Archive for October, 2009

Teeth broken off at the gum. Can they be saved?

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

I have two teeth that had root canals done several years ago and couldn’t afford the crown and now the teeth are broken off to the gum. Do I have any alternative other than surgery to extract what is left of the broken teeth and the post, or what other choices do I have?
- Gail from Texas

Gail,
You very well may not be able to save these teeth. Sometimes you can save teeth that are broken off at the gumline and sometimes you can’t. Depending on how much tooth is actually left, and whether posts can be placed, and if crown lengthening can be done.

But don’t go from bad to worse. Find a dentist who will try to save them if they can. If they indeed can’t be saved, have the missing teeth replaced within the next few weeks, especially if they are in the back of your mouth. When you have a missing tooth in the back of your mouth, the teeth on either side tip into the space and the opposing tooth hyper-erupts, and it can create a real mess of your bite leading to TMJ disorder. If you can’t afford a dental bridge or a dental implant, then get a temporary flipper partial or something to put into that space.

The lesson is – when you have a root canal treatment, especially on a back tooth, you may not think you can afford the crown, but what you really can’t afford are the consequences of breaking the tooth. It can triple the cost if you wait until the tooth breaks. If paying for a crown is a real problem, talk with your dentist about some interim measures to protect the tooth. Sometimes a bonded core can be placed that will work in the interim. Then make a definite commitment for an appointment for the crown – even if it is two years down the road. Put it on your schedule and save up for it. It will be much less costly in the long run.

Tags:
Posted in Root Canal Treatment | Comments Off

Root Canal Treatment Still Hurts

Friday, October 16th, 2009

I recently had a filling in a tooth. A week later the tooth was so sensitive to cold and hurting so bad they did a root canal. It has been over a month and the tooth still hurts (not bad) and it seems to be slightly loose. It is not sensitive to cold like it was before. The reason I am asking you instead of my dentist, I won’t go back to him. I didn’t like him and the way he treated me. Besides, he had 2 strikes on this tooth already.
- Wanda from England

Wanda,
If the pain is only mild and you can ignore it for now, I’d wait until it has been three to six months since you had this tooth done and go to another dentist and have them x-ray the tooth root to see if it has healed.

It isn’t unusual for a tooth to be sensitive after a root canal treatment. That can come from the irritation of getting the infection cleaned out of the tooth. That post-operative irritation should only last a week or so, but it can last longer. It’s also possible that you have a failed root canal treatment and that it will need to be re-done or to have root canal surgery. Infection around the end of the tooth could also cause it to feel slightly loose. But give it time to heal and see what it looks like.

Even if the pain goes completely away, you still want this x-rayed, given what you have told me. A tooth can be infected and still not hurt, but the infection will spread and may slowly eat away at the root of the tooth.

Related information: Read more about failed root canal treatment on mynewsmile.com.

Posted in Root Canal Treatment | Comments Off

Want a new retainer to move my teeth back where they were

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

I lost my retainer and would like to get a new one. However my dentist wants to take a new impression. I told them that I would like them to just use my original impression so if my teeth shifted slightly they would move back. They said that they will be unable to use the old one and want to take a new impression. I feel like this isn’t a good idea because then I will just retain my teeth to where they have settled and not where they should be. Is this right? They say that it will not fit. I know that if I found my retainer it would go in.

Also, I asked them for my impressions so I can go somewhere else and they said I couldn’t have it. Isn’t it mine since I paid for it? I asked another dentist if they could make a retainer (for bleaching) using my existing impressions and they said it would only cost $30. Much better than $75. But, I just have to find a way to make him give me my impressions. Thank you for your information.

Alicia from Wisconsin

Alicia,
Whether or not the retainer would push your teeth back to where they were depends on how long it has been since your retainer was lost. If it’s only a couple of weeks, it should work. But some people’s teeth move quickly when the retainer isn’t worn and some move more slowly.

If it’s true that your lost retainer would fit if you found it, then a new retainer made from the old model should work.

But the dental office may be resisting that because of some other problem. It could be that they have damaged the model from which your retainer was made, or that they have lost it or discarded it.

It isn’t true that you own the old impressions or the model. The dental office legally owns that. You paid for the resulting service, not for the impressions or model. However, the dentist is under ethical obligation to provide any assistance you require to help you continue your care elsewhere. So if you have the other DENTIST request the model in order to make you a retainer, your dentist is ethically obligated to provide that assistance. If they don’t, you could file a complaint with the dental board and/or the dental association.

Related links:
Read about Boca Raton Invisalign invisible braces. Dr. Kagan is certified as an Invisalign dentist.

Posted in Orthodontics | Comments Off