged my insurance company, but did not charge me. I would appreciate your feedback on my issues. Thank you so much for your time. Zuri Barniv: We are only getting one side of the story, which is never fair. But if your version is accurate, it sounds like your dentist is billing the insurance for services not rendered and then "writing off" your portion so you don't complain. I would contact your insurance company and let them know your concerns and consider finding a more ethical dentist. Susan M: I truly appreciate you responding to my post. Because of you writing, getting one side of the story is never fair, I emailed the office insurance lady exactly what I posted and added this: The above statement has been reviewed by two dentists. The first dentist gave us his opinion if the above is accurate, but he also wrote the following: We are only getting one side of the story, which is never fair. The second dentist also gave his opinion if the above is accurate and wrote us the following: I'm an accredited cosmetic dentist who saw a lot of appearance-conscious patients, and I never did porcelain margins or anything like that for esthetic purposes on lower molars, and two of these teeth you reported to me were lower molars. One was a second molar. Even if there were a black line there, no one would ever see it. Within 15 minutes the dentist called us on the phone. He explained to my wife and me that he did not say anything about the pulp cap directs because he only charges the insurance and not the patient. Just to make sure we understood my wife restated, "So you didn't say anything about the pulp direct because there would be no charge to us", and he said that was correct. Regarding the $150 upgrade he said he did EMAX crowns which are all porcelain without any metal. We told him my wife recently had EMAX crowns done by a different dentist, and that dentist charged the insurance company D2740 without any upgrade fee. He said there is no code for EMAX crowns. Several times in the conversation he mentioned all charges were legal. I asked him to respond in writing what he told us in this conversation and he said he would. Once again I would appreciate your remarks.Thank you for the time you are spending on this. Zuri Barniv: So if I understand correctly, the dentist charged your insurance for a service he did not actually do (a pulp cap)? Did I get that right? He felt that since he only charged the insurance and not you, that would be ok. If true, that would be considered insurance fraud. Please check this site: http://www.insurancefraud.org/scam-alerts-dental.htm As for D2740, that is an ADA Code for an all ceramic crown (including EMAX and Zirconium crowns), so there is nothing to "upgrade" to. It already is not supposed to have any metal in it. Some insurance policies do not cover this code and they will "downgrade" D2740 to a lower code such as an all-metal crown or similar. They will pay less for this and expect the dentist to accept that lower fee if the dentist is contracted with the insurance company. So some dentists anticipate that and bill the insurance for the "cheaper" crown they know they will pay for and then charge you more to "upgrade" it. There are too many variables here to discuss it all on this site, so there could be other issues at play that I'm not aware of. Susan M: Zuri Barniv said: So if I understand correctly, the dentist charged your insurance for a service he did not actually do (a pulp cap)? Did I get that right? He felt that since he only charged the insurance and not you, that would be ok. If true, that would be considered insurance fraud. Please check this site: http://www.insurancefraud.org/scam-alerts-dental.htm As for D2740, that is an ADA Code for an all ceramic crown (including EMAX and Zirconium crowns), so there is nothing to "upgrade" to. It already is not supposed to have any metal in it. Some insurance policies do not cover this code and they will "downgrade" D2740 to a lower code such as an all-metal crown or similar. They will pay less for this and expect the dentist to accept that lower fee if the dentist is contracted with the insurance company. So some dentists anticipate that and bill the insurance for the "cheaper" crown they know they will pay for and then charge you more to "upgrade" it. There are too many variables here to discuss it all on this site, so there could be other issues at play that I'm not aware of. Click to expand... Susan M: Sorry I was not clear, but the dentist told me he did the three pulp caps, but when he did them he never informed me that he was doing them. He told me the reason he didn't inform me was because he said he would accept only what the insurance company paid, and I would not have to pay anything. I then explained to him that my secondary insurance had a $1300 calendar maximum and because I eventually went over the $1300, the $39 paid by the secondary insurance company for the first pulp cap actually took away from other covered procedures that I had to pay for. The other two pulp caps he charged my primary insurance company, but when he charged my secondary insurance it was declined because I had reached my $1300 maximum. The dentist did not charge me for the remaining balance on the other two pulp caps. As far as the upgrade, which I questioned because it made no sense to me, he started talking about the upgraded crown being a better material. I really wasn't understanding his explanation, so that is when I asked him to respond to my email in writing about everything we had discussed. I am waiting for his written response. Once again I cannot express to you how much I appreciate your time with this matter. Zuri Barniv: Susan, I can count the number of times I needed to do a pulp cap in the last 15 yrs on a patient on one hand. A cavity has to be extremely deep to get to that point and in most cases, the teeth are exquisitely sensitive afterwards. This is why many pulp caps ultimately end up as a root canal. The chance 3 teeth in a row needed pulp caps is so remote that I would really recommend you show the x-rays to another dentist for a second opinion. The dentist may be fluffing his bottom line by saying he did this procedure and didn't actually do it. I don't have the x-rays and all the details, so can't say for sure. But my Spidey-senses are tingling with this one. Be wary. I am also concerned he immediately said, "all charges were legal". Think about why someone would say something like that?? And always be cautious when any dentist does a bunch of unplanned procedures and then doesn't mention them to you even though there was theoretically a co-payment due. I also always caution folks to be extra careful when dentists waive co-pays in general. They are making their money in other ways, which may not be to your advantage. Dr. Barniv Susan M: Just to clarify I, Susan, have been writing the messages for my husband with his assistance. Dr. Barniv, we also want you to know the following (crown 31 was replaced in September) was never mentioned to you, but it was included in the email we sent to the dentist's office. The following was included in the first and only email we sent to the dentist's office insurance lady: (her name), because of the first dentist telling us it is not fair to get only one side of the story, I am asking you to read over what we have written and explain to us if there is anything you do not feel is accurate. We realize we did not include the fact that crown 31 was replaced with no charge in September. We appreciate that this was done, but it was not included because we do not feel it was relevant to what had taken place before it was done. Tonight I received the dentist's response to our email. He said he recommended emax crowns because of strength and esthetic qualities. He also stated he had to build up the teeth to ensure proper substructure for the crowns. He placed the liner in order to protect the pulp as it was very close to the defect. On #31 he said originally he did a conservative restoration as a partial crown to preserve as much tooth structure as possible. Unfortunately the partial crown didn't stay on due to its smaller surface area. He then converted it to a full coverage crown. . Nothing was mentioned in his email about not informing that the pulp caps were being done. These are our questions. 1) If he did emax crowns should have he coded them as D2740 and not charged us an upgrade? We can't figure out why he coded them as porcelain fused high metal D2750, when according to him there was no metal. 2) If 31 was conservative, only covering the top of the tooth (when it fell out we saw how small it was), how could have the pulp been involved? 3) Is it customary for a dentist to do pulp caps without informing the patient? 4) Because of the pulp caps and crown build ups have according to the dentist already been done, is there any way of knowing if they were actually done? We are totally aware that we know nothing about dentistry, so one more time we greatly appreciate your time. Zuri Barniv: 1. I recommend you double check with your insurance to answer this questions, because I am no insurance expert. But my initial response is "yes", if he did an E-Max crown, he should have coded it D2740, not a PFM + upgrade. 2. It is unlikely the pulp was involved as you point out. As I said, when a pulp cap is done, the patient usually "knows it" as the tooth can be extremely sensitive for a while and there is a decent statistical chance it will subsequently need a root canal. Also, this is called an "inlay" which is coded differently and is less expensive. 3. No - a dentist should ALWAYS tell you about every procedure he is performing on you. Just because it is "needed" or not charged to you is not an excuse. You have an absolute right to know what is happening to your body. 4. Possibly. The easy way is to take an x-ray of what you have now. Since it is an E-Max crown, the x-rays penetrate the material and you can more-or-less see how deep the underlying material is. It is not perfect, but gives you some idea. My questions to you are: Are you planning to stay with this dentist once this gets sorted out? Are you planning to find a new dentist regardless of the outcome? Your inquires, discussions, phone calls, etc. will take a lot of your precious time and energy to sort out. In the end your teeth will be unchanged. So think about what you want to accomplish before going into battle. "We are totally aware that we know nothing about dentistry, so one more time we greatly appreciate your time." My pleasure, and you are not expected to know anything about dentistry. This is why it is important to have mutual trust with your dentist, doctor or whomever takes care of you and your family. Susan M: Dr. Barniv, I have contacted both insurance companies regarding the D2750 vs D2740 coding. If they determine we should not have been charged the $150 upgrade, our goal is to recover that money. The reasons we chose this dentist was because his ratings on yelp were EXCELLENT. Also he was a graduate from a private highly prestigious dental school in southern California, where he served as a clinical instructor. I will not mention the school's name. He is currently serving as an Assistant Professor at a different college of dental medicine. Last year I also had a crown done by this dentist. I was charged the $150 upgrade, plus a core build up. In addition I had a composite filling and was charged $10 for a composite sealant. Fortunately I was NOT charged for a pulp cap direct. When my husband's #31 crown fell off it really scared me, because I was going to have this dentist put crowns on my worn and chipped front teeth. At that point I changed to another dentist who was highly recommended by several friends. Over 30 years ago my dentist (retired) accidentally filled my wrong tooth because the xrays were reversed by his dental assistant. He called me immediately to inform me and took full responsibility. Being human I know we all make mistakes, and I admired his honesty so he remained my dentist until his retirement. I am telling you this because we are not the type of people that are out to harm anyone. But this whole situation is beyond our comprehension. We truly hope and pray that everything the dentist in question has done was legitimate. We are extremely disturbed by the fact that he did not inform my husband of the three pulp caps. We are beginning to question everything. At this point we wonder if anything he did was actually necessary. Probably our main question now is this. Is anything he did or did not do going to be harmful to our teeth in the future? Lastly, my husband is not going back to him. And of course, as always, thank you so much for your time. Susan Zuri Barniv: I cringe when I hear about "upgrades" as these are almost always designed to separate you from your money for very little in return. You seem like very reasonable people and I practically have an allergic reaction to dentists that betray the public's trust like this. It's what inspires me to write my blog and participate in these types of forums. It also goes to show you that Yelp is just one source to consider among several. It sounds like you are doing what needs to be done. Let me know if you need any more advice. Dr. Barniv Susan M: Dr. Barniv, Here we go again. After finally speaking with the dental office the primary insurance called and explained she was told that D2750 crown is made from pieces of layered porcelain and E.Max, which has no dental code, is one piece of porcelain and it's not layered, so that was the reason for the $150 upgrade. I then spoke to the secondary insurance and I said we were trying to get back the $150 upgrades on all 4 crowns and wanted her to find out why it was coded D2750 not D2740. She told me that the insurance companies CANNOT tell the dental office how to bill. When she spoke to the dental office she was told that the dental office had signed documentation, (yes we both signed the documentation for PFM crowns) which was a legal contract between us and the dentist for the upgrades.The CIGNA insurance lady told me she would file a financial complaint if we wanted. Once again I spoke to the dentist's insurance lady and said yes we did sign the documentation saying we would be getting PFM crowns. I told her I did not think,in a court of law, it is a valid contract because we did not get PFM crowns. She then wanted to know if we could meet halfway with a $75 refund on each crown. At that point I became so upset I could not even talk. Within an hour we received a call from the dentist asking what we wanted him to do. I immediately said to refund the upgrade charges. He informed me he was using the D2750 code to minimize what we had to pay out of pocket. Again he said there is no code for E.Max. I informed him if he had coded it D2740 we would have paid $2 more. He said that he used the D2750 code to minimize our out of pocket expenses of $2. He then said he would change the code on the 4 crowns to D2740 and would refund the $600, if we put in writing this would be the end of the issues on everything. We then told him we could not believe how he never informed my husband of the 3 pulp caps. He said there are a lot of things a dentist does not tell his patients. He then said he would refund the secondary insurance company the $39 paid on the pulp cap because that was taken away from our $1300 benefit maximum.I made it clear to him that the $39 is not the issue here. My husband is telling me just to give him a written statement and let it go. Like you wrote to me previously, "Your inquires, discussions, phone calls, etc. will take a lot of your precious time and energy to sort out. In the end your teeth will be unchanged. So think about what you want to accomplish before going into battle." You were SO right!! I feel this dentist is ripping people off left and right, but on the other hand, maybe I should just give him the written statement, get the refund, and let it go. Once again I would appreciate your thoughts. Thank you so much for your time. Susan Zuri Barniv: I think you should write whatever he wants to get your refund and then move on. $600 is no chump change and you basically won, right? But unfortunately, there were still many 'losers' in the past and there will be many in the future who will not go through the effort you made. I am not a big fan of airing out your dirty laundry online, but the glowing online reviews are what attracted you to this dentist in the first place. Perhaps some online feedback on the same forums would be beneficial to others trying to avoid your situation in the future. By the way, any dentist who says, "...there are a lot of things a dentist does [but does] not tell his patients." is probably not the kind of dentist you want to have working on you. I think you already figured that out though. There is NOTHING I do to any of my patients without their consent and knowledge and in most cases, it is in writing. That is your basic right as a patient, that is, to know what a doctor or dentist is doing to you.

Crowns

arsenalfire: My wife received a full set of dentures about 2 years ago and they never worked well from the outset. Too painful to eat, never felt like they fit, and none of the adjustments done by the dentist helped. Now the lower set is broken, mostly due to them going in and out constantly. My question is what options would be be best: should we just start over with a different dentist? Is it possible to get an identical replacement set, and if so, refit from that? Any other options? I don't remember why implants were not recommended, and we would prefer not dealing with the original dentist as he seemed to think she "should have been more comfortable," implying it was her fault. Cosmetically, they were excellent. Zuri Barniv: It's impossible to know how to answer this as there are many reasons a denture might hurt. You also didn't specify if these were full dentures (she has no teeth) or partial ones. But in general, lower full dentures are very problematic even if they are well-made. Upper full dentures are usually easy to get used to and don't hurt. So if she has an upper full denture and that hurts too, I would wonder if she has a special situation or if the dentures just weren't made as well as they could have been. If in doubt, go get a second opinion from a "prosthodontist". These are dentists that have received extra training in these sorts of problems and he/she might be able to tell you what to do next. This is different than a general dentist.

Dentures never worked

Iamdagiraffe: I recently got 4 silver fillings. I've already had 1 filling done from a few years back that was white so I didn't even think to ask for white ones again. Anyways, I'm wondering if my fillings will be very noticeable when smiling, laughing, etc. https://gyazo.com/18d9d5b4c10ea902abf69e9609d40b5b https://gyazo.com/8479a00533268c9a565a0f15b3cd5138 I'm also sort of mad because I get my braces off in a month and I don't even get to see my teeth look perfect....

Are my fillings visible?

Shrobinson: Hi, I am 32 years old. I have had dental problems for as long as I can remember. I grew up on well water and my parents also have bad teeth. Every time I go to the dentist I have a new or worsening cavity. Today I went to a new dentist to get a second opinion (I had been with my previous dentist for the last 20 years). I asked her to look at everything and to give me a game plan of how to fix my teeth. After all Xrays and an exam she says that I need 6 root canals (1 is a redo of a previous one), of course, the crowns to go along with these. Plus a bridge from where I have had 2 teeth previously removed. The total for all of this after insurance is $10,000. This is not including fixing any of the other cavities that i have. I am extremely frustrated. First, for always dealing with dental problems, secondly, the hole in my pocket from all the procedures, and third, $10k?? My question is, being only 32, and frustrated with my own teeth, is it worth just having all my teeth extracted and getting dentures?? the above work is $10k, however, i know i will have more problems in the future with my teeth so why invest my money into this? I hear dentures are coming a long way now. I read recently something about permanent dentures. I'm not sure the cost of these, they may be just as expense. but anyway, any thoughts or suggestions?? I'm at a loss and need to do something soon; before 6 root canals turn into 10! LADentalclinic: Having all of your teeth removed and wearing dentures may seem like an easy alternative. Dentures have come a long way, but there is nothing like your natural teeth. That is why it is best to keep your natural teeth for as long as possible. Dentures move and may effect your sense of taste, speech and ability to eat. Implant supported dentures are more stable, but very expensive. I can understand your frustration. Make sure that you explore all of your options before deciding on treatment. Troubleteeth: Your fight for teeth sounds alot like mine. I am 49 yrs young and ever since I was a kid I have always had to have fillings at each annual dental visit and I have had to have them all re-done again and again over the years because of decay UNDER the filling or new decay on the teeth despite great oral hygiene habits. I had a bridge fail which took the 2 supporting natural teeth #4&6 with it (havent even finished paying for the failed bridge yet!) and the teeth on either side of it are broken now too. So Ihave a huge gap of missing, broken, decaying roots/teeth. Since you can only fill and re-fill teeth a limited #of times before they have no supportive structure left, I too need about 6-8 more crowns. The problem is, everytime I get a crown it gets further decay UNDER it.I have spent over $12,000, seen 20 different dentists trying to stabilize my teeth and prevent further decay over the last 10 yrs but it has been a losing battle. The reason so many dentists is because I was looking for more affordable treatment at dental colleges but my dental needs were too extensive for their capabilities of the students and I was always sent somewhere else. I have also been referred to other dentists because I have a hard time getting numb for procedures. Its hard to tell which dentist's treatment plan to believe because not one of them match each others! I dont know what to do either. I dont want regular dentures, cant afford implants, but Im so tired and frustrated of this depressing and stressful situation of my teeth falling apart faster than I can fix them.

root canals vs dentures

Tom Stamcoff: I am missing Tooth #30 and #31. Is there any other options than dental implants Zuri Barniv: A partial denture is the only other options except for a bridge if you still have a wisdom tooth in the #32 spot.

Implants

b11_: What is the name of the dental tool that helps dentists fill a severely damaged tooth. It is an adjustable form that is put in the mouth, then positioned in the mouth, then adjusted, then the severely damaged tooth is filled with amalgam or resin? Most if not all dentists have this tool. b11_: After the dentist positioned the tool in the mouth, adjustment was made by turning a wheel I think. The tool acts as a form so the damaged tooth can be reconstructed by adding resin or amalgam.

tooth restoration tool

VitaminA: I have been missing teeth number 12, 13, 14, 15. Right now I'm in the process of discussing implant supported bridge to fill in the gap. Ideally, I would be opting for placing implants to replace tooth #12 and #15 and creating a bridge to replace #13 and #14. My dentist says that it won't possible because I have too much bone loss over where tooth#12 used to be and the only solution is to create a natural tooth and implant supported bridge. Is that only option I have? What else can be done here? I'm scared of connecting a healthy tooth with a implant because I've read that most dentists don't recommend it.

Natural tooth and implant supported bridge

Kevin O: In late April, I had root canals done and prefabricated posts and cores placed in teeth 22,28 and 29. Unfortunately, this work maxed out my insurance. Having the crowns done without insurance will cost me an additional $2500 ($4000 vs $1500). What risks do I take in waiting until my insurance reloads in 2016 to have the restorations completed? Thanks. Dentgr: Why don't you get temporary crowns fitted so there will be no surprises? JJ_8613: Hi. The longer you wait to get the crowns, the higher the likelihood of the teeth chipping or fracturing. I'm not sure how long this would take. It may depend on how big of a cavity the root canal treatment corrected. I had a tooth with a root canal fracture because I was unable to get a crown right away. The root canal treatment was 2 years old at the time. If you have to wait just be careful with it. Don't chew hard or sticky things. If the tooth starts hurting it could be from a chip or fracture. Mine chipped and then fractured, but a crown was still able to save it. Just get the crowns as soon as you can afford them. Good luck. JJ

Prefab post and core - how long can I wait before having crowns placed?

jason swinscoe: hi i need help when i was growing up i was not told the importance of dental hygiene now im older my mouth is a mess the dentist does scare me because about 7 years ago i had a root canal and i was in pain for about 3 months so i didnt go back. now my mouth is a mess i have teeth missing and broken i want to get it sorted but im afraid of the cost is there anyone out there that can help i work but its not that good pay i live in derbyshire if anyone can help thanks JJ_8613: Hi. I'm sorry you're dealing with this. I also have a fear of the dentist and have just started on the road to getting my dental health back in order. I'm not familiar with the area you live in. What country is it? I'm in the USA. Something that has helped me is a website specifically for people like us who fear the dentist. Please check out this link. I think it'll help you. It really helped me. http://www.dentalfearcentral.org/forum/ Good luck. JJ

i really need help

tjc9000: I'd like to find out dentists' own opinions on the available (and experimental) solutions to get rid of cavities permanently, or at least for several years. My concern right now is that every few months, seemingly regardless of how much I brush and floss and use mouthwash, I get another cavity, and have to deal with another dental visit. Sometimes, due to my hectic lifestyle, I tend to ignore them, and they become root canals, and it's even more expensive and painful... There has GOT to be a solution to this, once and for all. Can I have the interdental spaces filled in with GIC? Appearance be damned, 90% of my cavities start between teeth, if I could block out those spaces, I'd be a happy camper for the next few years. Implants are expensive. I don't have $ 30K to spend on implants right now... What else is there? I don't care how weird or outlandish it is, or if it's a painful procedure to start with, or if it impacts appearance - I just want to not have to think about going to the dentist for the next 3-5 years at least.

Permanent cavity prevention - solutions, cost, problems?

WilNeedsADentist: hey um so when I was youner I used to eat a lot of popcorn and when I was done witht he bag...I ATE THE SEEDS!!! all of the unpopped seeds I ate and I feel really stupid and kinda depressed about it. I have stopped but my bottom and top molars have lil tiny dents In them they are about the size of a pencil lead and have no pain at all. they only hurt when I eat very hard foods like walnuts or pistachios. my family is very poor and hasn't taken me to the dentist? any expert help? I hear about this filling but their a ton of hassle and im scared that they will hurt my teeth and be to high and just f up my life I have no idea what to do and honestly I just got on this site cause my parents wont help me fix them. remember they have no pain but only when I eat hard stuff. im 12 btw WilNeedsADentist: help me please drmins: Consult you dentist at the earliest. You may be experiencing caries in the initial stages and it wont cost you much amount to get it corrected or cause much pain during the treatment. If left untreated,the carious tooth in the later stages may need a root canal,that may cost ten times the charge of a regular filling. Kindly post a pic of the complained tooth,for better opinions. Rgds Dr.Mins

I Need Expert Help

Michelle House: I am completely lost on what to do. My contacts are too tight, but the fit of the crown is perfect. Why could this be happening? Zuri Barniv: You are giving us too little information to help you. But as a general rule, overly tight contacts can be loosened.

Crowns are too tight

mbistro: I'm ready for my implant restoration. This is for an implant bridge for the lower anterior incisors (#23, #24, #25, #26). My implants are in #23 and #26, abutments in place ready to go. The implants were installed by a periodontist, and I now am at a dentist who will make the teeth. When he examined me, he said I would need a 3 or 4 unit bridge. I said I had 4 natural teeth there originally, so how could I possibly need just a 3 unit bridge. (He only used his eyes to exam me, no measuring instruments). He told me it was a spacing issue, and the actual number of units will be decided by the dental lab. The lab will start with solid block of zirconia, and craft the bridge using a CAD/CAM system. Further information is that he will trying to do a screw-retained bridge, avoiding cement if possible. Is it true that sometimes they can only fit a 3 unit bridge where 4 natural teeth used to be? If so, how common is this? I am scheduled for my dental impression a week from now. drmins: Available space can determine the number of units in a bridge . Don't be tensed about it,as it is no way going to affect the functioning capacity or strength of the bridge. Good luck. dr.mins mbistro: Thank you Dr. Mins for your response. Function and strength are very important, indeed. I'm not worried about that being achieved. It's just a psychological barrier, the idea of seeing 3 teeth where 4 used to be. If anyone has an actual patients after photo of a 3 unit case like the model shown on the right, please post here. drmins: It will be alright one you get them fixed there. If you are very much concerned,you can ask for a trial or wax up model from your lab. stop worrying. keep smiling. dr.mins Angela Pantus: drmins said: Available space can determine the number of units in a bridge . Don't be tensed about it,as it is no way going to affect the functioning capacity or strength of the bridge. Good luck. dr.mins Click to expand... I had 3 implants placed under a bridge 3 years on one of the implants is loose and painful.Help

A 3 unit implant bridge to replace 4 teeth?

bethybug138: It is a lower back tooth, was eating something soft and it broke in two and fell out. What should I do? I have no pain at the moment but very sensitive. Should I not eat? bethybug138: bethybug138 said: It is a lower back tooth, was eating something soft and it broke in two and fell out. What should I do? I have no pain at the moment but very sensitive. Should I not eat? Click to expand... of course it is the holiday today too.... I have an appt to complete the crown this Friday. AnnMarie: bethybug138 said: It is a lower back tooth, was eating something soft and it broke in two and fell out. What should I do? I have no pain at the moment but very sensitive. Should I not eat? Click to expand... I had a back upper tooth shaved to be crowned and the temporary crown came out on my drive home. I called them and was told that the cement they used was not very good and suggested Fixodent. (I thought bubble gum would do better). Why would they do this without proper cement? They reassured me that the new cement for my permanent crown will be good and hold strong but in the meantime I have to go two weeks with this sensitive stump that feels to short to hold a crown. I'm just keeping it clean with salt water rinses and hoping for the best. My tooth was nothing more then one big filling but he refused to pull it, so now my crown will sit on a partial filling-stump. I feel it's just a "get my money" racket. It's cheaper to pull a tooth then crown it but mine needed to be pulled. (Aspen Dental by the way) They want to put 3 more crowns in but after this incompetent dentistry, no way.

temporary crown broke and fell out

the13bats: I am hoping for some good information on my big old problem. I will start with I am a big chicken, I am scared almost to the degree of panic attack to see a dentist, this is made worse by both a childhood and adult trauma I had at the hands of less than professional dentists. So I was talked into 5 fillings I likely didn't need about 20-25 years ago, when the dentist bored out the tooth she got the hole too big and sides too thin, I have dealt with this for years, little chips here and there on the filled teeth. So now I have a problem I must see a dentist for while scared I need to know my options. My right lower farthest back jaw tooth basically had most of the front wall ( side towards mouth ) of the tooth break off right down to the gum line, ironically the filling is still there. While it doesn't hurt ( yet ) just happened it feels horrible especially if I drink cool drinks and I can not eat hard foods. What are my options to fix this? I really am not up to having the tooth pulled, my nerves can't take it. I also do not want stuff I don't need, I want just what I need to fix this, Many thanks, Cheers, Bats. Nimita: It is better to remove it or it may cause even more problems leaving you with endless pain. I suggest u to schedule an appointment and get it removed. Zuri Barniv: It is not possible to help you without knowing a lot more information like which tooth it is, a picture of the damage or an x-ray. But if a wall came off the tooth and nothing else, it is likely it could be fixed with a dental crown. This is more involved than a filling but would likely save your tooth.

Broken jaw tooth what are my options?

Ashleya: Hello, Two days ago, a tooth that I have had a root canal done on broke. The front surface snapped all the way to the gum line, and is only attached to the gum in a small spot. It still fits perfectly onto the surface it broke from, but pulls out at the slightest pressure, which hurts my gum, because it's still attached there. I have an appointment tomorrow, but I'm just wondering if keeping the tooth surface attached is necessary. Is it helping any, or will the dentist just pull it off anyway? Eating has been quite difficult, and if keeping the tooth surface attached to my skin isn't going to save it anyway, I'd rather just pull it off myself. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Front surface of tooth broke to gum line. What do I do?

Danzig Herzog: Hi all. I just wanted to double check if this sounded like familiar procedure to anyone... My dentist told me that he wants to fill 2 of my molars (which means drilling them) because the top outside edge of the tooth/teeth seemed sharp. The teeth both look healthy to my eye, although I have felt the sharpness with my tongue. Has anybody had a similar experience? I feel wierd about paying to have teeth which look healthy drilled away. thanks

A filling for a molar because it has a sharp edge?

Melba: I'm 70 years old and have a bridge on bottom left last three teeth. The bridge moves very slightly on last tooth but the other supporting tooth still has bridge firmly cemented. What are the chances of saving my very good and in good shape bridge by tapping off, without breaking tooth that is still cemented. I want to save my bridge, and make sue dentist will be doing best job possible to remove bridge and not cut it so as to make new bridge, which is extremely expensive. I understand that I may need root canal. But then can old bridge be refit? Is it a big risk to tap it off? What is percentage of breakage of tooth in this case? realdentist: With the mobility of the bridge on that tooth, are you sure the tooth isn't broken already? If the mobility of the bridge is due to cement failure, then tapping it off carefully may not break the tooth. And yes, it is possible to refit the bridge if the preparations of the abutment teeth are not tampered with. Good luck

Bridge loose on one tooth and not the other

Tomer Gallimidi: Hi guys, i'm doing a little survey- hope you can help me out: how much temporary crowns (% wise) you are fabricating in clinic and how much you outsourcing to a lab?

temporary crowns in clinic Vs outsourcing to a lab

Justin Desrosiers: I am 22 years old, Ive had braces on for the past 5-6 years, whether it was metal or just visalign. I am missing my two "eye" teeth. Went to get a estimate on dental implants and now I have a problem. My "canine" tooths root is in the space for my "eye" tooth root. The dentist told me Id need to have either braces put back on for another two years to shift it in place, a dental bridge done for a faster result or even removing the canine tooth in general. I am sick and tired of braces.. What should I do??? - sincerely, A person thats had enough drmins: Yes. If you want to place implants,you need to ga.in space for it by moving the roots orthodontically. The faster alternative as you were told is, to go for bridges. Pls upload a front pic of these teeth for better analysis.

Braces, Bridge? Dental Implants issue Help!

Kayla85: I went to a dentist a little over a year ago, in order to have a cavity filled. He shaved down the middle of all of the molars in my mouth! Though all of my teeth seem to have at least some part on the outside that is not damaged, the dentist also made indentations on the outside of some of the molars. The indentations are in the shape of semi-circles. I am outraged that he did this to me and am looking into legal options. Is there anything that can be done to restore the appearance of my teeth? I do not know of any record that was made of the shape of my teeth. Would it be possible to use a woman in my immediate family with similar teeth, for example my sister, to determine the shape that would be used for my own teeth? Thank you, very much, for the responses.

Restore Molars That Were Shaved By Dentist

nik123: Hello, I'm 20 years old and went to the dentist to get checked out for the first time in a year. I haven't had great dental health in the past but was expecting the news I got. The dentist took x-rays and ended up saying that I need crowns on all 4 of my front teeth, he is the x-ray of my 4 front teeth with his recommendation. I want a second opinion before I do anything else with the situation. What are your thoughts??? http://postimg.org/image/l3hxczew9/

Do I need crowns?

IzzyWhizz: I have a dentist appointment on Tuesday. I'm already very nervous as I haven't been for a long time and I suffer from severe anxiety. Earlier I was inspecting my teeth when I noticed what appears to be either a chip in my tooth or a chip in the filling in my tooth. I can also see a dark line where it looks like the filling is coming away from the tooth. It's already a huge filling and I'm so scared that I'm going to lose my tooth. I've attached an image of the area and was wondering if anyone could give me a vague prognosis, I appreciate that it's difficult to tell what's going on from a picture. Thanks in advance for any advice. drmins: Its a chipped tooth structure. Go for an IOPAR x-ray. If there is any underlying secondary caries or if you are much aesthetic concerned about the metal filling,you can go for a tooth colored re-restoration. Else,any remineralising tooth paste will be a good choice for time being.

Broken filling.

thailen: My girl friend has two lower jaw gaps, each gap missing two teeth. We are considering both implants and bridges. Obviously, there is a huge difference in price if we do 4 implants, plus her dentist says he wouldn't do a four unit bridge if the total width of the four teeth is more than 47 mm. There is another possibility which I suddenly thought about doing. That is having one implant filling half of each gap, waiting until the new implants heal, then having two 3 unit bridges made, again, a significant cost savings and clearly considerably narrower than 47 mm. Plus, the chances of the 3-unit bridge lasting and performing well should be better than a 4 unit bridge. What are the pros and cons of each choice? Dentgr: You shouldn't consider as an option a 3-unit bridge attached on implant and natural tooth. Go for a 4 unit bridge or ideally 2 implants per site. Toothman19: I agree. There's no reason you can't do a 4 unit bridge. Just make sure the doc is prescribing the right material. Would have to be pfm or zirconia or gold(expensive). Emax isn't strong enough for that large of a bridge.

Implants or Bridge or Both?

dentistry1985: Hello, Anyone have any suggestion on how to access #28 (upper left wisdom tooth) to do a buccal class V restoration. I just can't seem to get the drill that far back. I find most of the time I end up using the slow speed drill to remove the decay since the slow speed head fits in better but when it comes to finishing, I have to use the high speed and that poses a challenge. If I ask the pt to open wide to get the drill head in, then the buccal mucosa (cheek gets in my way). Also if the restoration is close to the gingiva, how can I get good isolation. Also i find because there is so much buccal mucosa in the way even when I retract with a mirror and place a dri-angle I still end up hidding the cheek causing a tear. Any help would be greatly appreciated Thanks! Dentgr: If it's close to gingiva use retraction cord. I usually ask the patient to medium open the mouth. I also place the mirror between the tooth and the cheek ,parallel to the tooth, to avoid contact of the drill with cheek. It's still difficult in many cases. Sorry for my English....

Access to do Class V on #28 (upper left wisdom tooth)

den333: hi i had root canal treatment...but the doctor put the post not deep enough could you please see my case..here is the x-ray: http://imageshack.com/a/img661/4121/SFSMHo.jpg

post problem

Tracey001: I am a 58 year-old female. in 2/2013 a dentist recommended mouth restoration as a resolution to my oralfacial pain. The orthotic used prior (3-4 months) to the restoration proved that maloclusion was the problem as the fog lifted, horrid pain was gone; the only problem was slight sensitivity in the front upper teeth. The dentist said that the sensitivity would not worsen with the restoration as those teeth would be sealed. Then, 14 teeth were reconstructed on 6/2013 (#22-27; #5-12) cost $27K. Note that nothing was wrong with the teeth, except worn enamel) nor gums, the teeth were just in the wrong place which caused malocculsion. The morning after the restoration the 4 front upper (#7-10) and lower teeth (#23-26) burned like acid was being poured on them. When temps were removed, dentist performed emergency root canal on broken #26; that tooth reacts to percussion and has turned black at the root. The burning pain in those teeth hasn't stopped (been 20 months) and it worsens after I talk, eat or any percussion and they react to hot and cold, except#26. I have been drinking meal replacements for breakfast and lunch, and soft foods for dinner. I am unable to bite into anything using those front teeth. Forget anything chewy or crunchy and forget kissing, talking and laughing. After dinner the burning pain in those teeth goes through the roof. I am unable to tolerate pain meds and currently taking Neurontin which does help alleviate the pain. Recently went through two rounds of the medrol pack which alleviated the pain altogether for two days. Since the restoration, I have visited 9 dental specialists (DMDs, Prothedontist, Periodontist, prosthdontist, neuromuscular dentist, endodontists) and all have said they never have seen nor heard of a case like mine and there is absolutely no reason for my teeth to burn. My gums are perfect, the margins on the crowns are perfect, no infection, no inflammation. One DMD diagnosed BMS, but I have no symptoms; no dry mouth, no sores, no burning mouth, and the recommend klonapin didn't help the burning pain. I have seen allergists/NAET, chiropractors and massage specialists as well, to no avail. I am currently wearing another orthotic ($5K for orthotic and diagnostics) made by the #1 neuromuscular dentist in my area, who thought possibly ligament sprain could be the problem. It hasn't helped the burning teeth. He recommends lower back (8) teeth ($13K) reconstrucion, and absolutely refuses to work at all on those front burning teeth. My bloodwork is impeccable; no vitamin deficiencies; perfect blood pressure. Note that novaccaine injection makes the burning pain immediately go away; the dentists and others say "interesting", but will not tell my why. I am seriously considering extracting those teeth, and was told that no one would extract them due to my good oral health. Could lingual nerve damage be the cause? Any other diagnosis or treatment recommendation?

Teeth burn after restoration

Brook: I am in need of some info. I recently had a complete sinus augmentation in preparation to have implants placed in space 13 and 14. I was informed by the dentist that there is not enough space to place the implant between upper and lowers. He told me I would need to have a root canal on teeth #18,19 so he can grind them down to make room for implant. Are there any other options? Why couldn't he have made room for teeth during the sinus augmentation? Any help would be great as I have never heard of this before. Thanks! LADentalclinic: I've never heard of this before either. Are you seeing an Oral Surgeon, Periodontist, or General Dentist? Where you informed of this before the surgery? Brook: LADentalclinic said: I've never heard of this before either. Are you seeing an Oral Surgeon, Periodontist, or General Dentist? Where you informed of this before the surgery? Click to expand... Hi, It was a dentist I had never seen before. He looked over my X-rays and worked up my evaluation. He did tell me prior to my sinus augmentation, but he was not the one to do the surgery. It has been about 15 years since I have have teeth on space 13,14,15. It feels as though I do have more spacing since my surgery. I would hate to root canal and crown 2 teeth for this purpose. DRAVG: 18 and 19 are quite possibly super-erupted therefore limiting the space available, hence the need to reduce their occlusal height.

Implant spacing question

PrinceCharles: As a possible solution to correct failed multiple facial fillings, my dentist has recommended crowns for my top teeth. Which type is preferred for the front of the mouth? I have heard some PFM crowns have problems with metal showing at the gum margins. movemen: Nowadays the restoration of choice for front teeth are emax or zirconia crowns with porcelain layering. If the situation is favorable then pfm might work but the esthetic will be inferior to emax and zirconia crowns

Best crown type for incisors, canines

Gregooch: My wife is 54 and recently had a cracked tooth a while back and the dentist did a root canal. The tooth continued to bother her for weeks. He did a root canal and it continued to bother her constantly so much she could not chew on one side. Then started to do a crown after; putting in a post the tooth continued to cause her constant pain. Now she is tossed between having the tooth pulled as opposed to having it crowned. She also suffered a stroke several years ago and is on Aspirin if that makes any difference. Is pulling and leaving a gap not advisable? Dr. Garrett Fiorenza: This depends a lot on your preference. Sometimes when you have been through a lot already with a tooth you may come to a point of frustration and just want to take it out. A crown could work in this case, but without knowing all of the information about the tooth it is possible that the crack will not be fixed with a crown. If taking this tooth out will not hamper your wife's eating ability I think that an extraction is a good option. Hope this helps, Garrett Fiorenza, DDS www.fiorenzadentalgroup.com Greenwood, IN DRAVG: A cracked tooth is very difficult to treat. It does sound like the crown may not rectify the problem, so i do concur with Dr. Fiorenza in that extraction may be a good option.

To Crown Or Not To Crown?

muckmail: I have two front teeth that has crowns. I am in the process of replacing one of them but the dentist and lab is having problems matching colors with my natural teeth & first crown. It seems like it is more guess work to get the crowns stained the proper color. At this time I have one crown done and they are trying to match the second crown. One had to be taken off because it was not straight when the put it on the first time. The dentist insisted on trying to match it with the first crown. I am dealing with a local dental lab not located in the dental office. Is there a dentist in my area that would be better to get this task done. A dentist that specializes in restoring front teeth. Is there a way to take the guess work out of matching color? If so how do I find this person and know that they are good. Is it even possible to get a match? Any advise?? I need it because this is a difficult case. My natural tooth shade is inbetween dental sample shades. Please Help. Thank you, drmins: Based on the details given,i understand that you are planning to replace one out of the two crowns you already had placed. Firstly, are those old crowns matching with your other natural tooth? If not, why dont change both of them? Shade matching is not really a guess game.Its possible to get a near to natural crown done. If there are stain issues,you can consider having a pic done by your dentist,to be sent to the technician. I always recommend metal free crowns like e-max and zirconia crowns for front teeth. Thank you Dr.mins michaels01: hi, are metal free crowns like e-max and zirconia crowns strong enough for front teeth? I have a front teeth but has a metal post, what's benafit of metal free crowns? drmins: Zirconia crowns are excellent in terms of strength too. For metal free crowns,we always recommend fibre posts,not metal posts. Aesthetically,metal free crowns are much superior to the normal porcelain fused to metal or PFM crowns. michaels01: Are there other benefits with zirconia crown and fibre post? Would the fibre post be lighter and easier on the tooth? Also I have to redo one of my crowns, is it bad to the root (the remaining natural tooth) if a crown is redo too many times? Would it weaken the structure of the root? drmins: The main benefit of zirconia crowns and emax crowns is aesthetics.You can have a better marginal adaptation with these,and the possibility of having that black line between the tooth and the gums are less or nill, with these. Fiber posts were recommended for metal free crowns,to give better aesthetics. If done properly,redoing the crown will not weaken your tooth any way. Go ahead. Cheers. michaels01: Would zirconia crown also be metal free so I won't have any alergic reaction to it? My crown feels uncomfortable sometimes, not sure if it's because I'm alergic to it, what are some common causes of a uncomfortable crown? drmins: Yes. Zirconia crowns are metal free. What is the uncomfortable thing about your present crown? Pls provide a pic of the same for better understanding. movemen: I like to add that sometimes matching a crown with an existing crown is very difficult because one lab might use different material than the other lab or the mixing of the porcelain is not the same with every batch. using zirconia or emax crowns for front teeth will increase likely that the shade will match or natural teeth michaels01: I just had a crown redone, I noticed my crown on my front tooth sits above the gum line from the inside, from the outside it's ok.. so basically from the inside the crown is a bit above the natural tooth structure - I have very few natural tooth left, which sits near the gum line. From the outside I see crown, then gumline.. from the inside it goes crown, natural tooth, then gumline... is this normal?? Should I get this crown redone? Also I found I'm very sensitive to this crown when I'm tired or sick, is that normal? If I'm healthy, I don't notice the crown as much, but if I'm sick or tired, I sometimes find the crown very uncomfortable? I will be sensitive to one spot where it's not smooth and also the roughness where it connects to the natural tooth. this only happens to this crown on my front top tooth, I also have a crown on my lower front tooth, I don't notice it much at all. what could be causing this? could I have a nerve near the crown or something that gets irritated??

Is it possable to match front teeth crown color with natural teeth?

Brittany: I had a root canal done about 2 years ago. Lately I have noticed the tooth (which is towards the front of my mouth) getting darker. I went to a dentist that was recommended by my orthodontist. The dentist took xrays and said that he would be unable to fill it with bleach because he was afraid the tooth would crack because it is so hallow. So he said the only option is to put a crown over it, which I am fine with. He said I would have to have 3 separate appointments. He will have to put a piece of metal in the tooth to act as the stability for the tooth and then put the crown over it. For this one tooth it is going to cost me 4 times as much as what some other people I have talked to has paid for a crown. I suppose the reasoning for the high cost is because of this piece being placed. My only concern is if it is necessary to have this piece placed there. I have heard of many people having root canals and then needing to have a crown but I have never heard of there being a piece of metal in there that is specially made for the tooth. My mother in law has had a root canal done and then had a crown put on and it cost her $1800 less than what I am going to be charged. I am just curious as to if this is necessary or if this is just a way to make more money and it really isn't all that necessary. LADentalclinic: It sounds like you are describing a post and buildup. Is your tooth broken? Sometimes a post is placed within a tooth to add strength before a crown is placed. If your tooth is not badly broken or decayed a post is not usually necessary. If you feel uncomfortable I would recommend that you get a second opinion to put your mind at ease. I'm not sure what country you're in, but in the US a post, buildup, and crown should cost a lot less than $1800. Brittany: Thank you for your response. I do live in the US, in Iowa. My tooth is not cracked or broken. He mentioned that by looking at the xrays it was rather hollow and thought it was weak. He actually told me the total cost will be $2600, which is $1800 more than what my mother in law has paid a different dentist to put a crown on hers. Again, thank you very much for your response. movemen: For front teeth, a crown is usually not needed. If the front tooth has large decay and causing the need for root canal then a crown is necessary. A hollow canal is all depends on the age of the patient. A younger person would have a more hollow canal. Usually i would just do internal bleaching for front teeth to solve the discoloration

Crown after root canal

PrinceCharles: I am concerned about the appearance of this pontic after the area where the root of the extracted tooth has now "fallen". Will the gum grow back to surround the margins of the pontic? Do I need further surgery to correct this appearance? movemen: Further surgery will not resolve this because higher bone level is needed to support the gum that surround the pontic. Unfortunately, this situation cannot be improved. A more natural route would be an implant with gum graft on the cheek side of the implant.

Upper first bicuspid extracted, dr wants to do a bridge

D123: Hi everyone, I found this forum because I have a bit of an issue. I just got back from my dentist and it turns out I have what he referred to as a "shadow under my filling". Now, I should've asked him some questions that I didn't at the time but I'm not sure which tooth he is referring to but I have X-Rays but I don't know what I'm looking at though. I have what I believe to be good oral hygeine, I brush twice a day and floss atleast once a day. Is this shadow common? What can cause this? Could he have screwed up when he put in my filling? He kept referring to something as "M.O.D." but I forgot to ask him what that was, could someone enlighten me? Hope to hear something soon. Thanks. drmins: M.O.D refers to a filling which extends from the mesial to distal aspects of the tooth,on occlusal surface. Pls upload your x-ray film image for further opinions. D123: Thank you for the reply the link to my xrays are available just click Xrays in the original post or here: http://imgur.com/KaYXiWV drmins: hi What was your chief complaint for visiting the dentist this time? Or what was the reason you took the radiograph or x-ray? Pls specify the tooth you complain of. Thank you D123: Hi, I just went in for a regular cleaning. They took x-rays because it was time for one. As for the tooth I'm not really sure he just said I have a shadow on my filling but I forgot to ask which one. My main questions are which tooth has the shadow and how common is this, could this have been a mistake on the dentist's part? Dr. Mahacek: D123 said: Hi, I just went in for a regular cleaning. They took x-rays because it was time for one. As for the tooth I'm not really sure he just said I have a shadow on my filling but I forgot to ask which one. My main questions are which tooth has the shadow and how common is this, could this have been a mistake on the dentist's part? Click to expand... Was this an amalgam (silver filling) If that is the case it could simply be the color of the filling showing through the enamel of the tooth since enamel is translucent and allows some shadows to appear. An MOD means that there is a filling that goes between the teeth on the front of the tooth and then across the top and then down the back between the tooth behind the one with the filling and the one with the filling in it. D123: Dr. Mahacek said: Was this an amalgam (silver filling) If that is the case it could simply be the color of the filling showing through the enamel of the tooth since enamel is translucent and allows some shadows to appear. An MOD means that there is a filling that goes between the teeth on the front of the tooth and then across the top and then down the back between the tooth behind the one with the filling and the one with the filling in it. Click to expand... No, it wasn't a silver filling it was the tooth color one. Does anyone see the shadow? Which tooth is it on? drmins: Its either a GlC or composite filling. Amalgam fillings are more radio-opaque. The 'shadow' possibly refers to a translucency in the x-ray image. But no significant radiolucency is observed in the radiographs provided (may be due to the poor image quality while uploading). However,from the image provided,the possibility is that your dentist was talking about your second premolar where the mesial end of the filling shows a mild "shadow" beneath it. This can be a void due to 'not so well condensed' filling material,or a secondary caries. In composite fillings,some times such secondary caries or "shadows" are more seen,than in a GIC filling.If that is the case,you may go for a new filling or wait for any symptom to appear. Your dentist can help you conclude it,with a better radiograph. movemen: I think it is the first premolar on distal surface and it does have a radiolucency right underneath the fillings and this simply means the decay wasn't completely removed in the oringinal filling procedure

Shadow on Filling?

musiclvr56: I have read that it is necessary to go to a biological dentist to have an old cavity re-filled. I had one done today with a non-biological denttist who used a roof dam. I live in Massachusetts and I read negative reviews on the few biological dentists who aren't too far from my house. Your thoughts? Thanks, Karen Dr. Garrett Fiorenza: I've never heard of a biological dentist. But I know that any dentist can replace fillings. However, if the dentist looks at the fillings and there is nothing wrong with them it could be a hard sell for a dentist to replace good fillings. And know that usually insurance won't pay for replacing fillings that are not defective. Hope this helps, Garrett Fiorenza, DDS www.fiorenzadentalgroup.com Greenwood, IN

Replacing amalgam fillings

MichaelTheGreat: If I had a premolar extracted over a year ago and now considering a bridge - is it too late? drmins: Better late than never MichaelTheGreat: Thanks for the reply. Will it be less functional or a more difficult procedure because I waited? drmins: Nothing as such. Hope not much migration of adjacent or opposing tooth has occurred in this time period. Get it done.

How Long Is Too Long For A Bridge?

Amused1: Hi all, I have literally just got back from my dentist after having all 4 upper incisors removed followed by upper and lower partial dentures being fitted. I've only just noticed that I can't bite down properly, my lower incisors hit the upper plate before any of my other teeth can come in to contact. My question is, will my bottom teeth wear their own groove over time, or should I get straight on the phone to my dentist? I'm still waiting for the anesthetic to wear off and bleeding to stop, though I doubt they make much difference? Any help would be appreciated. Many thanks.

Problem with partial dentures.

gabla: I had a crown dental work done for me and within four years I must have another crown work done. I visited this dentist's office three times already and he was not able to do the job. For all the visits the crown could not fit. He continued to grind my teeth to squeeze in the crown. I feel pain any time he did the grinding all week to month long. He wants me to come down for grinding of my teeth again. What should I do? I want to leave him and look for another dentist. Advise me. Ross Rubino DDS: It's hard to say without actually seeing what's going on but it sounds like you might want to try a new dentist. ___________________ Ross Rubino DDS FAGD Rubino Dentistry Dentist near Chicago gersson: Better go for a nearby orthodontist to make sure about the issue..... Nicolas: If you feel your dentist is not giving desired results then I recommend you to visit another dentist.

Crown Replacement.

Alpha M: Hi all. last night i just had 2 of my teeth (rear molars) filled with white composite material (sorry. thats all i know about it) and the doctor said that 3-4 of your teeth are damaged too .but they,re not as much as i can fill it. so came back home . after a day i noticed an almost constant not hurting pain which starts from the gap between teeth and goes straight to my jaw . its not hurting but when i drink water ( not cold - hot) and some random foods / drinks . it starts . checked in mirror. position is right after one of my damaged molars. it crown is 255 white and has a very small brown hole (a millimeter or less) . on the other side same thing happened but there are several smaller holes. i know it sounds bad but i really wanna know are there anyways to stop the cavity from getting worse? ( without filling them.) because those holes are very small and shallow. if i aim for eating more vitamins and calcium than usual + increasing amount of flouride can i reverse the process ( or at least delaying it?)? if i heal the white point can dentist perform small fillings for the holes ? (not by drilling the whole tooth) also can bacterias settle between the filling stuff and the tooth? and start another decay from there? SORRY FOR MY BAAAAD ENGLISH!

Some Qs aboud filling and cavities

Name: I am 62 years old. I just went to the dentist and was told that I needed to replace all my fillings since they are old and have some problems. The dentist said that since many of the fillings are very big, they will probably need to be replaced with crowns. I am willing to do the work but I need it to be spaced since I don't have insurance and my budget is very limited. I am new in the country and don't know if it would be appropriate to tell the doctor that I need the treatments spaced, so I can have the time to save for them. Any advice in how to deal with this situation. I am very worried. LADentalclinic: You are the boss. Don't be worried and don't back down. It's your money and your mouth. Most dental clinics these days want to be paid right away and don't take payments, so that should make it easier for you to do what you can afford when you can afford it. Remember, even if you fix one tooth every month or two, that's better than doing nothing. Comprehensive Dental Care: You need to visit more than one dental clinic and also meet with other dentists. I am also giving you advise that when you meet any dentist, you should first ask him about fees or cost of treatment and if the Crowns procedure is better than any other treatment. Its better for you to fix one tooth every month or two as that would be better than doing nothing. Good luck with the treatment hope this helps.

Fillings need to be replaced

dentist seeking advice: Hi, I am a dentist and I am looking for some advice from fellow dental professionals. I prepped a premolar tooth for an emax crown but due to poor quality of the crowns I.e. They kept fracturing on fitting the crown I sent the crowns back to the lab for remakes 3 times. On the 3rd fit a few days ago I tried the crown and the fit appeared sound. It was better than the other times and the patient was happy with the aesthetics and occlusion. I decided to cement it with rely x. When I started to clear the excess cement and polish the margins I noticed a negative ledge on the distopalatal margin ........I also feel the crown may not have been seated correctly as the occlusion was high after cementation. I made minor adjustments to the occlusal surface and the pt was satisfied however due to gingival bleeding I could not assess the ledge. I believe the tooth is sealed however I am unsure what to do about the ledge. Do I cover it with flow able composite and smooth the area with a composite finishing bur? I would greatly appreciate some advice...Many thanks

advice please

Helaury: I had my two lower front teeth knocked out in the 1980s in teens. Prosthetics lasted into my 30s but had to have them glued back in place a couple of times. In January 2013 they were replaced by new ceramic teeth. One fell off after a few month and was glued back. The second fell a few weeks later was glued back and fell again one or two months later (that's today). Is this a symptom of a defect with the 'inlay cores'? Link: s14.postimg.org/f6na9rgyp/100_1884.jpg Also, the ceramic crown looks cracked along the edge. It shouldn't wear off so fast? Link: s22.postimg.org/jjeu2rxsx/100_1885.jpg What should I expect from the dentist who did this work? PS: This was previously posted in the patient forum but it's going nowhere (and I don't know how to delete the original one) hence choosing to post in a specialty forum. Helaury: According to the dentist who did the work, it's probably mechanical friction with the upper teeth that causes dislocation, which is a reasonable explanation. So he ground down the teeth' edges and glued it back in place. Helaury: It just didn't work: the tooth is gone again. What could have gone wrong? I don't want to be told 'let's just glue it back'. It's going to the fourth time. Please help. Helaury: Overdue, but better late than never. The lesson from this and following appointments, is the teeth have to be filed down a bit. Repeated micro friction.

Defective prosthetics?

teeth1666: So the pics i included are front facing, my top teeth and bottom teeth( ive had molars removed from each side of my lowed teeth) , anyway im 16 and i just hate my smile so so so much, the back of my teeth are horrible and I jusr hate the feeling of them. I use to be big on fizzy drinks and kind of chewing stuff when i get distracted so maybe thatswhy but i stopped both of those now and its not improving too much, I dont grind from what im aware off, dont smoke, Im getting a root canal on Tuesday also but I just wish i could get all my other teeth fixed up too and my dentist always kind of sugarcoats the problems and i never know what I need to get done, I really want veneers on my top 6 but not sure how that would fix the back of the teeth, so anyway what im really expecting as a answer is which of my teeth need work done on and what kind of work so I can just get a happy smile again LADentalclinic: Your dentist probably has a complete set of x-rays for you. These would be needed to give you a complete diagnosis. Since you didn't post any x-rays, you should ask your dentist to give you a written treatment plan that explains all of the work that you need done and the cost. Once you have a treatment plan, you can have your teeth restored at your own pace.

I know my teeths bad but just how extreme is it? pics)

mmonkey23: Hi, I completed a distolingual composite resin restoration on a canine. However to my dismay, I realized I did not insert a celluloid strip between the canine and the adjacent premolar after curing the resin. I was unable to floss through the teeth and could not fit the 3M strip through either. How can I resolve this?? I was told that it may debond due to physiological movement of the teeth. Is there any solution or is redoing the entire restoration the only way out? Please help. I feel really awful for my patient. I'm a dental student and this is my first cons on a real patient. Will appreciate any useful advice. I really do hope I don't have to redo the entire restoration as my patient has a fear of local anesthesia.. LADentalclinic: Did your instructor not check the patient when you were finished? I remember what it was like to be a dental student. I would talk to your instructor. The tooth will not "debond" itself. In my opinion, the filling will need to be redone so the patient can floss properly. mmonkey23: Yes my tutor did check the patient and tried to separate the teeth with a polishing strip. My tutor said that I may have to redo the restoration at the next appointment. Thank you.

Bonded adjacent tooth to DLi canine. How can I fix this??

Leah: A little over two weeks ago I was in a minor accident and the impact was to my face, with the most long term damage to one of my teeth. As a result, one of my front central incisors has two horizontal (half moon/rainbow shaped) cracks in it; one sitting on top of the other. The cracks cover about 25% of the tip of my tooth. I can't tell if the cracks go through to the back side of my tooth, however I believe it is simply a crack in the enamel, as the tooth is not sensitive to cold or hot. I have been going to one dentist office for the past three years, run by father and son dentists. I have always been scheduled with the son and have always had great service and work done, with wisdom tooth extractions being the extent of my needs. After the accident, I was able to make an urgent appointment and I assume that is why I was scheduled with the father this time. At the first appointment he said it wasn't as bad as he thought it was going to be after what I described over the phone. The assistant took an x-ray, and the dentist said that there were no visible fractures beyond the gum line and no apparent abscess, so he wanted to wait until my teeth "settled down" and weren't so loose from the accident to see how things were going to be. He did warn me that I may need a crown. He also told me that I have cavities on the top front 6 teeth in between each tooth. At my follow up two weeks later, I explained that everything has gotten much better. I can now talk without pain from tapping my teeth together, and I can even use my front teeth very gently to bite into soft foods. I even ate a cheeseburger the other day and everything was fine as long as the majority of the pressure was on the opposite side of my mouth. A week before this, I was at the point where I was struggling to find the right position to put a straw in my mouth so my top lip didn't put pressure on my cracked tooth. This was also about the time that my lateral incisor was still loose and causing me similar pain (it was knocked slightly sideways in the accident.) However, now my lateral incisor causes me no pain at all and at the two week follow up my dentist filed down a little behind that tooth because it was affecting my bite since my tooth is now slightly crooked. I told him that my cracked tooth is not painful to the touch anymore, although I'm sure if I were to hit it hard then it would hurt. I believe it is still a little loose, and I do get a strange feeling when I put pressure on it in any direction. I tried to explain to him the feeling was similar to what you would imagine when you think of the word "fresh." He suggested an electric-type feeling. Sort of. He said that could be the tooth continuing to heal. However, he now believes that I will have to get a crown, and is insisting on filling my cavities in one month. His opinion is that if in one month from now when I go in to fill the cavities that "electric" feeling hasn't gone away completely that I need a crown. I do not have dental insurance, the front desk knows that, and I made it clear to the dentist at my first appointment with him after the accident. I asked him if there were other options, and he told me that even if he decides that I don't need a crown in a month, there is a 60% chance I will need one at some point down the road. On my way out, I received an estimate for getting the cavities on five (even though the dentist said six) teeth done. I am hoping that my tooth continues to feel better and better each day, and that I do not have to get a cap. I am worried that this father dentist may be too eager to put a cap on my tooth. Since I don't have dental insurance, my last visit with a dentist was one year ago almost exactly (with the son dentist) for a general cleaning/check up and I also requested an x-ray to examine the two remaining impacted wisdom teeth. I got a fancy 360-degree x-ray. The son dentist never mentioned any cavities in my front top teeth. I'm not sure if I should assume the son dentist just never noticed these even though he always seemed very thorough, or if I have developed cavities in between all six top front teeth within one year, or if there really are no cavities and I am being scammed? In my life, I have had two very small cavities and that was it. My parents had my teeth sealed when I was younger and I believe that contributed to the health of my teeth. Even as an adult, I hardly ever eat candy or sweets and I just didn't expect so many cavities out of the blue like this, not to mention at the same exact time I am being told I need to shell out a ton of money for a crown? Yes the cracks are unpleasant to look at, but I would be more than happy to live with them than get a crown if I can avoid it; as long as I'm not making it worse for myself in the long run by not getting it capped if it really is necessary. I don't know if this dentist sees a crown as the last resort like I do. I have trusted this dental clinic for years and now that I am feeling uneasy, I don't know if I can trust another dentist that I have never seen before to get a second opinion. Does this really sound like I will need a crown? LADentalclinic: It's hard to say without seeing a copy of your x-ray. If you're feeling a lot of discomfort on your tooth the nerve may be damaged due to the trauma of your accident. A root canal may be needed. I know that's not what you want to hear. Yes cavities can develop in a year. If you feel uncomfortable with the diagnosis that you were given you may choose to get a second opinion. There's nothing wrong with that.

Do I really need a crown? Or should I get a second opinion?

chits21: I have lost 1/3rd of my 2nd molar from centre.Since it's a milk tooth (I am 34yrs old female)and there's no root beneath it (Confirmed by x Ray by two dentists) so can't go for root canal. The doctors advised me to carry on with filling and go for implants as n when necessary.(my last filling lasted for 7-8 months.)I am residing in middle east and implant Will cost $1850. My query is should I delay this as Long as possible or get some treatment done as I am travelling to India (where these treatments are reasonable)?And what exactly should I get done? LADentalclinic: Are you in pain now? Are you going to be in India for a short or long period? You may want to get your implant done in a location where you can receive follow up treatment. Some implants are placed and allowed to integrate with the surrounding bone for several months before the final crown is placed. Most implants are successful, but if there are complications down the road you need to be near the surgeon who placed it. chits21: Thanks for the reply. There is no pain as such.I just have to be careful with what I eat. I will be in India for a month only.after reading about implants I have gathered that it's a long process. so please suggest if I should carry on like this or think about an immediate treatment?

bridge or implant?

William: Hello! Well no good deed goes unpunished. When I was a child I allllwwaaays used my dentist-recommended fluoride mouthwash. I was such a good boy. But a few years ago I really began to notice the white streaks on my canines and incisors. Based on my talking with my dentist and my own research, it's fluorosis. Since my condition is not terrible, I will go with an over-the-counter whitener to see what happens. I have heard many of the more extreme whiteners rarely fix fluorosis. I will do my research on which toothpaste/mouthwash to go with for best whitening. Anyone have any thoughts/flaws in my plan? I will report back what happens. Hopefully it will make the white streaks diminish while bring up the white of the rest of my teeth. PrinceCharles: My fluorosis is made more prominent by teeth whitening and additional fluoride. Does CG MI Paste (Tooth Mousse) work as a possible solution to fluorosis and white spot lesions? LADentalclinic: The best treatment for you may be dental veneers. Has your dentist spoken to you about them? Veneers or crowns may be the only way to achieve the look that you want. LADentalclinic: Internal whitening is another option. PrinceCharles: I had never heard of internal bleaching until I just looked it up.Looks like the tooth becomes dead after that particular procedure. If I should decide to do crowns, what's the best option for my front 4 teeth on top? I have heard of all porcelain, PFMs, and CERIC. What are the pros and cons to these types? Thanks for your response! LADentalclinic: All porcelain looks the best. PFM is the strongest. It stands for Porcelain fused to metal. The inside is metal with porcelain over the top. I'm not a big fan of CERIC crowns. They tend to break more easily than PFM's. All porcelain veneers are the most conservative. They look natural and require the removal of little to none of your natural teeth depending on which type you get. Lumineers brand veneers are thin like a contact lens yet strong and pretty.

Help Me Deal With My Fluorosis!

anto135: Hi, I lost a tooth last year due to an abcess , it was my right lateral incisor, my teeth aren't unhealthy though and this year I asked my dentist if I could get a bridge because I hate wearing my partial denture. Anyway yesterday I went to the dentist to get my teeth drilled in preparation for the bridge and was told my canine was strong enough to support it on its own because he didn't want to drill 2 healthy teeth. So he drilled the canine tooth and he put what I'm assuming is temporary dental cement around the canine he drilled and partially on my first premolar (im assuming to protect it?) The thing is I've woke up this morning and it's come off, I'm not due back at the dentist untill ill this cause problems when I go to get my bridge done? LADentalclinic: Hopefully you wont have that problem when you go back for the final restoration. We use temporary cement while we're waiting for the bridge to be made. Once it's made we use permanent cement to seat it. I would still let the dentist know what happened.

question about bridge preparation

Gregwashere: My Mom is almost 90 years old. het mouth is in pretty bad shape; she has a partial denture now that I think her old dentist (now retired) made because he didn't expect her to live so long. She's doing OK in general, but we'd like to fix her mouth up so she can eat comfortably. The new dentist is very highly qualified and in NYC -so I expect costs to be high, but I'm wondering if this is (yikes!) "reasonable" or...? Apparently, she needs: (5) extractions @$445 = $2,225 (The dentist is suggesting an oral surgeon because she has been hospitalized for bleeding gums and is on blood thinners -I think I'm totally cool with this part costing this much). However, this freaks us out: it looks like (4) bridges: (11) Retainer crn-porc fused -hi nob @ $2,250 = $24,750 (9) Pontic-porcelain fused to hnob @ $2,250 = $20,250 Plus some other misc. stuff so the total is $50,000+ I'm not trying to rag on the dentist here. If these things really cost this much, so be it; I know nothing and that's why I'm asking... Thanks so much for your help... Greg LADentalclinic: I would shop around. A second opinion is always a good idea. Those prices seem excessive. Gregwashere: Thank you for your reply! I did that and found a fantastic dentist/prothodontist in NYC: Dr. Olga Malkin. She would have charged about 60% of what the other dentist would. However, despite working extensively in reconstructive dentistry, Dr. Malkin suggested cleaning up my Mom's existing problems instead of creating custom bridges. She was great about checking with my Mom's GP to be sure there would be no safety concerns with Mom's Coumadin and other meds. She took her time talking to my Mom and let her set the pace for getting the work done. My Mom feels so much better now, she can eat a LOT more foods and is much happier! LADentalclinic: Glad to hear it.

Question about bridges/dentures for my Mom

Stevo: I am 47 and at the age of 19 had my 2 front top teeth damaged through trauma. These had to be removed as it was so bad. I have had only two sets of replacement teeth on posts since then the last set lasting me some 18 years. Great dentist inserted crowns called King Crowns and never had a problem. Only now I have had an infection under one of the teeth which clears up after anti biotics but then comes back after a while. Coupled with bone loss and one of them being lose I took the decision to have them removed. I have had numerous inspections by different dentists and all agreed there was not enough bone left for implants. I did not want to bridge as i do not see the point of damaging surrounding teeth to support a bridge. Only option left was dentures (to my horror) I opted for Valplast and am very very happy with the results you cannot distinguish them and in fact they look better than my crowns. But i am worried! I have read so much about teeth shifting and further bone loss that I am now convinced that the surrounding teeth will fail and i will end up on a slow road to exractions. Is this correct? Is there something I can do to stop the shifting or bone loss around my missing teeth? They are all healthy so do not want to lose them. Have I made the right decision in dentures although I think apart from the bridge i had no option. FYI Bone grafting has never been an option neither financially or morally. I have 4 children so would not spend that sort of money on myself. Will the Valplast support the teeth either side so they do not move? Thankyou LADentalclinic: More adults lose teeth due to bone loss than decay. The way to prevent bone loss is practicing good oral hygiene at home (brushing at least twice a day and flossing at least once a day) and having regular dental cleanings. When calculus or tartar builds up on teeth and is not removed it damages the surrounding bone.

Possible bone loss

Curteye: So several months ago when getting a checkup, the dentist noticed that a filling was either wearing out, or a cavity was formed near it. I don't really remember those specifics but either way it was sensitive in that area and I got the filling replaced. However, the sensitivity remained. That is, when chewing certain foods, particularly crunchy ones, I would feel a slight jolt of soreness that lasts no longer than a second. I returned to my dentist who adjusted the filling in case it was too high, which I believe is a common problem. The problem still remained for weeks after that, so I went back and the dentist took tests like x-rays and checks for infection and nothing was discovered. She adjusted the filling one more time but said if that doesn't work she'll just have to try to replace the filling and hope that will fix whatever the undetermined problem is. And indeed, the soreness remains. I've tried using different kinds of Sensodyne in case it helps, but to no avail. I'm kind of wondering if it's coincidence that my soreness is near where the filling was restored, and it could be from a different problem. I once fractured a tooth from clenching too much and I remember having similar symptoms before this happened - however one of the tests on this new problem tooth was tapping on it with a tool to see if I felt any pain, but I didn't (but pretty sure I would have felt something if it was a clenching issue?) Even though I broke the clenching habit during the day, it could be a night thing - so I got a Doctor's Night Guard that I've been using lately just in case (but so far no improvement). Anyway, just hoping to get some feedback here before I return to the dentist yet again, especially since it sounds like replacing the filling is not a sure thing. I know I rambled on for a bit so if anything needs clarifying let me know. Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks! LADentalclinic: It can take several weeks for a tooth to fully recover from treatment. If the decay was close to the nerve that could explain your sensitivity. Clinching your teeth can also cause a fracture that may not appear on a dental x-ray.

Unknown Sensitivity

may_chile: Hello! I was wondering if it is possible to have a dental bridge placed on the lower teeth (specifically meaning, is it possible to use the two lower lateral incisors as the abutment)? My two lower central incisors are still "baby" teeth, as I had an accident when I was younger. My dentist was thinking that I should have the lower canines AND lower lateral incisors as abutment teeth to bridge (what will soon be) the gap. Is it possible to NOT use my canines as abutment teeth? Will it still be effective? LADentalclinic: The canines are some of the strongest teeth in the mouth. That may be why your dentist recommended adding them to the bridge. Without seeing an x-ray its hard to say, but your dentist should be able to explain his or her recommendation. The laterals may not be strong enough to support a bridge.

Dental Bridge on Lower Teeth

willn: Hi guys, don't want to start a discussion about the pros and cons of mercury in fillings as I'm sure it's already been covered. Personally I prefer to pay extra and have non mercury fillings. What is slightly worrying me though is that I went for a filling the other day, checked with the dentist that it was non mercury, paid the extra (£49 NHS in the UK) and then when I got home I was surprised to see it is a kind of silver colour. It doesn't have the black appearance that I normally associate with a mercury filling but neither is it tooth coloured like previous ones I've had. If you'll excuse me, I've included a pic for your perusal, not the most flattering image I've ever uploaded of myself but would be really really grateful for any thoughts on this issue. thomas m mcconnell: Hi Willn, no way to tell from pic what material was used. Be at ease to know there are several products that look similar to mercury fillings but are not. My compliments to the dentist who seems to take pride in his work. Your filling looks well placed with efforts made to conform to the natural anatomy of the tooth and assure good occlusion. willn: Thanks for getting back to me Thomas, that's reassuring to know, if you have a moment, please could you explain a little bit more about the products that look similar to mercury, I have tried googling this but with no luck. Thanks again, Will thomas m mcconnell: willn said: Thanks for getting back to me Thomas, that's reassuring to know, if you have a moment, please could you explain a little bit more about the products that look similar to mercury, I have tried googling this but with no luck. Thanks again, Will Click to expand... Hi Willn, fillings that look similar to mercury fillings would be "ketac silver" and even more similar in appearance "gallium-palladium alloy". Both are mercury free and the latter is more likely what was used on you. willn: Thanks very much Thomas, I'll read up on that, really appreciate your help, Will LADentalclinic: If you're referring to tooth #30 that's definitely an amalgam filling. From the picture I can see several composite fillings in your mouth, but the fresh looking gray one is what you've referred to as a mercury filling. It will get darker as it ages. ( Actually called amalgam because it is a mixture of several metals and does contain some mercury) I personally have several in my mouth and don't mind them, but if you paid for a composite filling you may want to ask for a refund. thomas m mcconnell: Dear LADentalclinic , I agree with you that #30 is definitely an amalgam filling....but is it an amalgam that contains mercury ? I have placed over 50,000 traditional mercury amalgams in my practice and like you I could assume quickly that this is one also......but, the patient paid 49 pounds extra to get a mercury free filling. I feel compelled to believe that our fellow dentist is honorable and a credit to our profession and from that point of view may have indeed restored the tooth with a "gallium-palladium alloy".......(also an amalgam that contains "several metals" but no "Mercury") and looks very similar to our traditional mercury amalgams. Alas, the patient did not pay for a composite filling but wanted a mercury free filling. I would very much like the patient to ask the dental provider what he did in fact use to restore #30 and share the answer with us.

How can you tell if a filling has mercury in it?

Phil: Hi Advice seems pretty thin on this forum but I will have another go! Just wondering if it is ok to have the adjoining two upper front teeth (11 and 21) done with implants at the same time . One thing I heard was no, as the gum in between doesn't heal as well. Hope someone can clarify. thanks Phil LADentalclinic: I work in a clinic that treats implant patients every day. Your dentist is the best person to advise you on this after examining you, but generally speaking, you can have 1 or multiple implants placed at once. If you are in general good health healing shouldn't be a problem.

implant for adjoining teeth

SunSun321: Hi, I have recently had a crown fitted on one of my front upper teeth. However, it seems that near the front gum line, the original tooth can be still be seen - the crown doesn't cover this part and starts a little lower down. The view from behind the tooth seems to show that the crown completely covers the tooth and meets that gum line at the back. Is this something I should worry about? Or should I just leave it? It feels a bit funny when I brush my front upper teeth (seems like they're vibrating).. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you! LADentalclinic: Ideally the crown should extend to the gum line. It should cover the entire visible surface of the tooth. There shouldn't be a space. Any area that is not covered if not cared for properly can decay.

Recent Crown Fitted

Mckellepp: I was wondering if anyone knows of a dentist in my area that is good but reseasonable on price for dentures? I found out early last year that I need dentures. At 40 years of age I was horrified..but I have accepted it. My teeth have always been an issue. They break easily and I am missing several. Some have even broke off during my sleep. So at this point I am just ready to do it. I am dreaming of the day that I can smile proudly and actually possibly eat some foods that I have not enjoyed in some time... uncooked carrots being one of them. My dental coverage sucks.. we are only allowed $1500.00 per year. I will be lucky if that covers my extractions. The last dentist I went to quoted me $3000.00 for just the dentures and that does not include extractions. I would need to go somewhere else for that. I am a single mother of 2 children.. one of which graduates highschool next year and is hoping to go to college in NYC! I have managed to save a pretty good amount but I am really wondering if I should just go with the first dentist that gave me this quote.. or are the cheaper options out there? But with still good outcomes. I have read horrible reviews on the Affordable denture locations so that is out of the question...

Dentures

hellodavid: Hello, I am planning on getting two crowns on teeth 2 and 3. After the dentist finish the core build-up, I notice that there was a black line between the filling and the teeth. Should I be worry about it? Why didnt the dentist remove all of the old filling before doing the core for the crown?

Dark lines between filling and crown

Tim: Hi, I damaged one of my upper front teeth about 18 years ago in a cycling accident. Although the tooth looked undamaged, it had nerve damage and was 'dead'. So early last year I noticed the tooth was starting to darken in colour and decided to get a crown fitted. When the dentist ground down the tooth so a crown could be attached, the remaining stump was almost black, and the dentist called over his assistant to show her, saying he'd never seen anything like it before. So 9 months later the crown has become very loose after biting into some crusty bread. As this has happened over the Christmas break, my dentist is on holiday until 8th Jan, so I've had to see another dentist at the same practice for an emergency appointment. She took an x-ray and has basically told me that the tooth has rotted away, there's nothing to re-attach the crown to and that the tooth needs to come out! I have to wait until my dentist is back from his holiday to see what he wants to do! So my question is this - surely my dentist should have advised me that the tooth was clearly not up to the job and that attaching a crown for £215 was a waste of my money, and given me other options. Should I ask them to refund me or provide a bridge or other replacement at no cost? I'm pretty cheesed off and also I'm supporting my family on one income atm so we don't have any spare cash. Cheers, Tim

Loose crown fitted to 'dead' tooth - loose after 9 months

HeyTinkerbell: I have 2 boys, ages 7 and 9, who have been going for regular 6-month dental checkups since they were 2. A year ago, both had tiny cavities in baby teeth filled by the same dentist on the same day. 6 months later, my 9-year-old's filled tooth abscessed, and then now (a year later), my 7-year-old's filled tooth abscessed. Antibiotics were prescribed, and both of the abscessed teeth were removed. No other alternatives were provided, such as draining the abscess before deciding to pull the teeth. Neither tooth had further decay when they were pulled. I grilled the dentist as to why this happened, and the dentist has no explanation. While my goal will be to prevent further cavities from forming in the first place (my husband has never had a cavity and I get one or two about every 10 years), I need to have an understanding of what needs to be done differently to prevent abscesses from forming if my kids ever have a tooth filled again, especially if it is in a permanent tooth. HeyTinkerbell: Is there a moderator or someone who could provide some opinion of why both kids got abcesses within a year of getting fillings on the same day by the same dentist?

Abcess after fillings?

jeisch0811: I had my front four teeth capped over thirty years ago, and my dentist says they need to be replaced. I also have a small gap between my two front teeth, and the dentist says that they can adjust the size of the new caps to close the gap between the teeth. Has anyone ever heard of this being done before? Rex Fuller: Yeah, and it works really beautiful. You can not even recognize your old teeth to your new one! Try it, really awesome! .

Increase Size of Caps to Fill Gap

MileHighBob001: Good day all, Just had two porcelain crowns installed yesterday & have a question. To adjust clearance (height) between upper & lower teeth, what's the correct way for the dentist to adjust (grind the crown or other tooth)?? thanks for any info Rex Fuller: I think it's for grinding. But of course, your dentist knows best.

New crown(s)

Libra: any1 havng good videos of root canal treatment??

need videos related to RCT

ellochewy: I went to a new dentist today and he told me I have 4 cavities. My previous dentist never told me about any dental issues, so I'm led to believe that my new dentist might just be recommending pre-emptive cavity fillings. I've attached an image of the x-rays. Any feedback would be extremely helpful. Thank you! shjun815: Hi there, I am a recent graduate from a dental school and I could see that you have a number of lesions that are irreversible and thus need to be treated. You also have incipient lesions that are reversible but can become "cavities" if you don't take care of your oral hygiene. I would say your new dentist is not BSing with you. Your old dentist is also probably correct because those cavities may have been still in its reversible stage where they don't require dental treatment at the time you saw him. Do you live in southern California? If you do, I can get 1 or 2 of them treated for my dental licensure exam without any charge. Let me know if you are intererested. biodentlaboratory: Yes, those are lesions Libra: shjun815 said: Hi there, I am a recent graduate from a dental school and I could see that you have a number of lesions that are irreversible and thus need to be treated. You also have incipient lesions that are reversible but can become "cavities" if you don't take care of your oral hygiene. I would say your new dentist is not BSing with you. Your old dentist is also probably correct because those cavities may have been still in its reversible stage where they don't require dental treatment at the time you saw him. Do you live in southern California? If you do, I can get 1 or 2 of them treated for my dental licensure exam without any charge. Let me know if you are intererested. Click to expand... cavities appear dark on xrays.. i dont thnk he z havng any kind of irreversible cavities

Do I have cavities? X-ray included

XCareBearX: Does anyone have a crown on one of their middle front tooths? Does it match with the tooth right by it? Color,Size,Shape,Etc??

Crown On Middle Front Tooth?

XCareBearX: How much does it cost to replace a metal crown with a white crown? Has anyone ever done this? How much did it cost you?

Replace Metal Crown With White Crown?

Lisa Hay: HI, If a tooth has an MOD amalgam filling in, and the MB cusp has fractured off, and there is a fair amount of tooth substance exposed, is it viable to repair with composite. If bonded - will the amalgam stick at all to the amalgam? I know it's not a long term solution. Would you say it's inferior to doing a pinned amalgam? What would you say the comparative life expectancy of these two options are?

Does composite stick to amalgam?

mspearin: I haven't had Dental insurance until now. I am 19 and my job now covers it. I have quite a few cavities (more like a few holes near the gum line). I have brushed my teeth at least once a day since I was little. But they came anyways. I am in not pain of discomfort as of now and haven't been ever. I was wondering what choices I have in getting them fixed. I know that one will most likely have to be pulled the bottom right pointy tooth (sorry don't know the technical name). The whole front of the tooth's enamel is missing except for the tip of the tooth. I know I should have been a lot better with brushing and flossing!!! Also have about 7 other teeth with small holes near the gum line. 2 on the inside near my tongue and the rest near my cheeks. 3 of them are on the back molars. Is there anyway these can be fixed or will they have to rip them out. I am planning on joining the Army later this year so I have to get this fixed as soon as possible. But I also cant go with all fake teeth, I am just wondering what my choices are in getting these fixed. What should I be telling the dentist when I call and make the first appointment (i.e. Hey I want to come in I have a ton of holes in my teeth. Have fun!!) I just want to make sure I get everything fixed and have an idea about what should be done. kellogg9: Once a day is NOT enough bro! Need to brush at least after each meal AND floss DentalDirectSales: They might be able to fix it, but since your new jobs insurance covers it, I would go see your dentist, see what he/she can do with them. Then I would up your brushings from 1 time a day to about 3 times a day(after every meal). It's apparent that the brushing you are doing aren't covering all the things you eat and drink throughout the day, which is leading to the decay and cavities.

Cavities what do I do??!!

superhand318: I am 24 years old , and i have not been to the dentist in over 12 years ! i still have my all teeth , but they are decaying & chipping off ! & breaking apart ! im assuming from not having them cleaned in so long ! my wisdom teeth have been completely in for about 2 years & my jaws hurt all the time ! i have a gap in in between my front teeth & it has always bugged me . i probably have 12 to 13 cavities in my teeth ! i could have got braces as a child but i was too scared , due to having terrible parents they let me do or say what ever i wanted ! now im paying for it , i never smile & it kills my self esteem . i keep my head held low . & try not to look anyone in the face ! i have no self confidence & im sick of it . i spend so much time thinking about it & its embarrassing ! i make pretty good money & i have insurance ., just dont know who i need to see or talk to ? i dont want to have a ugly smile forever ! i want to be happy & normal like everyone else ! i dont want all my teeth pulled out ! is it too late for braces ? can my bad teeth be fixed or capped ? i need serious help ! because i want this fixed now ! if anyone has any ideas or information ???? JamesT79: Don't worry I feel for you man, having dodgy teeth can really knock your self-esteem. But all the problems that you list can be easily remedied, given the right course of action and some time. Go see a dentist first and foremost, and start from there. Take each task one at a time and you'll get the smile you want. danielhermann: Your all problems will get solved. Everything is possible now a days due to modern techniques introduced in dental practice. I will recommend simpletooth.com as a solution for your problem. They provide every solution for dental problems. kellogg9: You will deifnitely have a lot of plaque buildup and potentially pariodental disease. Funny enough i had a similar experience when growing up. The only solution was to just book an apointment and begin recovery to a better smile.

Help Please - Bad Teeth !

beautynbrushstrokes: Hi, a few weeks ago I had a composite filling fall out on my very last tooth on my right side. Thankfully my doctor was able to get me in a redo the filling but since then the tooth has been incredibly sensitive. Also I've noticed a very metallic/bloody taste from that tooth. Should I be worried, its been a few weeks? Could this be a sign of a bigger problem or is it just because it was a really deep filling? Any advice would be great.

Painful Composite Filling

nolen007: I had three back teeth filled 9 days ago. 1 on top and 2 on bottom. On the 4th night my top tooth hurt so bad I had to lay on ice. The 5th night the top had stop but one of the bottom teeth started hurting. It hurts on and off ever since. I have a lot of sensitivity to heat and cold both. Tylenol or advil will kill the pain for 12 hours. I went back the dentist on the 7th day. She took an X-ray and said it was a little high and trimmed some off. She said if it needed a root canal I would have come out of the chair in pain when she drilled on it without numbing it. The pain seems to come from under the tooth sometimes or may be in the jaw. I can chew on it without much pain, it is just hot and cold that bothers it. Before the filling I had absolutely no pain. The filling looks to fill 80% of the top of the tooth. Should I trust the dentist and believe it may have been a high bite and that the tooth is just irritated and doesn't need a root canal or should I get a second opinion? ecogenie: Trobbing Tooth Pain nolen007 said: I had three back teeth filled 9 days ago. 1 on top and 2 on bottom. On the 4th night my top tooth hurt so bad I had to lay on ice. The 5th night the top had stop but one of the bottom teeth started hurting. It hurts on and off ever since. I have a lot of sensitivity to heat and cold both. Tylenol or advil will kill the pain for 12 hours. I went back the dentist on the 7th day. She took an X-ray and said it was a little high and trimmed some off. She said if it needed a root canal I would have come out of the chair in pain when she drilled on it without numbing it. The pain seems to come from under the tooth sometimes or may be in the jaw. I can chew on it without much pain, it is just hot and cold that bothers it. Before the filling I had absolutely no pain. The filling looks to fill 80% of the top of the tooth. Should I trust the dentist and believe it may have been a high bite and that the tooth is just irritated and doesn't need a root canal or should I get a second opinion? Click to expand... My friend I just went and had the same experience with mine. The tooth had decay around the tissue line of the tooth. She put the needle in the bottom end of the tooth root and let the needle in for some time before she took it out. I have never had a dentist leave it in this long. I didn't have tooth pain this bad before I went in. She told me that I needed to have a bite wing exray on the tooth. I had one of those panaramic ones from a tooth I had extracted two weeks ago right next to this one. It had abcess around the one that came out. Going to call them in the morning to see what she tells me. Let me know what you find out if anything and I will get back on what happens here. penlock: Hi...

Throbbing tooth 9 days after filling

Robynantonia: Hi i'm waiting for an appointment confirmation to perform an extraction on one of my molars which is broken and severely exposing the nerve. However getting dental work in my area takes weeks/months. The pain was unbearable so i had a temporary dressing put in during an emergency appointment and this has made it much worse, should this be happening? It had nothing on it before the dressing was applied as it would have caused excruciating pain for me. Should something have been done to stop it being placed straight over decay? This isn't a sensitivity issue it's a 9.5/10 (and i only say that because i've given birth before! Haha) pain scale and it is constant both stabbing and throbbing (i think there's an abcess on/near the root as well they said). I will happily use the word excruciating. Has the dentist done the right thing by putting one on?

Unbearable pain on exposed nerve

vicodeez: Hi, I'm 23 years old and I had a accident and knocked my 2 upper front teeth out a few years ago. My dentist referred me to someone for implants. Instead of doing 2 implants he wanted to pull the tooth next to where the 2 are gone, because he said the tooth had a cyst and would most likely die eventually even with a root canal done. He said the best and healthiest option would to do 2 implants for a 3 crown bridge so there is space between the implants to breath. He said 3 implants in a row is not good. The process went fine, but now that i have the permanent crowns in my mouth, i am having trouble getting used to them. I had a lot of bone damage and even with a bone graft the gums/bone line are not up to par with the other teeth. In order to make up for the lack of tissue, the crowns have a pink material to blend in with my gums. It looks decent, definitely not perfect. You can still see some black lines on the side and upper part of the bridge. I'm not sure why it still doesn't feel good after a couple weeks of being in. I had the temporary bridge in for about a month and I never got used to them. I'm afraid that i will never get used to this bridge. The reason why i got it in the first place was because I had no self esteem if i didn't have teeth in and i was also told by a lot of sources that it's not good to not have a full set of teeth in your mouth, natural or not. The look of it and the feel of it has been stressing me out for weeks and I finally got around to posting here due to anxiety. I'm not sure if I'm being rational or not, but I felt the need to post here for advice maybe. Tooth man: Supported Bridge You are young and absolutely needed to get what you had done - DONE! I have had bridges, caps and all kinds of things done to my mouth...sometimes it worked out great and other times took me a while to get use to and other times I had to go back to my dentist and have things fixed. You have to take care of your teeth, and the things you get done to them. If you have to go back to dentist explain the problems and demand, in a nice way that they correct it. Do you have insurance or a discount dental plan? vicodeez: I do take care of my teeth. I brush and floss daily. It was an accident that i knocked out my front teeth. The rest of my teeth have no problems and are clean. It's not as simple as correcting it either. There was a lot of bone and gum damage and even w/ a bone and gum graft, the bridge is in a higher position than the rest of my teeth. They put pink stuff on the top to make it blend in w/ my gums, but it doesn't look good if you look at it closely. I don't have any insurance, because if you go to the dentist twice a year w/o insurance, it would cost the same as going to the dentist w/ it.

Upper Front Implant Supported Bridge

jcom: My wife needs a three tooth partial on the upper right side. She has one tooth left behind the partial area and the rest are ok towards the front. Dentist want to drill holes into three good teeth for attaching partial. I have a four tooth partial that has been simply attached with wires for the past 40 yrs. And there was no drilling on any teeth for this attachment. Thanks for the input. John

Is it necessary to drill into good teeth for attaching a partial?

n0tmyfault83: I shall preface this post with this: I'm ignorant to all things dental. I have been trying to educate myself to make better informed decisions on my teeth and overall wellness. I'm a 30-year-old, living in Northern California (near Sacramento) and I have the basic dental insurance from Delta Dental provided my by employer. I brush 2x a day with a Braun electric toothbrush and I floss in the evening (I know...I should floss in the morning...but that's another debate which I have with my wife on a regular basis....). This all started in February, 2012 (during the super bowl party). I was enjoying a beer and a hotdog, or whatever I was eating and my filling came out of my back, right side molar. Well, I thought I'd circumvent the major inconvienance by eating on my left side until I could make it to the dentist the following week. And then my tooth chipped. There was no pain, however. Just anxiety....of visiting the dentist. So, I went to the dentist. Access Dental, that is...GAH! I have heard from everyone, "OMG! Don't go there!" However, I have never heard the reasons why, other than they butcher your teeth supposively? Well, it was too late...I had already started the process and I hate change. My only flaw....lol They do a basic cleaning, x-rays, and stated I need a crown--but no root canal. They do the crown prep and fit me with a temporary crown. I go in for the delivery. The dentist doesn't like the crowns fit. Re-do crown prep. I go in for delivery. New dentist. Doesn't like the crown fit. Re-do crown prep. I go in for delivery. New Dentist. Doesn't like the crown fit. I'm not kidding... So lets recap this. I have had 3 different dentist. I believe I have 4 different crown preps and 3 delivery attempts. Over the course of 14 months, which is partially my fault due to my hectic work and out of town training schedules. They are not charging me anything extra for all these preps/deliveries. And I'm thankful they are not just throwing the crown on and calling it good when there's space on the fitting that would allow bacteria in and start decaying my tooth. I'm wondering, is this normal? Or perhaps, in some cases, have dentist had a problem with a particular patient's crown delivery due to the tooths positioning or what not? I'm going in for my 4th delivery attempt and I'm wondering if I should think about switching dentist...Is this a failure on their part? The labs fault? A bit of both? Would a qualified, well-experienced dentist have these types of issue? My problem is, I have no way of measuring a dentists' worth other than minimal google ratings or word of mouth. But ones experience can change from patient to patient. I'm not bashing Access Dental. I think they are beyond friendly; however, I'm questiong their always-changing dentists' quality of work. Any recommendations? Please, please, please elaborate! jpalmer: Access is state or governement funded health care. Typically it is going to be fast paced, high volume lower quality care. The reality is in life you usually get what you pay for. The crown is made at a lab, usually outside of the office. The quality/fit of the crown is based on several factors, the original impression quality, the crown material, the skill of the lab technician. Any one of those factors need to be checked and or corrected to get a properly fitting crown. Based on errors in anyone of those steps leads to more adjustments at the seating of the crown. You can request take a new impression and start from scratch. Good luck! moon: I'm just a consumer, but one who had a whole-mouth restoration with a most remarkably skilled dentist, and if I were you I would seriously start over with a good dentist if that's an option. I had so much bad dental work in my life before finding my dentist, and can tell you the difference is night/day. It's worth it to find someone excellent who you can establish a relationship with. Ack - just saw you posted this a while ago and likely have your crown and have moved on and won't ever read this

Dental crown prep/delivery from hell?

trmorrisnd: I am 43, and have been missing teeth #9 and 10 for my entire life. I took a bad fall on my mouth as an infant and damaged both the deciduous and adult teeth—both sets of which had to be removed surgically. I had a Marilyn bridge put into place when I was 14 and this lasted until a cracked molar filling changed my bite at age 40 and I started tapping on it with occlusion. Then some minor facial fractures in the L maxilla moved teeth 11 and 12 lingually and the trusty Marilyn bridge had to be removed after 25 years. There was a plan to move 11 and 12 outward, get a bone graft for a sizable defect in the superior ridge, and put in two implants for 9 and 10. After a CT of the anterior ridge, this plan of a graft with two implants was deemed not a viable option due to the amount of missing bone (a full-on A→P hole) and proximity of the bone gap to the central nerve foramen (~1mm). Canine tooth #11 is still out of place presently causing significant malocclusion after both Invisalign and Bioliner-Plus (with pegs and bands) failed to move it appreciably. And so, I have stalled out at a crossroads on my restoration work for my missing #9 and #10 teeth, and would appreciate some perspective. Presently, I'm still trying to decide about whether to proceed with or without a bone graft. Even with a graft, I would need to decide whether to go with: a single implant with cantilevered pontics, another Marilyn bridge, or a conventional 4-tooth bridge. Putting it all together, I've really got 5 sets of options. 1. Orthodontics, No graft, Marilyn bridge: Less expensive, saves teeth #8, 11 but less permanent and leaves misaligned #11 in place that may require prior orthodontics or major adjustments. 2. No graft, conventional 4-tooth bridge: Better outcome with matching #8 & 9, able to effectively move the misaligned #11 with the new bridge. 3. Orthodontics, Bone Graft, Marilyn bridge: Better alveolar ridge shape, less likely to show soft tissue gap with high smile, possible to do a single or pair of implants later(??), #11 requires othodontics or a major adjustment. 4. Bone Graft, conventional 4-tooth bridge: Matching #8 & 9, Better alveolar ridge shape, less likely to show gap with high smile, but later implants are not a good option, since teeth #8, 11 are reduced to pegs and would require crowns. 5. Orthodontics, Bone graft, single implant w/ 2-cantilvered pontics: Most expensive, teeth 8 & 9 do not match, leaves #7 in place that may require orthodontics. I’m not made of money, and I’m not a fan of dental surgery. My feeling is to go with option #1, 2, or 3. I am concerned about whether the A-P hole in the maxilla above teeth #9, 10 is a problem in itself, so I’d put #3 on the table too. Anything’s possible. Questions: • What's my best option? • Does leaving the boney gap there, pose more or different risks than filling it in with a graft? (e.g. Is it possible that it is a cyst harboring an infection?) • Does letting the graft heal for a longer time make a two separate implants more likely to be possible later on? Feel free to call me (20six.947.491five) or reply to this thread. May we all be well! ~T.R. Morris, ND Seattle, WA boluno: Crossroads Hi, I just registered to an account and found your post. I hope my input is still on time. If possible, I would go for orthodontics, the bone graft and implants on #9 and #10. The implants will help to stimulate the bone, preventing further resorption. If you get a conventional bridge from 8-11, even if you graft the ridge, the bone will shrink over time. This will generate spaces under the bridge over time. You may still need to have veneers on #7 and #8 in order to perfectly match your new implant crowns. Do not forget to have a mouth guard after the treatment is completed. It will help to prevent tooth wear on the lower front teeth and prevent veneers from popping off if you grind your teeth at night. Note: #8 is not a great candidate for a bridge of that span. It has a fairly conical root, Dr. Bolivar Luperon, Prosthodontist, Cosmetic and Family Dentist hcident.com

Need to restore #9,10 + Hole in Maxilla

BrightSmile: Haha- actually my problem starts like this: I had silver fillings placed by an older dentist on my 6y molars when I was very young- he believed that this was a good prophylaxis against cavities that would be likely in young kids with poor brushing habits- this was in the mid 70s. About ten years ago on a routine dental visit, my dentist noticed that one of them was missing, placed a sealant, and cautioned me that the tooth was drilled quite low for a protective filling, and that a root canal might be in my future. About two years later, I developed an infection in same tooth necessitating said root canal. Late last week, up very late with a long to-do list, I was in need of quick energy, grabbed a piece of very hard candy and broke this crown on the lateral side (the part visible, naturally!). I was at my dentist (someone very new to me, as I recently moved) today for an evaluation of what to do next. The crown is about seven years old. Per his exam, this crown was a porcelain cap on a metal base. The crown part which covers my root canal is in good shape, I was told. In an effort to smooth down the rough exposed porcelain part, he buffed (for lack of a better word) the cracked crown down a bit and we discussed options. I was given three: 1) Live with what remains in my mouth now because it is structurally sound (I think this is the most conservative option, but I am meticulous about my dental care, and hate that I have a crown to begin with. I hate that you can see a bit of the metal underlay, and after this buffing job, it is even more visible still. I have a huge smile, and when I smile, you can see a little of this tooth visible. To me it looks awful and it's quite embarrassing.) 2) Dentist will attempt to remove cap intact. I was cautioned that porcelain may crack, necessitating whole new metal and porcelain insert be redone. I was told that the metal cap fits very nicely in there and my dentist does not seem to want to remove it. 3) Dentist, in attempting to remove crown may be unable to do so, necessitating sawing off the metal bit in there. Worst case scenario, existing tooth underneath may fracture in the process requiring bigger dental surgery (not sure exactly what) plus potentially having to have implant placed. I would appreciate a second or third opinion on what to do. My interests are purely cosmetic- My smile is my single favorite feature, but I am wondering if I might make a less than ideal scenario much much worse. I also have no idea what the worst case scenario involves cost-wise. Do I see a cosmetic dentist to have this type of work done? How would you advise a patient in a similar circumstance? Thanks so very much for your help! (For a geographic reference point, I live about 90 minutes west of Philadelphia.) -Jill

Jill fell down and broke her crown...

Ashleymarie: Hi! I went to the dentist (June 13) and I had two fillings on the upper left side of my mouth. He gave me two shots of the numbing juice as compared to the one I had gotten the week before on the bottom right side of my mouth. One of the cavities he said was very deep. My cheek swelled up and I am unsure if it is becuse I am sensitive and he was pulling at my cheek to reach the teeth (it's in the back) Or if it was from the shot. I have also bruised but that looks like it's beginning to heal. (Turning yellow). The swelling has gone down and isn't substantial but it's still making me nervous. My teeth feel fine. It's just my cheek that is causing discomfort. I called the dentist same day and he said everything was fine and it's just because it was a different site and he used two needles When will the swelling/brusing go away? I have been applying ice almost every night. Thank you.

2 fillings

Carabiniero8: I recently switched dentists. I have every confidence in my new dentist, he is experienced and I trust him. About a month ago, I had a routine 2-sided dental filling. Because I once had a reaction to anesthetic with epinephrine at my previous dentist's office (racing heart, twitching arms & legs), I asked the new dentist to use an alternative anesthetic. He used carbocaine to which I had a really strong negative reaction (this did not happen at my old dentist's after she stopped using epinephrine). I started feeling funny after one shot, but then he needed to administer a second shot because I was not going numb quickly enough. After the second shot, I nearly fainted and everything went black, though I was still semi-aware of what was going on around me, but could not open my eyes and heard loud ringing in my ears. He needed to administer oxygen to help me breathe. It was the first time I had such a reaction to any drug anywhere! I was never scared to go to the dentist before, especially for a routine filling, but I am now really nervous! I have to get another filling next week, and I can't decide whether I should ask him to use Lidocaine, which contains epinephrine, or stick with carbocaine. I checked with my old dentist who moved out of town, and he said that he would have either used lidocaine or carbocaine. My question is - does lidocaine ALWAYS come with epinephrine? Is it possible that because I did not have much to eat that day, I somehow had a much stronger than normal reaction to carbocaine? Is carbociane supposed to go into your bloodstream, or does it stay localized to the jaw bone? If it's not supposed to go into your blood stream could it have somehow gotten into mine anyway, either by accident or because the doctor accidentally gave me a shot into the wrong area? Feeling your brain slowly shutting down on you is an extremely scary feeling and I would rather bear physical pain than go through that again, so I just really want to figure out what went wrong and make sure it does not happend again! Any input would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Carbocaine Vs Lidocaine

CorryT: Hi, I have a root canal treated tooth on my molar (47). The root canal was completed in 2005. I had a temporary filling up until 2011, which was then patched up with a permanent filling. An orthodontic band was placed around the tooth in 2010, because my Orthodontist needed to move the tooth to complete my Ortho treatment. In May 2013, I noticed a tiny hold in the tooth enamel, so I thought I’d get it checked out, turned out I needed the entire filling replaced. That was completed successfully; however my bite was "off" on one side after the filling. My bite was unstable to begin with, because my Ortho treatment didn't 100% fix my narrow upper jaw issue. Basically the new filling felt a bit high, and there was a lot of contact on my first molar (the molar next to the root canal tooth). I went back to my original dentist and she filed the tooth down slightly, it didn't really help. I was persistent on that not a lot of tooth enamel to be removed, so it could've been that. Following this, out of anxiety and frustration I went to another dentist and see what was happening (second opinion). She stated that I was biting hard on a few areas on the root canal tooth after doing a carbon paper test. She suggested filing down the tooth slightly. I was apprehensive, but I stupidly agreed to the filing. Now I think she's taken too much tooth enamel away - one of the cusps is almost no longer there (see photo). I straight away went to my dentist and explained what happened - she was obviously upset I went somewhere else. However, she told me not to panic and to just try and get used to the new shaped tooth. So currently my bite has been relieved slightly, however because a lot tooth enamel was removed, the bight feels deeper than before, and the first molar is somewhat bothersome still. At some point in my life I may consider getting orthodontic work again to fix my bite (I'm not sure yet though). What I’m asking now is: 1) Is there any way I can rebuild the enamel that was filed down? Such as using Tooth Mousse? 2) Should I eventually get a crown? That way I can get the normal tooth shape and cusp back? 3) If I get a crown, is it going to make my bite worse then it is now? 4) Should I just leave the Orthodontic band there forever and not worry about anything? Your opinions and thoughts on what has happened are greatly appreciated. I'm very upset I had the root canal tooth filed down so much. I've attached photos to see what happened.

Crowns and Rebuilding Enamel

zara: Hi everyone I had a root canal and cerec crown put on my back molar . The cerec crown does not go up to my gum line. I can clearly see my real tooth which has now turned a darker color during the whole root canal decay process. Since it's the back tooth I guess I am not concerned with the color issues but is it supposed to show my real tooth? I have another crown that was a traditional lab crown and it looks great and it goes up to my gums and looks like my real tooth.

cerec crown but can still see my old tooth