How bad would it be to have braces on for only a year, when the recommended time is two years?

I don't know. But it'll mean one of two things: 1) your teeth don't move as much as they should, and/or 2) they don't get the required stabilization time, leading to greater relapse.

Hey popo- I got a query for you. I have terrible teeth and an assload of restorative work to get done as well as three, possibly four crowns, with the appropriate endo stuff on those future crowns. All told, I'm looking at a major mouth expense. I'm trying to get this done as affordably as possible and this seems like a pretty affordable place.

http://www.realpages.com/sites/sextondental/

Is there any place that I can check on their quality of service, or would you happen to know them by reputation? Any input would be wonderful.

Thanks for your time!

mr sticky

Wow those are cheap fees.

I know that it may seem like a lot of work for you but I see people everyday who are having more work done that that. It's a tough call. Every "affordable" office I've come across I would not have my own work done in them. They have to recoup their loss in other ways. A crown cost $485 at that place. Well, it says that they use "porcelain fused to non-precious metal". Myself I would never have put in my mouth nor have I ever put that in a patient's mouth. Non-precious metal can be irritating to the gum among other disadvantages. You can get that a US dental lab isn't fabricating their crowns, as alot of "affordable" offices send their work oversees even to the Far East to be made because it's cheaper. Nothing is cheap for no reason. They aren't doing charity work.

This is not to say that higher end offices are all great places either. But you can be safer in the assumption that higher end materials are being used throughout the treatment sequence.

I looked up Sexton on the Better Business Bureau site and they have a good record so that's a plus but in reality, patients wouldn't know what to complain about as long as the dentist is a nice guy who gives good answers. I tried looking for to see if the dentists at that office had complaints to their state board but it doesn't seem to be working. Go to http://www.llr.state.sc.us/POL/denti...=licensure.htm and click "Licence Lookup" on the top right. It should show disciplinary action if any.

If I were you I'd consider asking around. Look for a place that won't skimp on materials and consider payment plans. Most offices offer 3rd party payment through companies like CareCredit. See if the terms work out for you.

Your teeth are with you for life, if you treat them well. What seems like alot now ($7000?) will be a fortune when this work needs to be redone. A crown is expected to last 10-15 years, imagine needing to redo this work every 5 years instead. You do not want to end up in dentures.

A tip: start saving for implants one day.

Good Luck. I'm here if you have more questions.

edit: I do have a friend from dental school in Durham who I trust.

I'm 28, and my teeth have been hurting for about 3 weeks now. Sort of a dull throbbing. Some days it can give me a slight headache, other days I don't even notice it. I've also noticed that I've got what feel like a new set of molars coming in directly behind the molars at the back of my mouth. 2 questions:

Are new rear molars normal at my age?
Should I be concerned about the pain at all?

I noticed that I developed stains on the inside of my front teeth. I saw them both on top and in the bottom. What gives? Is this from not always brushing the inside of my teeth?

Should I be worried?

Thanks!

I went to school near there, and this place had a bad reputation. Besides, there's no way quality work can be done at those prices.

My suggestion: The Medical College of Georgia Dental School isn't very far away. Getting treated takes a lot longer, but the prices are probably cheaper, and the work will be first class.

I hope no one has asked this yet...
I have been hearing some really disturbing things about the use of fluoride lately (besides people wanting to spell it "flouride"). Aparently, fluoridization of your water supply can be and is usually dangerous for your health! I've checked with people from the AMA about it, but they all refer to 50 year old studies (before major fluoridization) when they answer back. Have you any information about this? If it is dangerous, what about fluoride toothpaste/mouthwash/etc.?

Much thanks for any help.

I've heard some stuff about mercury fillings breaking down over time and introducing mercury into the body, causing various ill effects. Is there any truth to this?

Cartmen: no, it's not common but it can happen. Get it checked out and yes you should be concerned about anything that causes pain.

Woot: it's very normal to get staining there since these areas of in more contact with food and there are grooves in the teeth. It just means that there's another reason to get regular cleanings.

Cerebrus: excellent point. I've mentioned it throughout this thread... if cost is an issue then go to a local dental school. Prices will be similar to (if not cheaper) than what that website showed and the work will be top quality or it won't go in your mouth.

Willravel: Yes, fluoride is toxic. So is oxygen. At limited doses, both are very safe and even beneficial. For some reason there is a movement in the US of people who try to push the idea that there is a massive conspiracy to push fluoride into the population. I've seen no studies to substantiate that. There are also groups who believe that root canals cause all sorts of neural problems and that Barney is a real dinosaur. No way to please everyone.

innovis: similar idea. There's simply no evidence to substantiate this claim even thoughit's been studied for decades. Amalgam fillings do contain mercury until it's placed in your mouth. Once it is mixed in that mixing machine the mercury reacts with the other substances to form different compounds (too lazy to look it up again) from which mercury cannot be isolated. It's like trying to extract sugar from a cake you just baked. Mercury does not get intruduced into your body as the filling breaks down.

Very interesting, I hadn't heard that before. Perhaps a better analogy: sodium explodes in contact with water. Chlorine is a poisonous gas. Table salt is sodium chloride. Salt will not explode in water, or create toxic gsaes.

First, I appologize for length but for all you serious soda drinkers......


I can give you personal experience. For the past 10 years or so I have at least drank a case of soda a day and probably at least 2 liters a day for 5 - 10 years before that. It was easy to drink while I drove, or wanted something inexpensive (since I have never been much of an alcohol drinker) and for some reason I needed the oral fix (much like my smoking).

I was fine with my teeth until about 4-5 years ago. I started to notice small decay along the gumlines of my front teeth but I hadn't been to a dentist since I was in the Navy in 1990, so I was scared and ignored it and continued to drink massive amounts of soda (although I changed from sugar to diet and from Mt. Dew to caffeine free). The reason for the caffeine free was I read caffeine (especially as much as I was drinking depletes your body of calcium real fast.... I figured that would stop the decay.)

I have had 2 abcessed teeth removed in the last 3 years and have one molar in severe breakage. Both times, the dentist (different dentists) claimed my teeth were fixable and showed signs of strength but the soda was eroding them fast. Today, I know the soda is destroying my mouth but I cannot stop, and have allowed the soda to destroy my teeth and gums. The gums have gotten so raw from the soda that I have to brush very very softly. I can constantly taste blood from my gums. My teeth are so bad now that I am in constant pain throughout my jaw, neck, ears and sinuses.

I am so scared now to see a dentist that I suffer through the pain and the toothaches are so bad that not even Anebesol helps.... The pain gets especially bad at night, but is there constantly. And even though I know a visit to the dentist and doing away with soda will take care of the pain, I am 1) scared to death of the expense 2) scared of the pain of a dentist (which would be temporary and small compared to the pain I suffer now and 3) finding a caring dentist that won't lecture me but will help me.

I know it sounds hypocritical or a "won't happen to me because he was far more extreme in his soda drinking than I am" but ease up now before you end up like I have. There is no doubt in my mind soda is every bit of as addicting as any drug, at least for me. I have been able to kick most of my other addictions but soda and smoking.... both of which destroy my teeth.

The smoke traps the soda's acid onto the teeth........ Also, according to reports I have read is never brush your teeth after drinking a soda, you should wait at least an hour afterward as the toothpaste actually will trap the acids onto your teeth and rot them faster. Sugar or Diet doesn't matter the acid is what destroys the teeth.

Again I am being hypocritical as I am always, ALWAYS with a soda in hand and brush 2 times a day and I usually had a soda right before (at least within the hour, and I have a soda almost right afterward.... I take 6 24 oz bottles (= to a 12 pack of cans) to work with me everyday.... first thing I do when I wake up is reach for a soda and last thing I do at the end of my day before I try to sleep is drink soda.

As sick as it sounds having typed all that a few days ago got me to face my problem. I went and had root canal today and it was really not that painful just very time consuming. I also had the dentist estimate how much it would take to fix my teeth.... $4135.

My questions for the dentist here are:

are root cleanings painful?
and
is sedation dentistry safe?

Kudos! Great that typing it out got you to do something about it. You'll be very happy that you did.

1) root canals themselves are seldom painful. The reason people associate a root canal with pain is the fact that you usually get a root canal done when you have an infection in the nerve. Infections hurt.

2) It is very safe if the dentist is trained in it which you need to be to get a licence. So yes, it is very safe. But I would ask the dentist if he is ACLS trained. You don't need to be but it would show extra commitment to safety.

3) At $4100 you better count your blessings. That is peanuts compared to what it would cost if you let things slide further.

Congrats. :thumbsup:

I know I'm butting in, but...

That's a great improvement, but the carbonation is also harmful over long periods of time. Applause for the caffeine reduction, but when you feel capable of it, you might try switching to one of the sports drinks that are basically flavored water with a minor amount, or no sugar.

Your quote to fix things probably didn't include replacing those teeth, which you should consider for the long term. Otherwise, teeth can drift, thereby messing up your bite, and sometimes your jaw joints.


I don't want to jump on you after you've improved so much, but smoking absolutely destroys your gums. Plus, when you've got gum problems, they usually can't be restored to their former condition--just TREATED, which isn't as good.

That report doesn't sound right to me. The faster that stuff's off your teeth, the better. Besides, you can always brush without toothpaste, but I don't believe the toothpaste traps anything.

It's critical to brush, and preferably floss, after that last soda. Otherwise, the stuff is doing its harm all night. Even worse than during the daytime, because salivary flow, which helps prevent decay, slows down at night.

(There's a dentist in the family.)

Good luck.

That's the analogy my dentist uses. Minor point: Dental amalgams give off a very minor amount of mercury vapor after you chew, but it's much less than the amount of mercury in a fish dinner, and it's not methyl mercury, the bad kind.

No matter what kind of scare stories are out there, out of hundreds of studies, no one has ever proved a link between amalgam and a health problem (well, there might be a few people sensitive to it, but that's it).

You can always get white or gold fillings anyway. They're just more expensive.

Actually (minor quibble regarding your generally good advice), but brushing immediately after a soft drink is not a great idea because of the acidity. Enamel dissolves in a highly acidic enviro and brushing the teeth will encourage this dissolution. Same reason that (while it counters all logical thoughts) brushing immediately after vomiting is a no-no. Better to drink lots of water to get rid of the taste.

Hey, good-natured quibbling is fun. :p

I think this is a great thread, too.

popo!

It's my turn to ask some advise, I appreciate that you do this, this thread was the first thing I thought of today after my dentist visit ...

Anyways, here's the situ - I've got a bad molar (# 30) - it's had various fillings over the years, including one composite on the inner front corner that broke off a few years ago, and I was for one reason or anohter never able to get it repaired.
In the meanwhile, it decayed. bad.

earlier this year I finally started working on getting it fixed.
I've had 2x root canals on it, one was in May and the other was on the 3rd of June.
The plan was to in July crown it.
I know there was an abcess in there, visible in the x-ray.

Now ... since earlier this week I've had a horrible toothache there. brings-tears-to-the-eyes horrible.
(I don't know if it's possible for an abcess to 'pop' open? but I wonder if that's what could've happened, as I remember the night before, chewing some gum, accidently on that tooth, and felt a weird 'suction' feeling through the tooth).
Anyways, I've had this pain since Tuesday, (taken lots of ibuprofrin to manage it) and finally today got into the dentist
(but a different dentist at a different clinic, while the one i've been seeing had the day off).

he took an x-ray, and recommended that the tooth be extracted. he said I've got a large infection under it, and treating it 'from the top' might not work out in the long run.

I will be making an appointment with my regular dentist next week, to figure out a course of treatment.
(and in the meanwhile, today I got a script for antibiotics and painkillers).

I'm fine with pulling it, I suppose. I don't want a 'problem tooth'. I was hoping to keep it, of course, but whatever. I don't like the idea of having a constantly festering infection in my head, either.

So - I guess my question really, is this:

If I just have it extracted, with no 'replacement' ..
(money is an issue, very much, and my insurance will be ending at the end of july as well, and I still have another tooth on the other side that we will be crowning in july, that will cost me enough as it is..) ..

would it be feasable and ok, to just let it go, and in a couple of years when I have insurance and enough money again to then put in a bridge/implant (afaik implants are far pricier?)

Is that something people often do successfully?

Thanks for taking the time to consider my problem :)

Maybe I'm stingy, but can you explain to all of us why it is so damned expensive for a crown? $485 is enough for me to say 'no' to getting one, much less more than one. And you say this is cheap? Not to mention its in American dollars.

There must be a reason why these costs are so high. Is it pass-through costing? I.E. passing the cost of doing business down to the end consumer, so that we are not really paying $485 for a crown, but $485 for the crown plus salaries, office expenses, dental supplies etc etc?

Wow, I just found this thread. This is great. Thank you so much, popo, for being willing to take the time and share your knowledge!

I haven't read all the previous pages so if my question has already been addressed just point me in the right direction. :)

I have numerous dental problems, partly due to poor nutrition as a child, weak enamel, and particularly stemming from a time period of about five years when my teeth weren't getting the beneficial saliva rinsing they should have as a result of a bad habit. Not to spell it out but if you know what that means, you'll know. Fast-foreward to the past five years, when I've paid thousands in deductibles to my dentist trying to save my teeth. :( My problems are exacerbated by the fact that I grind my teeth in my sleep, although I have been wearing a night guard for the past three years.

The rear-most lower molar on the left side of my mouth is giving me all kinds of problems. I haven't been able to chew on the left side of my mouth for at least the past two years. My dentist did two root canals and it still hurt. I don't know why but that one tooth is a real bitch, I've had so much more pain with it than any other tooth it's just indescribable. One time it was still hurting six novacaine shots later!

I'm trying to save the tooth if at all possible...I already have a nice gold crown that I was wearing for a number of months, and I'll be running out of teeth pretty quick if I just start having the problematic ones pulled. Plus, the right side of my mouth is getting pretty tired from doing all the chewing so I'd like to have all the teeth I need to chew on the left side when the time comes, if that makes any sense.

The pain I've been having is two-fold. I have a deep throbbing pain in the jaw below the tooth, that seems to spread a bit downwards and towards the front of the jaw. I also experience more surface pain that feels like it's coming from the tooth itself, or the area immediately around it. It seems more pronounced when the inner side of the tooth is contacted. I've also had some problems with the tooth in front of it, which still aches a bit even after a root canal, but it doesn't seem to be the source of the pain I'm describing.

After two root canals didn't help, my dentist referred me to an endodontist about a year ago but I wasn't able to pay for the decuctible and so just dealt with it for a long time. Now my dentist has an in-house endodontist, which means I was able to get treated on a payment plan, so I saw her on May 4th. I found that I was in extreme pain after the procedure, although I was optimistic because she found some new canals on the inside of the tooth. Unfortunately the pain didn't go away. Two weeks later it had subsided to a nagging, deep throb and has pretty much leveled off there, although there has been some gradual improvement. It's also hard to quantify my discomfort level because I'm taking hydrocodone for a knee injury, although I'm taking the lowest possible dose I can, usually no more than 2.5 mg at a time and mostly at night. My dentist decided to hold off on cementing the crown back on for obvious reasons, so we're in a wait and see period. The tooth doesn't seem to be cracked.

My question is just, do you have any insight at all into what could be causing me so much discomfort from one tooth that's been treated nearly into oblivion? Have you ever seen a similar situation? Can this tooth be saved?

Thanks again, and sorry for the long post. :)

Of course thats why.

And $485 is dirt cheap.

I'd be very afraid of the quality of a $485 dollar crown.

I...um...didn't mean to bring up the conspiracy aspect of this question. I was refering more to fluoridization in the water supply, which is a very different fluoride than you might find in a mouth rinse or toothpaste. Rinsing and brushing every morning is much different than drinking and bathing in and washing your clothes in fluoridated water. The average person rinks maybe 64 oz. of water a day. Without a filter such as reverse osmosis, the flouride goes into your stomach and is digested. Every time you take a glass of water or boil your food (which concerntrates minerals such as calcium or fluoride in the food as it cooks), every time you wash your favorite shirt, you are being exposed to flouride.

Maybe the question is: How much fluoride is too much, and is it possible to get that amount from city water with fluoride in it?

Edit:Not needed.

is this still going?

Ok, I've had a hole, large enough that I can feel it with my tongue, on the outside of my top rear right molar for at least 6 months now. I've been waiting until I finished school and started work to get insurance. The tooth itself has never bothered me pain wise but recently the gumline around the tooth gets sore when i brush. I have to wait another week and a half or so before I can get in to see a dentist, will this be ok?

Thanks a bunch

I know using someone else's toothbrush is a big no-no. Is using someone else's plastic flossing thread holder ( a y-shaped thingie I do not know the name of!) okay, or should I buy my own?

Hey, I just wanted to give a big thanks to you, Popo. I read the entire thread and will be making an appointment with my dentist tomorrow (only because the office closed about an hour ago). It's been 4 years since I've last been and my teeth have gone through quite a bit since then. It's about time. ;) Thank you for the motivation.

Actually...I do have a question...but it's not for Popo. How many of us read this thread while flossing and/or brushing? :p

Root Canal
 

Hello Popo,

I had a root canal done about two months ago. It's been hurting more recently and now just two nights ago I began to bleed immediately after flossing the temporary crown. It bled alot. What can this mean?

Thanks,

Huijing

qweds: get thee to a dentist. i have a feeling that a root canal and crown lengthening surgery are in your future.

pip: can i loan you the $1.99?

biscuit buns: good show. glad to help. now show us those biscuits. ;)

huijingwu: you shouldn't be waiting so long to get the crown done after a root canal. it sounds like the temp crown is coming off or not contoured well and is digging into your gums. you need to keep the gums around a crown (especially a temporary) very clean by brushing & flossing daily. if it's bleeding it's a problem.

Hello Popo, I recently went to a new dentists and he said I need to replace two silver fillings because they each had a small part that was chipped (or something I don't remember the exact phrasing). They arn't that old, I'm 20, so they were maybe around 6-11 years old (I have more than 2 fillings so it's hard to remember.) He wanted to do white fillings because if it ever happens again they are easier to repair. So I get the white the fillings, but (its been about 2 weeks) they have been hurting, like when I swish cold water, or bite down on anything. They weren't hurting when I had the silver fillings. They pain isnt that bad, but I'd be pretty pissed if it's permanent. Oh, and I can also feel them with my tongue, theyre rough, not sure if that's important (never had white fillings before).

My sister, who went to him right before I did, had never had a cavity in her life (she's onyl 18 though) but the dentist told her she had two. That isn't too abnormal by itself, but with me not having any pain, then getting pain after he works on me, makes me wonder.

Is this normal then? Getting small chips/cavitys in silver fillings and have them replaced with white? I'm particulary interested in if its normal to feel pain in them afterwards, as I've had 4 or 5 fillings and never had this problem before, so maybe I'm reacting badly to white fillings? Or did he put them in wrong? Could this be a shoddy dentist?

Thanks

Zeraph: Yes, it's very normal to get chips in silver (amalgam) fillings. They need to be replaced every few year. 6-11 years is very lucky in your case. Nowadays, lots of people are getting white fillings in back teeth and while it's true that they can be repaired more easily, it's also a fact that they are more technique-sensitive. That is, sensitivity after getting one is very normal and there are various steps to take to lessen this sensitivity. These steps make it more technique-sensitive than an amalgam filling which requires no such steps.

So. Did your guys do things to lessen sensitivity? I dunno. If he did, did he do them well? I dunno. Are your teeth just sensitive and will hurt after anyone touching them? I dunno. See if it goes away after another week or two and if not, replace the fillings.

In the perfect instance, a gold inlay is the best restoration in these cases. Yes, it costs more and yes it's gold but it *can* last forever and will not cause sensitivity.

Cheers.

Thanks! That puts me at ease. I went and saw him and he shaved some off of one, so that one feels a lot better. The other I think I just happened to be more sensitve to, and I believe will go away after a few more days. The main thing I was worried about was the silver vs white sensitivity.

What a wonderful find. I have a question if the dentist is still in.

I have one loose tooth in the upper right quadrant due to bone loss. I refuse to consider a bridge because of unsatisfactory previous experiences, so my dentist recommended an intercoronal splint using the healthy tooth on each side of it to give it stability.

My question is whether there might be any risk to the two healthy teeth in playing the support role?

Thanks for all of the great information, Popo!

First of thank you so much for this thread popo.

I haven't been to the dentist for about 14 years now. I take very good care of my teeth and have had zero problems in all this time.

Well until now. I noticed that a gap is forming between my lower left cuspid and the 1st bicuspid. Not sure when this started happening or if it will continue to cause problems.

Can this be stopped/corected? I am 24 years old btw. I guess I have a phobia of dental visists. :crazy:

Just as background, I'm 20, I have pretty good teeth with no major problems (so far, just a couple cavities). I've been going to the same dentist in Pennsylvania twice a year for 12 years now, but I go to UC San Diego and with my current situation I can't go home twice a year anymore.

To make a long story short, I need to find a new dentist in my area. I looked at a few online websites, and they list literally 60+ dentists within 10 miles of my house. How am I supposed to choose? Even with a resource that lets me look up details on them (I couldn't find any), I can't sift through 60 of them.

Do you have any suggestions for finding a good dentist in my area? Would my university hospital be a good choice? I have Met Life insurance, and they seem to cover most dentists, so that's not a problem.

Sorry I missed the previous questions...

Elphaba: Since you say that it's in the upper right quad, I'm assuming that it's a posterior tooth (behind your canine). If so, IMHO, I would not recommend the splint. It won't hold up long term. If you don't want a bridge (good for you!!!!) get an implant. They outlast bridges and do not harm the adjacent teeth. If you've had bone loss, you may need a bone graft but it's not a big deal.

Mantus: Go to a dentist. Chronic periodontal disease is an infection that [B]by definition[B] is painless. If you don't visit a dentist, you only find out that you have it when you teeth become loose and by that time it's often too late to save your teeth. That being said, teeth move unless held in place by other teeth. If a tooth has started drifting, it will continue until stopped somehow.

Rangsk: Good question. I have no idea how to find a dentist. There's 1-800-dentist but I believe they just charge dentists $$ and promise to send them a certain number of patients/month depending on how much they pay. Contrary to what they lead you to believe on the commercials, it's nothing more than a yellow pages. UCSD doesn't have a dental school and a hospital is better suited for other types of people who can't afford treatment (like those on welfare, requiring lots of treatment with little cash). I doubt you'd find what you want there. Check the yellow pages, check the area around school for a place that has alot of students as patients. Maybe they have a student special or something. Wish I had a better answer.

Here's my question:

What's the deal on getting wisdom teeth out? (and if this has already been addressed just tell me) I have all 4 wisdom teeth, and they've never caused me pain, the only thing that is "wrong" is the ones on the bottom caused a little bit of crowding (emphasis on the little bit). So, should I have them taken out or not? I have never regularly gone to the dentist, and now I don't have dental insurance, but I've brushed at least twice a day my whole life, and haven't ever had a problem.

Wow, this is such a useful forum I found today by chance.
Okay, I am almost 25, and had great teeth until I was about 17/18. I had braces, retainers, and two cavities and then I got my wisdom teeth (only had three; two tops and a bottom) out almost exactly 7 years ago. That was unpleasant, as that's how I found out I am allergic to most prescription pain killers. Anyway, it's at this time, that my teeth problems began. The wisdom teeth incident was also the last time I saw any sort of dental expert.
For the first week of healing, I could not open my mouth wide enough to brush my teeth. For a month, I couldn't open my mouth entirely. After that month, I had a buildup of permanent grime on my front teeth. A while after that (6 months to a year), my molars that happened to be next to where I would have had wisdom teeth slowly started deteriorating painlessly. When I was 19, I chipped one of my front upper teeth, which was fine, but slowly, more and more pieces have been chipping off (still painlessly). And now, for the last week, my bottom right, 12 year molar has been agonizing me. It's gotten to the point where underneath my jaw is very tender, my ear aches, and forget about eating on that side of my mouth. Now, I have not had any dental coverage since I turned 18. I finally broke down today (after I spent two hours crying from pain) and called my old dentist to get in there tomorrow morning to deal with what I assume will be a nasty root canal. This will cost me at least $1100.
Now, I want to get my mouth back to better health (I hate being so self conscious about smiling and laughing). However, I cannot afford it, as I am a poor college student who somehow manages to live off of a $700 a month income. I noticed that you recommend getting work done at a dental college. I happen to live relatively close to Tufts University (and from what I hear, they have a great dental school). I was just wondering, exactly what is the price difference between my overpriced dentist and say getting it done by students? I have never liked going to the dentist; I fear mouth pain and the sound of drills. In fact, I adored my orthodontist as a child, but I never came to like the dentist. I assume the price I was quoted is just for the root canal and does not take into account the crown that I will need. I simply cannot afford to pay thousands of dollars, but I am willing, despite my fears, to get the damage to my once pristine teeth fixed. I want them cleaned, the top 12 year molars fixed, the chip fixed and whatever else is having issues fixed. But right now, I need this one tooth immediately fixed (I kept hoping and hoping the pain would go away, but I can't sleep at night anymore, and I am sick of the ridiculous amounts of ibuprofen I have ingested over the last week). Also, is it just coincidence that the deteriorating molars are next to where I had my wisdom teeth removed? I had them taken out long before they neared the surface (so as not to ruin the thousands spent on orthodontics), but I just think it's quite odd that these are my major problem teeth. Perhaps I inadvertently neglected them, feigning sensitivity, despite the fact the sockets had healed. Also, I should point out that I am a smoker and a coffee drinker. I do not drink soda, and I dring 6-8 glasses of tap water daily for the flouride. I brush my teeth at least once a day, but most days I brush twice. I try to floss often, but I'd be lying if I said I did it daily. Also, since I am such a wus about pain, is there anyway to be knocked out and have everything else fixed in one clean sweep? Any advice/comments are very much welcome, and thank you so much for taking the time to answer all of these questions.

Sage: If they're not causing a problem then it's ok to keep them. It sounds like yours are starting to cause a problem, crowding. These kinds of things generally get worse over time and the teeth get more difficult to extract as you get older. If you are under 25, I'd get them out.

Nayzo: It sounds like while you may have had great teeth until 17/18, you haven't kept up with it since then. The "permanent grime" isn't permanent but it needs to be removed by a hygienist or you may need periodontal surgery to get it all off. I strongly doubt that the bad teeth have anything to do with the fact that they are close to where your wisdom teeth were, it's just that they are now the teeth furthest back and most difficult to clean. Smoking does not exactly help the situation. It alters your body's ability to fight off disease.

In short, yes go to Tufts or BU. Expect to pay ~25-50% of a dental office price (overpriced is a very relative term my friend....).

My mother has a receeding gums. Is there any way to fix that? Shes had it for about three years. Its gotten worse. Thanks Popo.

Sure. A periodontist can do gum grafting to fix it. It's not always easy and there are various factors involved but it's generally fixable.

you are the bearer of bad news popo

my insurance doesn't start until september one and I don't have the money to go myself so I'm still waiting it out and brushing like a madman.

thanks for the heads up though :(

Broken Molar
 

Hi,
The other day I was eating pizza and when I bit into the crust I broke a molar. I'm just sick about it since I've never broken a tooth before. There is no pain, but about 1/4 of the tooth is gone and now there are sharp edges.

What would be the normal course to fix this? Do I have to get a root canal? About how much is this going to cost me?

Thank you,
Patty

Hi Patty, sorry to hear about it. You will most likely need a crown or onlay (~$700-1200). If the nerve is affected, you'd need a root canal (~$1000) and post/core (~$3-500). If the break goes under your gumline, you may need a crown lengthening procedure (~$600-1000).

If the break is really small and it just feels like 1/4 of the tooth, you may have lucked out and just need a filling.

If all that I mentioned is needed, you might consider an implant instead. It's a very viable allternative these days to going through all those procedures which each have a certain failure rate.

Good luck and lemme know if you need more info.

I don't have any problems with me teeth that I'm aware of, but thought I might throw in a human interest question. What do you like most about being a dentist and why?

My little story: I got into dental school mainly as a fluke. I was doing an undergrad in molecular bio and figured that my future was med school. I took the MCAT very young (19) and did ok (28) but not good enough to get into a good school, or so I was told. As I thought of retaking it, my enthusiasm waned and then I spoke with physicians who were jealous of their dentist buddies and suggested that. A good friend was applying to dentistry and I was convinced. Med just didn't appeal to me anymore.

Dental school wasn't fun. I thought many times that I'd made the wrong choice. I may have dropped out if it weren't for the massive loans I took out. I'm now a periodontal resident with an extra 3 years training in implants. I love it. People come to me with big problems, about to lose a tooth, about to lose a full mouth of teeth, already have no teeth, etc and I rehab them with bone grafts & implants. I love surgery, I love the biology & medicine involved. I love what it does to patients. It completely changes their lives. People without dental problems don't understand the effect that teeth and oral function have on a personality. I've had patients cry at the first appointment and cry and the last one, but for very different reasons. It's pretty gratifying.

That's the short story. Thanks for asking. Cheers.

Does $360 sound like a lot for a simple cap replacement? Hubby broke his, there was no cavity exposed, the cap had only broken off in part. I never imagined that filing it down and replacing it with a resin cap would be so much.

I'm not sure what you mean. If a crown was broken, it needs to be replaced with a new one. You can attempt to patch it up but it should be replaced as it is now more prone to future fracture. A new crown costs ~$700-1500.

If it was a natural tooth (not a crown), it makes more sense. In that case, it might be a bit steep for a composite (1 appointment) but cheap for a resin inlay (2 appointments).

Popo
Would you recommend using Carecredit to finance dental treatment? Supposedly, payments are interest free if you pay within a certain timeframe of 3,6 or 12 months.
Do you know if Carecredit works like a credit card? Lets say I want to finance $3000. Does the dentist get $3000 up front and then I make the required monthly payments?
According to the dentists office, carecredit only gives them $2700 and then I have to make up the the difference which is another $300 or approx. 9.9 percent. Doesn't seem as good as it looks when you read their literature. What do you or anyone else who has used this company think?

Thanks popo - I always enjoy hearing about the things that others enjoy. Great that you can make a living at something you enjoy, and make a positive difference in people's lives at the same time.

About a year ago i chipped two front teeth (one top and one bottom) because i was watching TV and i bit my fork (what a stupid story, i know), my dentist filled the top one up because she said it was chipped through the enamel, but she didn't touch the bottom one.

I can see a small crack towards the side and it will sometimes hurt for a few days at a time (especially sensitive to temperature those days). I'm a bit young to have gold and silver crowns on my teeth, i'm just wondering if there are other alternatives, because it feels like it's only going to get worse with time.

Thanks


(by the way, this thread makes me think that all tfp'ers should just pitch in to buy an island on the carribean and live a self-sufficient lifestyle)

popo, I just enrolled in a boxing class and the problem is that I have been wearing braces for about year now. To make matters worse, our coach says that we will be required to spar three times and have at least one full contact match by the end of the third month. I havent yet talked to my orthodontist yet but was wondering if you could offer any advice on keeping all my teeth.

This may be a bit outside your normal area, but I have a question about dental insurance. I'm going to grad school and am offered an optional dental insurance plan for a bit extra a month. Up until now I'm been on my parent's plan so I have no idea how much these things should cost. What should I look for when evaluating to plan? If I decide not to go for it how much would two cleanings a year cost me out of pocket?

We've used CareCredit. It was not interest free in the least. The interest was almost twice the monthly minimum payment. If you gotta do it then do it but plan to pay at least twice the minimum or more if you can to get rid of it faster. Otherwise you can be paying for a few years. In our situation they paid the dentists office in full up front. It's considered a credit card situation.

Sore throat, towards the back. Enlarged tonsils. Maybe some headache/jawache.

Multiple possible causes:
1> Wisdom teeth. I have 3 of them unremoved (27 years old)
2> Cat allergy, and spending too much time with said cats
3> Other mouth/throat, been swapping fluids with someone new

The pain isn't all that bad.

{No longer a concern, disregard post}

Here's the deal: On Friday at 8:45 I'm going to have surgery to remove a wisdom tooth in the lower jaw. The rest of the day, my schedule is cleared for R&R. On Saturday, I'm going to work (cashier in grocery store) from 9 to 18, then I'm going to a party. Everyone says I'm insane to even work on Saturday. Of course those are the same pepole that told me vastly exaggerated horror stories before I had a wisdom tooth in the upper jaw pulled a few years ago, so I don't trust their judgement.
What kind of recovery time can I expect? My dentist only told me to take it easy for the rest of the day, but everyone else who have undergone the procedure say I'm going to need several days to recover.
I'm getting nervous here... :eek:
Oh, and I've never had surgery before. Can I eat breakfast before or is it better to do it on an empty stomach?

Thank you, Popo! After awhile, I stopped looking for a response, but circumstances kept me from doing the splint. Something told me this would be a bad solution to a small problem.

My apologies for not giving my thanks sooner than this. :icare:

Pip: I need more info to give you a good answer but here's the general scoop. It really depends on what the tooth is like... impacted or not... the position of the tooth if impacted. If the doc will need to remove bone to get to the tooth you'll be sore and swollen and will probably not want to go to work or the party. If not impacted, it won't be a big deal. Your experience has been good so far because upper wisdom teeth extraction is much kess invasive than lower ones, generally speaking. Good luck.

You're welcome Alphaba. :)

Regarding the CareCredit questions, I don't have any experience with it but I do know that it's pretty popular. I did think it was interest-free for the pt for a while and yes, I know that they do take a cut from the dentist office.

Thanks for your swift reply, popo. I have a vague memory of my dentist mentioning carving in the bone... I'm doomed, unless my ancient Viking regenerative powers kick in.

Following up on myself...
I went for another cleaning, and since there was a note in my file about asking this question, I discussed it further with the hygienist. She hadn't heard about it either, but we made a small change and I rinsed about twice as often during the pumice-polishing step, just in case it was an ingestion issue (mild fluoride poisoning? aspartame?). Also, I took two ibuprofen an hour beforehand. One of those two things solved my problem.

popo:
I'm getting my wisdom teeth out in December and am just curious what kind of recovery time I can expect. Three of them are coming in relatively straight (although, apparently not straight enough to be left in :() and one of them is coming in sideways. Three of them are still beneath the gum, but one has broken through a bit (not the sideways one). General anasthesia will be used.

So, I realize that is minimal information, but any idea how long I can expect to take recovering?

SecretMethod: I can't say for sure but from what it sounds like you can expect much swelling & bruising. Take a couple days off to relax, watch some movies, and enjoy the pain meds.

I've a mean damn toothache, and have been looking for a dentist that I can afford, as this will be a root canal job or two at the minimum.

But in the meantime, I need to be able to sleep, so... Just to be able to stand existing, I need to easily max out on the max dosage of acetaminophen (500mgx2 x8 per day). This is not enough. So, can I, on top of that, max out on ibuprofen as well, seeing as they're made of different chemical ingredients?

I'd like to keep my liver, but just "going to a dentist" isn't financially possible just yet.

I'm a 28-year-old male, 6'2", 240 lbs.

For some reason, my lower incisors are very very sensitive. This started occuring yesterday night and is still happening. I literally can breath on them to cause discomfort.

I'm thinking maybe it's my new toothbrush? My dad always did warn me about brushing the enamel off my teeth.

Thanks for answering everyones questions popo. Just had a wisdom tooth pulled out myself a few days ago and it came out fine and i didnt feel a thing now 4 days later it still dosnt hurt but my jaw is still kinda sore. but considering i have a fairly new hole its not bad at all. but when i was at the dentist he told me i have a couple cavitys between my teeth and it made me wonder how they deal with that? do they drill down from the top to fill in holes on the side of the tooth where they cant get to it?


Oh and since your a dentist you should design a better way to x-ray each tooth without biteing down on those horrible plastic things that dig into all the wrong parts of your mouth. one of those evil things scratched me under my tounge. Those things were worse then getting the tooth pulled.

So, I got my wisdom teeth pulled and everything seems to be going well. It's been a little over 48 hours and I didn't need any pain medication after the day of the surgery. As for swelling it hasn't been too bad either. Since three teeth were underneath the gum, the stitches there are preventing any open holes, but the one that had broken through does have a small bit of a hole as far as I can tell.

I spoke to my uncle who is an oral surgeon earlier today and he was telling me that they don't consider it fully healed until 4-6 weeks after surgery and that until then I should look out for dry socket, signalled by a throbbing pain in my jaw, etc, and stuff like that. He didn't give me a very clear answer on when I could start eating more solid foods though, just "whenever you're comfortable." Well, my mouth FEELS fine, but I mean I have stitches in my mouth, etc etc ;) So, when SHOULD I be comfortable eating solid food? I can't go on eating apple sauce, pudding, tomato soup, scrambled eggs, and ice cream for a month :p But I'd also like to minimize the difficulty that arises from getting food stuck.

Also, when can I brush my teeth again? The guy who did the surgery said I could brush the front by now if I'm careful, but what about the whole mouth? What should I look for as a signal that that's ok?

Sorry if you already answered this question.

I have a problem with my jaw. It pops when I move it from one side to the other, and it doesn't hurt or anything. Is it TMJ? What will the dentist have to do to fix it?

I have a question. I took my daughter to the dentist last month. My 3 yr old son wanted to see him too, but I didn't have an appointment. So I made one, it is tomorrow. Well, on the way out from my daughter's appointment, she started gagging and almost threw up because of some lemon flavored flouride treatment they used (she has a terrible gag reflex). Anyway, now my son is scared to go. Any tips on how I can ease his fear?

(maybe this should be in the parenting forum and not here? If so, can a mod please move it? Thanks)

i have had a lot of problems lately with my teeth. It started with my wisdom teeth being removed. The surgeon apparently nicked my rear molars and that wasn't caught in the followup or checkup and my two rears cracked, one became infected and was removed, the other is awaiting an option (crown/removal/whatever else). The infected one also meant i had to have a root canal on the one in front, which is awaiting a crown. The lower molars have developed problems as well since the bite isn't quite right...sooo, basically, i'm kinda lost as to what to do with them all. i say awaiting bc my insurance will kick in very soon and there is no immediate danger as far as they can tell, unless something serious were to occur, but anway, it looks like i'm going to either have to have the three remaining rear molars removed, or i'm going to have to have them all capped or implants or something else.

Sorry to make this all confusing, but do you have any suggestions/costs/anythign at all for what i should do?

My gums bleed when I brush occasionally. I'm using the same sort of toothbrush I've used since childhood. I brush twice daily, once in the morning and once before bed.

There is no accompanying pain, either while I'm brushing or before/after. Any idea why this has started happening?

I too have this problem, and sometimes I bleed when I bite into certain things..

Missing Molars
 

I am 24 years old and I've always had dental coverage expect the past year and a 1/2. I put off going to the dentist because I couldn't afford it when I finally about 2 months ago I had to have my bottom two molars on the left side pulled because I had a cavity that apparently wasn't cleaned when it filled correctly inbetween the two teeth rot down to root and the have to take out on of the top ones on my right side. I'm too young for dentures what should I do?

I went to the dentist to have 2 cavities filled about 1 1/2 months ago. They also drilled out an old metal filling in one of my molars and replaced it with a composite. I didn't have any problems with this tooth before the new filling, but ever since, I have had very strong cold and pressure sensitivity. The pressure sensitivity is not as bad as it was a couple weeks ago, but it's still there.

Is it common for a replacement filling to be uncomfortable for this long, or am I looking at needing a root canal treatment eventually?

lawgyrl im sure you dont need dentures just for a couple teeth. i bet you can get implants to replace those teeth.

I have had a bunch of dental work done recently and so far im very pleased with how its been going. had to have a broken wisdom tooth pulled then another that was just flat out in the way. had a couple fillings done and other boring stuff like that. and all threw it i have never felt any pain or anything. Im basicly allergic to just about everything so they didnt use any of that floride cleaning stuff or anything on my teeth but they did some sort of soda blast thing to clean and polish them and all that. Basicly what im saying is they seem to be able to have a answer for everything.
Even before they stuck me with the needle full of numbing stuff lidocain or something i think they called it. the modern version of novicain they put some gel on my gums so i was numb from that so i didnt even feel the needle from the injection.
My only complaint is the cost of it all but i dont have any dental coverage or anything so i suppose thats just my fault.
Oh yeah almost forgot a important detail. The office where i go has a few real attractive girls working there and for some crazy reason they all have nice teeth and a real pretty smile =)

eww.. you need to pick up one of those $100 a year dental plans that gives you around 50% off all dental work. I had Aetna insurance through my last company and they covered about $100 of my first session of around $1500. I found dentalplans.com and bought one of their packages, and over my next sessions, I got over half off everything...

It's not insurance, it's a discount program, so you don't have to wait for insurance claims to go through, or deductables that you have to wait to get the difference back... very convenient..

A friend of mine told me that listerine was a bad idea because it dried out people's gums, which could lead to gum problems. Is this true?

First of all thank you for all of your replies to everyone and actually have one of my own. I'm 21 and a few months ago had my first crown done. The dentist told me that it might be sensitive for a few days but if it continued to go back and he would shave it down some more. Well I've had to go back about 5 times to fix it and he then started shaving down the tooth directly underneath it which is perfectly ok. The thing is that it is still sensitive when I bite down on it. A friend of mine had the same problem and ended up getting a root canal as the result.. will I end up having to do the same if I go back again?

That's really too bad, sorry to hear it.

Not much you can do if they can't be saved. Save up for implants and learn from the mistake of not going to a dentist sooner. The problems would have been detected sooner. There's no such thing as not affording it as long as there is a dental school within driving distance.

I dunno, tough to say without an exam/xray. Composite fillings do cause more sensitivity and they are more technique-sensitive. But if the filling is close to the nerve, that will cause the sensitivity too. First thing is to make sure the bite is ok, if it doesn't stop then replace the filling and see from there.

Typically root canal pain is sensitive to hot temperatures and to biting. It's a throbbing pain that comes and goes.

it does have alot of alcohol, which does dry your mouth. is it a bad idea... no but i wouldn't use it 20x/day. i personally prefer the new one from crest with no alcohol.

it sounds like it just doesn't fit well. 5 adjustments is a bit extreme, i'd ask him to remake it if it's that uncomfortable.

I went back into the dentist 2 weeks ago and my bite seems fine, the x-rays seem fine. He says to give it another month, and he'll schedule me for a root canal procedure. The pain comes only when drinking something cold, and goes away after about 5 seconds. I haven't noticed the pressure problems in about a week, but I've mainly been eating on the other side, so I am not sure if there's still a pressure problem.

Go see an endodontist for the root canal, they're the specialist. Plus you get a second opinion at the same time.

That sounds like a plan.. thanks a lot!

I have a rather odd dental question. I got my top left wisdom tooth removed about two weeks ago. I had my bottom two removed a year ago and still have my top right one. Well, after the extraction I noticed that I had a wrinkle going from my nose to my mouth (laugh line). After two weeks it still hasn't gone away. It's on the left side of my face. Could this be caused by the tooth removal? I've never had any wrinkles before(I'm 23).

Popo,

First off, you are the man.

I'm starting to develop a slight gap between my two front teeth, it's nothing terribly noticeable, but it is annoying enough to affect my vanity. Is there any way to close such a gap outside of full-blown bracers? And if so, who would I see to get something like that in order?

I have 3 spaces between my teeth which seem to catch food. I floss several times a day but still have trouble cleaning out those three spots. I remember the dentist telling me I would have trouble with two of them. Sometimes wake up with slight pain from impacted food that I couldn't quite get out. (at the time I had spent so much money with the dentist that I finally gave up. Didn't think the bills and appointments would ever end.)
If the food is removed within 24 hours am I causing any serious damage to my teeth or gums?

I just had one filling replaced a week ago now with the composite stuff. When I wake up it feels fine, but after I eat and chew with it, it starts to hurt. By the end of the day there is the throbbing pain. Cold stuff hurts, I don't think hot stuff bothers it.

When should I go back to the dentist? He said that this would happen with the composite fillings, but how long should I wait before having it inspected versus waiting the nerves to die off or become used to it? I've read a few of the previous posts here and they have had this problem for weeks.

Second. They used a drill on the tooth and would it be possible that the pain is coming from the vibrations on the root loosening itself from the gums? My previous dentist switched to a type of sand/air blasting. I liked that a lot better. Is this becoming more common?

The pain is decreasing slightly I think, we will see if it continues.

You said that gold doesn't cause any problems with sensitivity before. Would it be possible to get a thin layer of gold and then glue or attach the composite onto it?

Thanks!

I guess it takes about 10 days for the sensitivity to go away after you get a composite filling on a molar. I am still staying away from cold food & drinks, but it isn't bothering me like it was on Thursday.

Hmmm, not sure about this. Your teeth definitely support the soft tissue of your face (think of the old toothless person wearing vs. not wearing dentures). But a single missing tooth (not a bunch in row) won't do it, especially in the back of your mouth where wisdom teeth are. Sorry, I don't have an answer but I strongly doubt the wisdom teeth have anything to do with it.

Sure. Depending on how big the space is and what the dimensions of your teeth are, you could probably get some simple bonding to close the gap. Obviously if your teeth are already wide then making them wider will look funny and braces might be your best bet. Any good general dentist will be able to do the bonding.

Speaking from a gum standpoint, no, but you may not be getting all of it. From a cavity standpoint, yes it still can be harmful. If the spaces are causing food impactions then you need to get them fixed. I understand the cost issue but you should realize that it's a choice between some cost now or potentially much more later on.

Glad to hear that you're doing better. Give it some more time.

Good idea having a gold layer and white material bonded to it. That's how ~90% of crowns are made. ;) A filling isn't done like that though.

WRT your question about air abrasion... some people use it. No one I know. It has it's own problems from what I hear. It's good for very small cavities.

Yeah, that is what it was called. My old dentist switched to that a few years ago, and it worked great. I don't even think that there was a need to numb the area. And there was no drilling noise or vibration making the tooth vibrate in the socket. You should look into it again.

Thanks, but not my field :)

What is the treatment for when your gums are irritated and sore? After getting that filling two weeks ago, the outside area around the back three teeth around the gum line is sore and sensenstive. This might have been the real problem, not the filling, which was causing the pain after the first few days.

The dentist has said before that I had gingivitis, but would this cause it to get worse, or and there any treatment for it? In April they didn't mention it, but they did in October 05.

Have you ever seen the movie Marathon Man with Dustin Hoffman? Do you think that's why people are afraid of dentists?

Last time I went I had them break down the costs. What is with the "exam" cost? I paid $50 for the doc to come in, literally spend 1-2 minutes with me, and say my teeth are fine. I'm sure there are more complex cases where it might be more warranted, but why not have the cost by a case to case basis?

Anyways, my actual question is do all dentists charge for this exam? Also the nurse said it was something they had to do by law, is that true?

Thanks.

That is on a case basis. A consult and treatment planning fee can/should run into the hundreds of dollars for a complex case. $50 is nothing for the expertise it takes for him to only need to spend 1-2 minutes with you. It takes alot of years to get there.

Reminds me of an old joke:

Patient: How much will it cost to take out the tooth?
Dentist: $200
Patient: $200 for just a few minutes?
Dentist: I can take it out very slowly if you like...

For the last few months I have been giving serious thought into getting veneers for my two upper front teeth. One has a calcium deposit from when first came in, and the other tooth half was knocked out when I was a kid, and filling thing has slightly discolored over the years. So my question is I have seen them for 900ish to 1200ish. This would be coming out of my own pocket and a 600 dollar difference is a lot. Why the price flux, do veneers range in quality?

Is it possible to get braces for just one tooth? I have very good alignment in my teeth. All of them. BUT I have one babytooth that may have to come out soon. I have an adult tooth that's just begun to cut through the roof of my mouth just behind the baby tooth. My dentist a while back said that if that adult tooth ever decided to come in we could pull the baby tooth. BUT I know my insurance won't pay much for braces. I never expected to need them. I doubt that this baby tooth will move into the proper hole since it's already started to come through in a different place. I don't want to be an adult with a gaping hole where canine should be. I also don't have to money to handle a full mouth of braces. Are there any cheaper routes to fixing this problem? What can I expect? I will be seeing my dentist again next week but I'd like to hear what options are out there (if there are any different options) so that when he starts telling me what he recommends I can understand what the best choice is.

Yes they do range in quality. But the higher price dentist is not necessarily the better one. The price depends on materials the dentist chooses and the expertise of the lab he chooses to actually make the veneers. Labs vary greatly in quality and price and their price very much reflects quality. You can be sure that a dentist that uses a high cost lab will charge for it but one who uses a low cost lab may also charge high prices.

Best advice: 1) ask to see photos of actual patients that got veneers from him. NOT stock photos, real patients. Any high quality dentist will take photos for this purpose. 2) ask to speak to patients who went to him/her for veneers. 3) to reiterate what's been said many times here, go to a local school if you're cost-conscious. You'll get top quality (especially if you ask to be seen by residents instead of students) and the price will be lower than private practice.

Impossible for me to say without seeing the case but in general there's no cheaper option to orthodontics.

Sign up for insurance now or go to a school if cost-conscious.

Hi, first time here. Just searched google for a site that may be able to help me solve my 4 year old's grinding teeth habit. In her sleep she tends to grind her teeth quite hard and I an becoming increasingly worried about what damage this is doing to her teeth. She has no idea that she's doing it when I discuss it with her. Is there anything I can do to stop it?

What's the sort of shorthand lingo dentists and their assistants use during exams? I just want a quick primer so I can both understand what exactly is being said and also to communicate more effectively.

I.E. "42 buckle" means... what?

I have no experience with pediatrics. I'd recommend you see a Pedodontist.

The number will refer to the tooth and the word describes where on the tooth, ie buccal (meaning toward the cheek), lingual (toward the tongue), distal (toward the back), or mesial (toward the front). He may be checking probing depths of your gums or checking for decay/fractures/etc.