Astrocloud

What is the easiest insurance program to deal with?

ShaniFaye

One of my back lower molars that had a filling had a big hunk just break off, we are talking the whole part in the front...when I get the courage up to go to the dentist what will they tell me I need done? The filling and the back part of the tooth is still there.

__________________
I want the diabetic plan that comes with rollover carbs. I dont like the unused one expiring at midnite!!

popo

To be honest, I don't know. I was in private practice for a short time before I went back to a residency program, where I am now.

I can tell you that after I get out, I will not be dealing with insurance companies very often. Insurance is meant to be there in case something big goes wrong for you. Dental insurance companies cover the small stuff but walk away when big jobs need to be done, leaving their clients (and our patients) up shit's creek. They suck ass.

popo

Well, a few things can go wrong here. Best case scenario is that you just need a crown on it. Worst case is that it needs to be extracted (if the break went way below the gum line). Anything in between those 2 scenarios includes needing a root canal (if the break went into the nerve) + crown and/or crown lengthening (if the break went slightly below the gums).

Don't wait too long. If dentin (the soft structure under the hard enamel) is exposed, bacteria can eat away at it pretty quickly getting into the nerve, thus leading you to a root canal.

ShaniFaye

ooo I was afraid you were going to utter the dreaded words "root canal"

__________________
I want the diabetic plan that comes with rollover carbs. I dont like the unused one expiring at midnite!!

dy156

I dip tobacco, and have for about 7 years.
How serious is the risk of lip cancer?
You sure don't hear about it as much as lung cancer, and I know alot of old men that have chewed tobacco for years with no real affects. A friend of mine talked to a doctor that dipped, and he relayed to me that it was pretty much okay as long as you didn't do it all the time, and that it was more a matter of having something between your cheek and gum all the time than having tobacco in your mouth.
As long as my gums aren't receeding, will I be okay?
What were you told in dental school?

P.S. I haven't been to a dentist for a couple of years, but was okay at that time, and the dentist didn't ask me if I dipped.

popo

Quit.

Cancer of the cheek, gingiva, lip, and tongue are all common and are not fun. The survival rate of oral squamous cell carcinoma (the most common form of oral cancer) is not high.

And survival is not fun either. You should see people who've had half their jaw/face resected because of oral cancer.

Check out these sites and hopefully get scared enough to quit.

http://www.oron.mas.lu.se/Oral/engelsk/oraleng.html

http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancerinfo/pd...hprofessional/

coilz

Hey Popo, more question for you. I've got myself an admission interview coming up in march. Got any tips? Anything I should/shouldn't do or say? Any help would be great !

popo

They key at the interview will be to appear stable and mature and well-spoken. So don't mention TFP . J/K.

Seriously, your grades and board scores got you the interview. They already like you. Unfortunately there are many weirdos and people who can't put together 2 sentences in dentistry and so the field as a whole is lacking young articulate people. Show them that you fit the bill. You may not have the absolute best answers, but the delivery is just as, if not more, important.

That being said, expect the usual questions such as "what is your biggest fault?", "what are you most proud of?", etc. Speak confidently, but do NOT be cocky.

As for your own questions, I always (in dental school and grad school interviews) use a two-part question: "what do you like best about the program?" and "what do you think can be improved in the program and how are you planning on doing that?" It shows that you are interviewing them too, that they still have to sell the school to you. It also gets them talking about things they like and everyone enjoys talking about things they like.

Relax, and don't be afraid to make them laugh. Good luck! Which schools, btw?

coilz

University of Alberta

deportes

Very nice of you to answer all this questions. I've had a root canal done 10 years ago on number 19. Once in a while the tooth aches and I went to the oral surgeon and he said that it may be broken under the crown. I have a very small infection on the root tip. I haven't had it pulled but I'm wondering how long and what damage is causing to have the low level infction going on, it's not going away.
I don't want to loose a tooth,

pappymojo

First of all, thanks for taking the time with these.

I posted this question in the ask an ortho thread, but I'm not sure if that's the right place. OK. Here goes:

When I smile, my upper lip rides up revealing a lot of my gum line. It's not that bad, and I'm not a seriously vain person, but I am aware of it. I still smile all the time, but I would love to do something about it. In worse cases, it's been called horse mouth. It's not that bad, but like I said, I am aware of it.

Anyways, I have noticed that if I have something in between my upper lip and my gums (as if I were dipping), my lip doesn't ride up when I smile. I don't dip though. Sometimes I will use a piece of gum.

My question is, do you know of any devices that are made specificaly to deal with this problem. Ideally I would like a soft plastic or was mold that I could slip in and out but that wouldn't move around too much.

Any ideas? Thanks again.

popo

Like your oral surgeon said, it's possib;e that the tooth is cracked under the crown. This can cause lingering pain that really won't go away (especially seeing that having a crown on top hasn't stopped it). If you want to go all out to save the tooth, you could try removing the crown to see how big the crack is and if it can be fixed.

But since you say that there is a chronic infection going on at the tip, the pain could easily be related to that and not a crack. The question is whether it is really an infection or scar tissue left over from the original root canal.

Looking at X-rays from a year or 2 or more ago will tell you if the "infection" at the end of the root is worsening or if it hasn't changed. If worsening, it's robably causing the pain. If not, could be a crack.

If it is an infection that's reappeared then you have 2 options: 1) have a surgical root canal where they go in from the gums directly to the root tip. 2) extract the tooth and get an implant. Believe it or not, most of the literature shows that implants have a higher rate of success. The conservative (and potentially costly) way to go would be to see if the root canal surgery works and have the implant as a backup plan.

popo

I agree with what the ortho in the other thread said about this but I'll just add that depending on your situation, it may be advisable to have "crown lengthening", where some gum tissue and bone is removed elongating your teeth and making your smile less gummy. Of course, if your teeth are already on the long side, it won't look nice to do this but it's something to get an opinion on. This is often done in coordination with veneers.

In an extreme situation where you have excess vertical growth of your upper jaw, maxillofacial surgery (where a horizontal portion of your jaw bone is removed) would be the ideal treatment.

deportes

Thanks popo. I've been trying to just pop off the crown myself to see if the pain increases. 97 % of the time the tooth doesn't bother me at all.

ChrisJericho

I saw there's been a few mentions of whitening, but it would be great if you could clarify a bit.

My teeth are naturally a bit yellow. I believe this runs on my mother's side of the family. I do not smoke or chew tobacco, drink lots of soda or anything like that, in fact I have never had a cavity and I'm 22. I read that you think the OTC whitening pastes don't have much effect, so I won't bother with those. So my main q's are:

1. Does the typical bleaching at dentist's office work on people with naturally yellow teeth?

2. For how long will the bleaching be effective?

3. Is it pretty much a given that my teeth would become sensitive after the bleaching?

Thanks !!

__________________
"A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows us that faith proves nothing." - Friedrich Nietzsche

paulaboots

yer i have a question , well here it goes my son went 2 the dentist about 6 months ago,he was 2 have a filling it all went ok.nor,as soon as the neddle went into his mouth 2 numb his gum,he turned his head, and the neddle caught his cheak. ever since then ,he wont have a fillin if he has got 2 have a neddle ,he would preffere 2 b knocked out with gas. what can i do 2 tell him that it is not that bad the injection, he hates going 2 the dentist at the moment, please help.

__________________
paulaboots

SmileyG3

Am i suppose to have any kind of feeling in a tooth that has had a root canal done on it over six months ago?

ps: no crown

jwells777

I saw a commercial for these "invisible braces" on T.V. last night and I was wondering what you thought of them as a dentist. How much does it usually cost to have your teeth fixed by these? Also, are they generally covered by dental plans or no?

Thanks,

J

diddagirl

Hey popo - sure nice fo you to do this!
I have a question for you. 5 days ago I got the first part of my implant placed in tooth # 36, I think? (1 molar on my left side). So what I have right now and for the next 3 or so months is the titanium screw with healing cap placed over it. I want to get my teeth whitened prior to haveing the abutment and porclean tooth placed- so that the implant matches my other teeth. I think I will get the trays made at the dentist and go that root. I am just wondering it the gel can damage my gum and or the implant and its healing?? thanks!

__________________
"Is it so small a thing to have enjoyed the sun, to have lived long in the spring, to have loved, to have thought, to have done."
-Matthew Arnold

qtpye4u84

Hey my parents never took me to a dentist so i have 2 cavites that are sensative one to heat and one to cold I cant chew without it hurting but there on 2 of my molers bottom left bottom right so if there too deep i need a root canal huh? I dont have insurance so i have to wait like maybe a few year or until i get married to my boy friend cause then he can put me on his insurance but how much would like 4 fillings cost with out insurance?

__________________
The QTpie

ibis

I've got the poping jaw thing. Do I need to get it fixed, or can it be let go? It doesn't hurt, just is annoying.

FEIGN

I hope this thread is still active.

I was hoping someone could tell me what (if any) are the possible health related problems associated with untreated severe tooth decay?

For example: Can severe tooth decay, if left untreated, contribute to other ailments such as stomach or duodenal ulcers, fibromyalgia like symptoms, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, menstrual problems, or anything else.

I greatly appreciate any and all comments.

Thank you,

__________________
Remember, where ever you go, there you are.

Rdr4evr

EDIT: Since this thread was bumped, my issue was solved, so no need to answer if you were planning on it...thanks.

thingstodo

Crest White Strips....what's the story? Dentist whitening procedures....are they worth the big bucks? And then there are the dentist Crest White strips. This is all confusing.

Can you help sort through all the marketing?

__________________
If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves.

Stangers have the best candy.

SecretMethod70

*bump*

popo, looks like you're still around, so I'll ask here...I think I may have receded gumsfrom brushing too hard (pretty sure of it actually)...is there anything less brutal than what was described in post #39 to address this problem? Cause that solution creeps the hell outta me, especially after a quick google search into the surgery.

Oh, and for someone who just can't give up the wonderful fizzy flavor of pop (1, because it tastes good; 2, because it's the cheapest flavored drink available and I'm a poor college student; and 3, because I swear I have an oral fixation because I seem to have a constant need to be drinking something), what would you recommend to be a reasonable amount per day? As it stands, I drink in excess of 40oz on most days but worry about the negative impact this could have and likely is having on my teeth.

__________________
Le temps détruit tout

"Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

popo

I reread that #39 post and that's the 1st time I've heard anyone complain like that about that procedure. I had one done on myself, my wife had one done and I just did one on a patient 2 weeks ago. None of us took anything more than Motrin (extra strength Advil) and we were fine. Very little swelling (no one else would notice), little discomfort with the plastic stent on your palate and most use a technique that causes less discomfort than when I had mine done (connective tissue graft vs. free gingival graft).

Then again, you don't NEED to get it done, unless you have sensitivity on the area or you don't like the esthetics of it. Otherwise if you stop brushing like mad and keep it clean, it shouldn't progress.

Stop the pop. 40 oz is too much, especially if not sugar-free. You will rot your teeth and although I personally focus on replacing teeth with implants, I don't want to have to give you a TFP discount . Switching completely to diet pop won't solve the problem because the acidity of it does lots of harm as well. If you're going to drink it, drink it with a meal. Do not sip it throughout the day between meals, and especially not before bed. That's when you produce less saliva and so you don't wash it away. If you don't want to use the TFP discount one day, I'd highly recommend switching to water or something like Fruit2O, Propel, If you like the carbonation, 1L bottles of sugar-free carbonated flavored water is in your supermarket for around 69 cents, cheaper than pop.

Good luck.

Siege

I hope this hasn't been posted before... but my wisdom teeth have started to come in. No big deal, but it seems as though the upper right one may either slightly crooked or too big (can that happen?!). I'm lead to believe this, because whenever i chew food, the upper right molar ends up slightly rubbing my inner cheek, which makes it feel like i'm biting it..=(

cudaboy

popo,
I want to say thankyou for allowing us to ask ? It is really a big help to a person who is severly dds phobic amonx other things.
I do have a fiew questions hopefully the answers will help calm me down.

I saw someone mentioned sedation dentistry. And that it is just a pill. What is the pill made of (meaning medication)

Also with implants is it true they actually drill the Jaw bone then screw the stud into the jaw . what type of sensetivity can be expected after everything is done.
Lastly after a tooth dies is extraction easier.

thanks much

__________________

StormBerlin

Ok, to start, I haven't seen a dentist since I was about eight (I'm 19 now). The other day I noticed that I had a little plaque buildup on one of my lower molars. So I tried to scrape it off with my finger nail, and it kind of broke in. Now there's a little hole where that plaque used to be and when I touch that space with my fingernail, it's really tender. I know I need to see a dentist about it, but they scare the shit out of me. So i'm wondering if this is something that needs urgent care.

__________________
"if anal sex could get a girl pregnant i'd be tits deep in child support" Arcane

popo

Seige: I hope this hasn't been posted before... but my wisdom teeth have started to come in. No big deal, but it seems as though the upper right one may either slightly crooked or too big (can that happen?!). I'm lead to believe this, because whenever i chew food, the upper right molar ends up slightly rubbing my inner cheek, which makes it feel like i'm biting it..=(

Sounds like they'll need to come out. Not a big deal.

Cudaboy: I want to say thankyou for allowing us to ask ? It is really a big help to a person who is severly dds phobic amonx other things.
I do have a fiew questions hopefully the answers will help calm me down.

I saw someone mentioned sedation dentistry. And that it is just a pill. What is the pill made of (meaning medication)

Also with implants is it true they actually drill the Jaw bone then screw the stud into the jaw . what type of sensetivity can be expected after everything is done.
Lastly after a tooth dies is extraction easier.

thanks much

Sedation dentistry can mean different things. It can mean that a pill is used to make you a bit drowsy. The pill(s) is/are typically Halcion (triazolam), a drug similar to Valium but better for short term use. Otherwise, IV sedation can be used typically with Versed and Fentanyl, sometimes with Propofol. All are safe if the dentist has training, which they must have in order to use these drugs.

Yes, that's how an implant is placed. Surprisingly, it doesn't cause much discomfort at all unless more invasive procedures such as bone grafting is also needed. I've had many implant patients jokingly ask to see the xray to prove that I actually placed the implant.

When a tooth dies, it actually makes extraction more difficult b/c the tooth tends to break more easily.

StormBerlin: Ok, to start, I haven't seen a dentist since I was about eight (I'm 19 now). The other day I noticed that I had a little plaque buildup on one of my lower molars. So I tried to scrape it off with my finger nail, and it kind of broke in. Now there's a little hole where that plaque used to be and when I touch that space with my fingernail, it's really tender. I know I need to see a dentist about it, but they scare the shit out of me. So i'm wondering if this is something that needs urgent care.

Not much of a choice here. You need to see a dentist. I have no idea about your tooth without seeing it but I'm pretty sure you need to be treated. If you really are scared, go see a pediatric dentist to get started. Explain that you're scared to death and they may see you even though you're 19. Really, look for someone who deals with frightened patients and GO THERE! I hate to say it but you'll likely regret it one day if you don't.

Good luck!

clavus

Geographic tongue:

I know it can cause occasional denuding of the tongue in places. But does this happen to the back of the tongue? Like the way way back, down your throat, causing minor pain in the throat and ears? There is a pattern of large deunded buds that are just parely visible at the far back of my tongue. A gag-inducing glance down my throat with a mirror revealed that they continue down my throat. Is this normal, an extension of geographic tongue, or do I have deadly tongue cancer?

__________________
Ass, gas or grass. Nobody rides for free.

Janey

hmmm. I had a dentist once (no longer obviously) who would rest his fore-arm on my chest as he was working. I thought it was weird, but it only happened a couple of times.

he also asked me out for lunch. when I told my BF ( i was in unversity at the time) I had to restrain him... funny when i think back on it.

Janey

Actually I'm interested in this too. My dentist wants to offer me a very expensive proccedure (around $500) which I would rather put towards something less trivial. but 20- 30 bucks for the white strips is more reasonable.

what's the deal here?

Charlatan

I'd like to hear about Whitening as well...

I'd also like to know when in the right age for a kid to get braces? My son will be 11 this December and really needs braces, I'm just not sure I can afford them right now but if he needed it now I would find the money somewhere.

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

popo

It doesn't sound like tongue cancer but I cannot say one way or the other based on a message board. PLEASE see a dentist if you are concerned.

It also doesn't sound like geographic tongue, which is completely benign and asymptomatic except for the funny-looking tongue. You may actually be looking at your circumvalate papillae (google it so you know what they look like), and these are supposed to be there along the back of your tongue. The pain in throat & ears could be a concern and I'd have it checked by both a good dentist and MD

WRT Crest White strips, see my answer to this question in post #26. I'm here if you still have questions.

Charlatan: I'm sorry but I really don't know much about ortho (we learn a very limited amount of it in dental school so that we don't realize how easy it is). I do know that it is MUCH easier to move teeth at a young age.

WS6_KID

Just had the wisdom teeth out, how long till the hole close???

__________________

clavus

Thanks. Ya. That's what they are. Whew.

Hey, Charlatan. I started my orthodontic treatment in 6th grade.

__________________
Ass, gas or grass. Nobody rides for free.

Charlatan

Thanks Clavus and popo... My son will be going into Grade 6 in the fall... I figure he can wait until then...

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

Redlemon

Oops, I should have remembered this thread before I posted my own. Well, I'll just quote myself for good luck...
No one in that thread had heard of it, and I just got off the phone with my dentist, and they hadn't heard of it either. I was thinking that it might have been a reaction to a larger-than-normal dose of fluoride, but they said that the dental pumice they use in the polishing step doesn't have a large amount of fluoride in it.

Any idea what's happening with me?

__________________
I can't read your signature. Sorry.