Any questions for a dentist?
 

I'll take any and all questions. No post goes unanswered.

:)

Sweet. My upper and lower canines on the left side collided the other week. It felt like there was a small divot in my top one, and they hurt like a bitch. Should I do anything special for them or just leave it alone?

Do you mean that you chipped the top one? If the chip is big enough it can cause sensitivity and need a "filling". But considering that they BOTH hurt like a bitch , I'd get it checked out.

I doubt you did much damage but anything that causes that much pain deserves to get checked out. If you want, let me know what the doc says and I'll tell you what I think.

I had to have a lower molar pulled, last one back on the bottom. My dentist wants to do an implant, they cost tons and insurance won't cover it. You think its necessary? She says the top one may drift because of no pressure from below. Its not bothering me now.

PS. I hope youre not my dentist.

Hey, I remember you, you trouble maker! ;)

You really have 2 choices here. Before suggesting one over the other, I'd need to know how old you are, medical status (smoker/diabetic/anything else?), why the tooth was pulled (do you take care of your mouth?), what the bone looks like in the area of the pulled tooth, and what your bite looks like.

The 2 options are:

1) Implant to replace the pulled tooth.
2) Pull the upper one too

Yup, the upper one will over time come down and it will become a pain in the ass even though it's not bothering you now. The question becomes whether you need that or not at all.

I'm not sure if it was your 1st or 2nd molar that got pulled (from your description, most likely the 2nd). You do not really need your 2nd molars to chew properly so pulling the upper tooth is a decent and cheap option. No, it's not ideal to pull a tooth that doesn't have problems, but better that than letting it slowly drop down.

The implant is also a good option, ESPECIALLY if it was your 1st molar that got yanked. Implants are very successful (~96%) if done properly. Most insurances don't cover it because, well, they're assholes.

If it's my mouth and I don't smoke or have any medical reasons eliminating the implant option, I do the implant. But I completely understand not being able to afford it. Pulling the upper tooth is an acceptable 2nd option.

Hope I didn't ramble too much.

Nice.

I had a few cavities up until I got insurance. I went to a dentist and got them filled....but I have not been able to chew on that side of my mouth (unless the food is VERY near body temp.) since I have had the work done.....and that wasnt the case before....even with the cavities.

I have talked to the dentist and he says its just because my teeth are so sensitive and I would need major surgery to take care of it.

I think is BS and he may have messed up my teeth in some way.

What do you think?

i have no insurance and my wisdom teeth are coming in. the upper right one is already all the way in. the others still havent broken through the gumline. i dont notice any problems. should i still go get them removed anyway (considering i dont have insurance)? could something go wrong or somehting? they dont hurt or anything.

Some people get some sensitivity after fillings just from the fact that teeth were drilled, especially with white fillings. This should go down within a few days. The fact that you mention temperature makes me think about the possibility that the nerves are infected/inflamed, especially if it's heat that causes the pain. The (costly) solution would be root canals on the affected tooth/teeth.

The only way your dentist could've screwed up here would be that he has horrible hands and caused the nerve inflammation with his drilling. It would be tough to believe that he's that bad. And it sounds like he's not pushing for you to go ahead with the root canals so he's not being overly aggressive for the $$.

So, if it's been less than 1 week then give it time. If it's been more than 1 week and they're white fillings, change them to silver. If you get a throbbing pain that comes on from exercise, lying down, or heat then you need a root canal.

This is a case where I'd really need x-rays to say for sure what's going on.

Not everyone needs them out but I'm assuming that you've been told that you do.

If you will be getting insurance anytime soon then try and wait it out. Worst thing that can happen is you'll get an infection with lots of pain. :) Seriously, the different things that can happen are 1) you get an infection, 2) they cause lots of decay on the teeth just in front of them, 3) cysts grow around them.

If you've been told you need them out, I'd get them out. If you start feeling pain in the area (especially the lower ones), GO SEE A DENTIST since an wisdom tooth infection can become alot more serious than you imagine if left untreated.

If cost is an issue, I highly recommend going to the closest dental school. It'll be a lot cheaper. And usually tough wisdom teeth extractions are done by oral surgery residents (already dentists), not dental students. Very worth it.

You mean to tell me there is a person with an actual doctorate on TFP?

When I wake up in the morning my teeth feel like they fit together perfectly. As the day goes on and I bite together, it feels like they are out of alignment. When I wake up the next morning, my teeth are feel like they are back in normal alignment and it starts all over again.

I have gone to my doctor and to my dentist and they can't find anything wrong. I brush and floss regularly and have my teeth cleaned every six months. They both said its probably just stress related. (I do have this bad habit of biting the inside of my cheeks when I get really stressed out, but I'm working trying to stop.) There is no pain involved and its just so frustrating not knowing what it is.

Do you have any ideas? Could it be TMD or TMJ? Any help would be really appreciated!

This is my way of saying thanks for the titty board. :)

My guess would also be that it's stress-related. You may be clenching and/or grinding either at night or during the day throwing off the "muscle memory" that your jaw muscles have. Because of the clenching, they would not have a single comfortable position that they can stay at.

If you've been told that you grind, getting a night guard could solve both problems. Another option is to see an oral pain specialist who would have lots of experience with all sorts of facial muscle probs. They're not so easy to come by but you too can call your local dental school and ask if they have someone who deals with this. Perhaps an Oral Medicine specialist.

BTW, I also used to bite my cheeks & lips till they were raw. I just decided one day to stop it and that was it, haven't done it for a year. Good luck!

Schwing! Score!

Ok... i'm 26 years old... Still got all of my wisdom teeth. All 4 are deeply impacted (ie. completely and totally under the gumline... can only be seen with exrays). I've never had braces and I have nearly perfectlt straight teeth.

My dentist recommends getting the wisdom teeth taken out soon. The longer they stay, the harder it will be to remove them later.

My question is... WHY will I want to get them removed later??? They aren't causing any problems now. Can they become a problem later down the road??? THANKS!

Thanks popo....from what you said, it makes me think it was the dentist.

The fillings are silver. Its been over a month since I have had the work done. He drilled and filled 3 cavities in about 20 mins. He clamped my tounge in the metal thing he put around a tooth while he was filling it.....twice by mistake.

I also kinda get the feeling that he may be after the cash because:
Teeth didnt hurt at all
Found out I had some small cavities when I had an x-ray
Got them filled
Now, i suddenly need root canals to make my teeth stop hurting

Time to look for another dentist.

Thanks again.

It's tough to say without seeing the x-rays but impacted wisdom teeth can definitely become a problem later on. They can cause havoc with the teeth directly in front of them, possibly making you lose those teeth. Cysts can also develop around them, requiring you to have trhe cysts removed. Not fun.

At 26, I'd probably recommend the same. If you were 36 (or even 30), I'd say leave them alone because it gets much tougher to remove them from mid-20's on. You're really at the point where it's either take them out now or leave them in until they become a problem, when it'll be much more difficult to take them out.

Ask for a referral to an oral surgeon and see what he recommends.

Pretty rare, moreso because of the straight teeth and properly aligned wisdom teeth. I've seen lots of people nowadays without any cavities. I once saw a girl, 26, from Africa who'd never been to a dentist before and she was exactly like you.

Trust me, there are enough people with bad teeth to keep everyone busy. You are by no means a dentist's worst nightmare.

My professional advice: change your font color. :)

If they were small, then there's no way you should be needing root canals. Get a 2nd opinion. It could be something very minor like simply the fillings needing to be adjusted.

Good luck and let me know what the other dentist says.

why do dentist insist on putting in shit non-precious metal in peoples mouths just to save a few bucks? yet these same dentist use precious or all porcelain when it comes to themselves and family members? have they every heard of berilliums disease?

When i colse my mouth, my teeth all fit together and it feels like they should naturally be that way, but the gap between my fron two teeth on the top is directly over the center of one of my bottom teeth. all of my top teeth seem to be shifted half a tooth width to my right. I think this may be due to a missing molar, the second one from the back on the top right. Would those "invisible" tooth aligners be able to fix that? If so, how much would they cost and how long would it take to be fixed?

Second question, do any of the over the counter tooth whiteners actually work?

Thanks for your help Popo, it doesn't hurt anymore, but it did hurt. I don't have dental insurance here at school, and they don't appear to be causing any problems so I might just leave it at that. Thanks for your advice, this is a great thread idea btw.

Peace.

Hey....

Often when I eat chocolate, I get this insane pain in my teeth. Sort of like the pain you feel when you drink something really cold, only 5 times worse. What is this? It only happens with chocolate for some reason.

I have a question! What is the best non-professional way to whiten your teeth? Heh, I realize it takes away from your business but I'm looking for a cheap, effective way. Thanks in advance!

Most dentists give the patient the option, but since the extra cost is passed on to the patient, it's not at all about the dentist being cheap. The vast majority of price-conscious patients don't see the value of paying extra for a better quality crown, ESPECIALLY since we're talking about the part of a crown that you can't even see. They think the dentist is just trying to up-sell.

Since any extra cost for all-porcelain or precious metal copings are passed onto the patient, I'm not sure how you come to your conclusion. All dentists I know try and convince the patient to go with the best restoration available.

I'll warn you that one area I'm not up to snuff on is orthodontics. What you describe definitely can be due to the missing molar. This is why whenever a tooth needs to be extracted, you should always plan on replacing it either with an implant or a bridge.

Invisalign works only on mild-moderate realignment so I'm not sure if it'll work in your case. Get a consult to an orthodontist and see what they say. It's impossible to guess the cost without knowing what needs to be done and where you live. Plan on between $2000 and $5000 with Invisalign costing more than conventional braces.

Over the Counter Bleaching:

I've heard good things about Crest White Strips but I'm sorry to say that nothing will work as well as what you get from your dentist. Lots of dentists now have professional strength Crest White Strips which are much cheaper than custom-fitted bleaching trays (~$300-500) and one session in-office bleaching (~$500). It won't hurt to try it out and see if it works for you. Your dentist will still be there if you're not happy with it.

It's likely that you have a new cavity or leakage around an old filling. It usually comes on when people eat hot or cold or sweet foods. Why is yours only with chocolate? Why is Jennifer Garner so hot? Sometimes the answer is "just because".

I am currently using an older model of Sonicare Toothbrush, and would like to know if there are any advantages to upgrading to the newer models with the new design?

This might disappoint you but this is something that you can't recommend. Some people with a regular 59 cents toothbrush do a better job of brushing than those with a $129 Sonicare. It's all in the technique. But whatever you feel makes your brushing last longer is what you should use.

In short, there's nothing in the new Sonicare that is a "revolutionary".

My wisdom teeth hurt when i eat extremely sweet stuff like candy bars. It might be the sweetness or the chewinesss, but I don't get pain with other chewy food. Whats up with my teeth?

thanks

Every once in a while, when I eat sweet foods it can bother my teeth a lot. It's not every time, but just sometimes. I haven't been to the dentist in 10 years, so at first I thought I might just have cavities or something, but it seems to just be an occassional thing. Is there any kind of explanation for that or am I just insane?

I'll answer both questions at the same time:

Cavities!

Pain to sweets is almost 100% because of decay. It doesn't have to happen ALL the time for there to be a problem, either.

dimbulb: my guess is that the wisdom teeth will likely have to go.

kyp: although you may have some cavities, that doesn't rule out the chance that you are insane. :D Go to a dentist!

this is for my mom...

is there any way to improve tooth sensitivity after using whitening gel? She is soooo sensitive to cold.

Yeah, happens to lots of people. The best thing to do would be for her to try an over-the-counter toothpaste like Sensodyne or if that doesn't help, then to ask her dentist for a prescription for a high Fluoride toothpaste like Prevident.

Also, she should ask her dentist for a lower percentage whitening gel. If she's using anything higher than 10% carbamide peroxide, she should ask for a 10% syringe. That would lessen the sensitivity the next time she bleaches.

Maybe this a commonly known and I'm just stupid, but why does aluminum foil make me cry when I bite it? It really hurts.

I know most dentists says that you should use the softest toothbrush you can find. I like to use the hardest I can find. I get no bleeding gums and my teeth feel a lot cleaner when I use the hard ones.

What is so dangerous with hard toothbrushes?

It's a galvanic reaction caused by metal (foil), metal (a silver filling), and water (saliva). Electrons are passed from the foil to a silver filling giving your tooth a little shock. Neat, huh? ;)

The more important question is why you're chewing on aluminium foil...

The reason you shouldn't use hard brushes is because it'll tend to irritate the gums where you brush them. Irritation makes the gum tissue say "sayonara!" and you get recession.

It's the same reason why you need to floss. The food/bacteria stuck between your teeth causes irritation and inflammation and this leads to your gums and bone between your teeth to recede. Not good.

I never post in this forum, but since the topic has turned to gum recession, I feel the need to reply.

Quick background, I'm 22 years old, white, male, in good health...and I've had insane amounts of work done on my mouth. Braces, fillings, caps, sealents, extractions (last count, 12 teeth extracted - 4 baby teeth, 4 adult molars, all 4 wisdom teeth), palatte expansion, bridges, you name it, I've had it done, and nothing, nothing was more unpleasant to have done than a gum graft for gum recession.

I was 16, and my braces had just come off, but as a result of having the braces, I experienced some gum recession on my bottom four eye teeth. "No problem," says my orthodontist. "We'll just get you a gum graft to take care of that." The way he said it, I figured it wasn't any huge deal.

I was wrong.

Quick warning, if you're eating, or going to eat after reading this, stop reading now. What they do is, after about a dozen shots of novocaine (this is if they don't use nitrous or conscious sedation on you), they use a scalpel, yes, a scalpel, to cut away gum tissue on the affected area, and then they again use a scalpel to slice away strips of gum tissue from the roof of your mouth, and proceed to sew it on to the affected area, and then pray to god it takes hold. This is, basically, the closest thing to medieval torture that a human being in North America will ever experience, and it SUCKS. The process was so horrific, I actually blocked it out, and I still can't look at the photos of the procedure from my medical chart. The entire thing takes a good hour and a half, and you'll be bleeding like a motherfucker the entire time.

Even worse than the procedure itself is the recovery time. You'll be laid up for AT LEAST a whole week, on prescription pain meds (I got Percosets, but god knows what they use now, maybe Vicodin) waiting to heal. You'll be doped up, woozy, with little appetite. Which is a good thing, because you won't be able to eat anything but yogurt and Jello for a good week, since, if you move your jaw too much, you'll tear the stitches, and everything goes to hell. Oh, and as for drinking? I couldn't move my jaw more than a half an inch, so I had to drink through a freaking turkey baster. My mom would bring me a glass of water (or juice, or whatever), and a turkey baster. Put baster in glass, suck up some fluid, deposit into mouth, gingerly swallow. What's even worse is, you're still waiting for the roof of your mouth to heal up, and you have to wear a protective retainer so you don't disturb the process. And let me tell you, the worst part of recovering from the surgery was getting used to the feel of the healing roof of my mouth. It feels slick, slimy, and just somehow wrong while it's healing, and you get used to that retainer quickly. Trying to wean yourself off of it is a tough psychological thing to overcome. Oh, and I hope you don't have to go anywhere while you're recovering, since your entire jaw is going to swell up while you're getting better. I looked like Jay Leno for about a week due to that. And you'll develop bruising, too, which also isn't fun. To this day, I still have scar tissue on my gums from that operation.

Take it from me, avoid causing gum recession AT ALL COSTS. It's probably the worst thing you can have done for your mouth, and to this day, I'd gleefully take half a dozen root canals over a single gum surgery. Unless you want someone going to work on your mouth with a scalpel, be very careful about your gums. If you notice recession occurring, consult a dentist IMMEDIATELY so you can figure out how to stop it. You will be insanely glad that you did.

Here is a question that you have sorta answered for other people but I wanna ask again because I am like that. I am 19 and my wisdom teath have been comming in. It hurt alot at first (obviously) but now it dosn't really hurt anymore. On my upper right side it feels like it has completly broken through the gum but it is still a whole lot higher then everything else (It may just still be comming in.. been along time since I got a new tooth) On the upper left side it has also mostly broken through. I can feel the majority of the tooth but part of it is still in the gum. Now I can take my finger and run it along my tooth on my right side and they are all straight but the one right in front of the wisdom tooth is leaning inwards a bit. On the bottom I can not tell if they have come in or not. My question is should I get that all checked out? I havn't been in for a checkup in about 4 years but I do brush (about) every day. I rarely floss. None of which has anything to do with my wisdom teeth but still. I have no insurance and am living on a fixed income. I can not really afford to go in for a check up much less major surgery.

Yeah, you should get it checked out. It's impossible for me to tell you what's up without xrays but wisdom teeth coming in wrong can cause major problems with the teeth directly in front of them, to the point where you can lose them (especially since you don't floss, and you might not notice any warning signs!). Wisdom teeth on the bottom can cause other probs I mentioned like cysts/tumors so it's a good idea to just get an xray.

Dental care DOES NOT need to be expensive. You can go to a local dental school if you have the extra time everything will take. If there isn't one around, at least go get xrays and a checkup/cleaning which could be had for as little as ~$100 in some places.

Believe me, there are tons of people who couldn't afford to get their teeth checked when young and didn't notice the warning signs and later have to have multiple teeth extracted. Not dumb hicks, either. Working, business class, intelligent people.

Heel Turn, you wuss. just kidding. :p

Sounds like you had a rough time but it usually isn't that bad. I had one for the same reason as you and my wife had one done just last year. She needed nothing more than Ibuprofen (advil) for the pain and had no bruising or swelling. She said that it was more uncomfortable because of the plastic stent and the fact that you had to watch what you eat and can't brush well.

Sorry you had a bad experience but hopefully your post will scare more people. No one's ever happy when they visit a periodontist (gum guy).

Dental woes galore.
 

Here's a link to some of my dental problems.

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthr...&threadid=4480

I guess my question is, is it crucial that I have the last of my 7 wisdom teeth extracted?

Re: Dental woes galore.
 

I need ALOT more info, including xrays in this situation. Sorry bud, you need an in-person eval.

Re: Re: Dental woes galore.
 

Just a couple more details that might help: The 7th is a "tooth bud" and is only about the size of a baby molar. It is impacted. It doesn't seem to be moving or growing. It hasn't given me any pain or trouble for quite a while.
I do feel like my bottom teeth might be getting pushed outwards a little bit. I feel like there is pressure against the inside of my top teeth.
Don't worry, I will go and see a dentist, but I am pretty broke and don't know of place that I can get really cheap dental care in Manhattan. (I have no dental insurance and am near broke.)

Re: Re: Re: Dental woes galore.
 

NYU or Columbia. And now is the perfect time to go since newbies enter the school clinics in July/Aug. Any student you see right now will have been seeing patients for at least 10 months. And they are all supervised closely.

I feel like I should become a spokesman for dental school clinics after this thread. ;)

I took notes on a few things, especially the sensitive teethe thing. I have the same problem, but I've always had it, even when I didn't have cavities my dentist knew about. This has always been since I was about 12, and I'm 20 years old now, no teeth bleaches, no excessive sugar, no nothing, just something that's happened since then. I'm going to give sensidyne a try and bring it up next time I go to my dentist.

Sort of curious as to what's up if it's not a cavity or teeth bleaches that causes my teeth to be so sensitive.

Also, I appreciate your efforts here popo, good stuff.

Cold sensitivity after fillings
 

So, I went to the dentist about 3 weeks ago and had 3 cavities filled (White fillings). One of the cavities was around a filling that was already filled, not from my current dentist, and he said that they had to put a pulp cap on it because they had to drill so deep, and that there would be a 50/50 chance I would need a root canal.

I was in constant pain (nothing a few aspirin would not take care of) for about 2 weeks, and I finally had him prescribe some antibiotics. Yesterday was my first day, since I had the cavities filled, that I did not have to take aspirin but I am still extremely sensitive to cold. I can drink a cup of coffee just fine, but drinking a cold glass of water can be extremely painfull if the water hits the left side of my mouth.

I guess I am past the fear of having to have a root canal, but is it usual to be this sensitive after having cavities filled?

Okay, so I took your advice and flossed. When I did I spit up (a little) blood. Does this mean I allready have gingivitis or what? My gums appear to be healthy.. ish. Am I just being to rough? Could it be my technique?

Another question. I am now thinking my gumline might be (or have) receeded. I dunno how to check though. It might just be a bit of hypochondria based on this thread. How can a layman check without anything to compare it to?

Well it's simply a matter of individualilty. Some people get more headaches than others, some people tan easier than others, etc. If there's no physical trauma (decay, excessive brushing, erosion, etc), then there's no other explanation. Sorry it's a rather boring one.

Re: Cold sensitivity after fillings
 

A couple of things here.

1) I question the use of a white filling in a tooth that has had a pulp cap. If it were my mouth, I'd get a silver filling in that situation. They generally cause less sensitivity. The only time a case can be made for a white filling is for esthetics (very legitimate IMO) and if a tooth is cracked. If there's any reason to beieve that a tooth will be sensitive, go with a silver filling.

2) Antibiotics will do absolutely nothing in this stuation. Zero. Zilch. Useless. No reason to give it to you other than to ease your mind.

Before you do anything drastic like a root canal, ask for him to replace the white filling with a temporary filling. Leave it in for 4-6 weeks. If it feels better, put in a silver filling. If not, then a root canal may be the only option.

But for future ref, a tooth can cause sensitivity for a week or 2 after a filling is placed. The thing is, it should get better after that.

Lemme know how things go.

I seriously doubt that the majority of people floss except when they are about to visit the dentist. So what is good comprimise? the bare minimum of flossing ? And can using a toothpick do the same thing?

You're bleeding because, like 99% of the population you have gingivitis. Even though you may not feel it, your gums are inflamed and are beeding because of this. After a week or so of this you'll notice the gums will stop bleeding, meaning you've cleaned away any bacteria causing the inflammation.

As far as your gums receding, you can sort of see just by looking in a mirror. Recession usually happens on the side facing the cheecks/lips so look to see if it seems as though you can see the root surface of a tooth. This is usually due to brushing to hard in the area. This is NOT the same type of recession that goes on between teeth because of gum disease.

Obviously, a more precise examination needs to be done by a dentist but this should give you some idea. It'll also most likely be very sensitive to touch so try touching it with your nail if you think there's recession.

If you floss a couple times/week and after you eat something that gets stuck betwen teeth like corn & steak then you'll be at least somewhat decent. But you definitely need to have regular cleanings to keep up with this. Most peeople don't floss properly so next time you go for a cleaning, ask your hegienist to give you a good demo. A toothpick will help if you got something big stuck in there like a whole cow but it's no substitute.

Thanks for answering all our dental questions ;)

Here's another one though:
I was wondering if you could comment on the effectiveness of using a solution of 50% Hydrogen Peroxide and 50% water (like the instructions on the bottle indicate) as mouthwash versus the "brand name" mouthwashes (e.g., Scope and Listerine).

Also:
Can retainers stain your teeth? I had braces on for a year and a half and now I've been wearing a retainer for quite a while (8 months or so). Some parts of my teeth near where the metal part of the retainer presses against my teeth are turning a light brown. I brush twice a day and use mouthwash (sometimes the h2o2, sometimes scope). What else can stain teeth that I need to be careful of?

Heh, after writing all this I realize that I can just call up my dentist and ask him tomorrow.

1) Go with Listerine. Hydrogen peroxide is a toxic substance and although using it at 1.5% solution (the stuff you buy in the store is 3%) should be OK, I'd prefer to spend the $3 every few months on a name brand, especially if you use a rinse daily.

Of the name brand ones, Listerine is the only one really shown to decrease the amount of bacteria in your mouth. But it also has alcohol in it which dries your mouth out. Dry mouth --> bad breath. If you want to get fancy, check Biotene products, they've got some good stuff.

2) The stainig is likely due to plaque acumulating where the retainer wire meets your teeth from drinking & eating with it on. Go for regular cleanings or splurge on an extra one per year to keep it extra clean. Not much you can do, staining comes from drinking/eating almost anything with a retainer in place.

Re: Re: Cold sensitivity after fillings
 

Thanks for the reply. Last night I had to get up in the middle of the night and take some aspirin, because my teeth were bothering me. :(

The last fillings I had were also white fillings, and I was sensitive to cold for quite a long time. I started using Sensodyne last time, and that seemed to help.

Could another possibility be, that my bite is off?

I might need to just make another appointment and go see him, but the last thing I want is a root canal.

Re: Re: Re: Cold sensitivity after fillings
 

If it hurts when you're lying down it ain't a good sign, especially if it's waking you up in the middle of the night,. Does it also throb when you run or work out (ie. when you get your blood pumping?)

Sorry bud, these signs point to a root canal in your future. To be fair to your doc, if you needed a pulp cap that means that he felt that the nerve had been "insulted" and by capping it instead of going straight to the root canal, he was trying to be conservative and save you some bucks too.

Thanks Lebell. Pleasure's mine. :)

Re: Re: Re: Re: Cold sensitivity after fillings
 

Well, it hurt last night. I had to take aspirin at around 3AM, but since then I am aspirin free. It has been about 15 hours. I was able to eat today and drink whatever today, but I made sure all cold liquids stayed on the right side of my mouth.

It doesn't hurt when I work out (and I do).

The dentist did tell me that I had about a 50/50 chance of needing a root canal, but I keep telling myself that because I have been so sensitive in the past, for such a long time, that it will just take time. Time will tell, I guess. Either I will get fed up with taking the aspirin and have the root canal, or see what happens. Maybe it will go away. I am not worried about the cost, because insurance will take care of it, I just don't want it.

How long does a root canal usually take? And do you have to have a crown if you get a root canal?

Thanks for all your advice. I do appreciate it!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Cold sensitivity after fillings
 

A root canal should take 1 visit of about 2 hours, some do it in 2 visits. But yes, the tooth will need a post and a crown after the root canal. Most insurances pay 80% of a root canal but only 50% of the post & crown.

Oh and you'll probably be better off with Advil instead of Aspirin. You can take 2-3 pills (4-600mg) every 4-6 hrs if you need it.

This has turned out to be a really cool thread. Thanks for answering everyones questions!

Very cool thread

Just one question (and I mean no disrespct) but do dentists get kickbacks from Companies like Crest and Colgate to recommend those brands of toothpaste and toothbrushes or something similar?

This is not a dig on dentists I'm an econ minor and this kind stuff interestes me :)

oh and a quick dental question:

my too front teeth are slightly crooked and a few years ago I had a dental assistant mention I should get braces, wheras no dentist has ever told me that before so I dunno if he was trying to get me to get a possible elective procedure for monetary reasons or what, ideas?

We don't get kickbacks from companies for recommending their products (how would they know if we recommended it?) but the companies do send lots of free samples, hoping we'll use it & like it and recommend it. Same with prescriptions.

As for your teeth, dentists range pretty wide on the scale of aggressive vs. conservative in treatment ideology. You may have come in contact with dentists that think "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" meaning don't touch those teeth if it doesn't bother you. Others would recommend straightening them out. Would he make money doing it? Yes, if he does it himself. No, if he sends you to an orthodontist.

I don't think this is a money situation. I think some dentists just tend to see teeth that aren't perfectly alligned as "good enough". Others will try and fix it. But you are the one that decides. See what your insurance company would cover and go from there.

Me too ... I've been told I'm rare, or at least other people hope so.....:hmm:

I'm turning 36 next week. I have no dental problems to speak of, except my daughter is starting to go to one, and it's costing, ha ha.

I have been trying to take courses to enable me to go to dental school. What is your take on older folks, I'll be in my early 40's if and when I get out, getting into dentistry?

BTW, my original degree is in Mechanical Engineering so I don't have the chem and biology background yet, so I'm looking at a long haul.

First of all, congrats on being brave enough to make a decision like this! Dentistry is a great career and it is getting better as the science, artistry, and patient need keeps improving. The population is aging and they need a TON of dental work.

As far as you being in your 40's getting out, I think it might be a positive. You will seem like someone with years of experience and that will only help your standing with patients, especially older ones.

You may not see it now but your background in engineering will also help you out alot wrt biomechanics and biomaterials (a huge field in dentistry). If you can do the physics, you can do the biology and chemistry. No problem. Besides, US schools do not require much too much science background. They just want to see that you won't fall flat on your face. They'll be impressed with the engineering background, trust me on that.

If you need more help or advice, don't hesitate.

Out of curiosity, what made you decide on this? Any field within dentistry of particular interest?

Okay I have been taking your advice and been flossing atleast once a day for the last several days. Now on my front teeth its not much of a problem (although they do hurt a bit) but on my back teeth I really can't get it in on alot of them and when I do it HURTS (even more so on the ones I have to push ALOT) My question is how much pressure should you be able to give your gums before they start to really hurt? And how important is it to get between EVERY tooth? There are some (even more so the back two on all sides) that I just can not seem to get it all the way in.

Why dentistry
 

I chose dentistry because I have pretty much been impressed with dentists. They are smart, have some of the best people skills of the doctors I've seen, outside of my childhood pediatrician, and they seem to have a pretty high job satisfaction. That and the fact that I love to work with my hands, especially my dremel (ha ha).

I could go into why I think that dentistry is very important to health and longevity, but you probably know all this. I also want to make a difference in the health and welfare of my community, and my present line of work is not giving me that satisfaction, or the challange.

I have noticed, since looking into the qualifications "suggested" by my local dental school, UNC, that they want you to have a music and art(sculpture, especially) background. I'm sure this is mainly for the manual dexterity. Did your school also want you to have this kind of background? Just curious, as I've always enjoyed playing music and crafting things with my hands.

Yup you need to get them all, unfortunately. You don't need much pressure to do it well but technique means everything. Sounds silly but get your hygienist to give you a thorough demo. (Why do I hear porno music in the background??) I remember once seeing a sign in an office saying "You don't have to floss ALL of your teeth... Just the ones you want to keep." I wish I could say that it was an exaggeration.

Re: Why dentistry
 

Good stuff, rocks. No, my school didn't require this type of background but while I'm not sure how much it helps, it certainly cannot hurt.

I got my last wisdom tooth out today, and stared at the dentist the whole time. Do most people have their eyes open when dentists go to work on them? Just a random thought I had during my extraction. :)

:D

Most people just kinda look forward. The curious ones try and find a way to look at the reflection of my glasses to watch what's happening in their mouths without looking like they're staring deep into my eyes. I usually crack a joke about it if they're staring so intensely I'm sure they can see my brain.

But during extractions, lots of people close their eyes. I guess you were brave and weren't even sedated, huh? Tough guy. ;)

BTW, I don't mind oddball questions at all. Anything anyyone is curious about is fair game.

popo thank you for taking these questions.

Is the $300 deals I see in the paper for teeth whitening worth it? Is there over the counter products that work as well? Can teeth ever be whitend as much as having them capped?

There was a toothpaste on the market hat got pulled 4 years ago. It supposedly helped build new enamel on the teeth. Do you know of any such product thats out now? Other than sleep does this product work?

Thanks again.

hey, i was thinking of getting my tounge pierced. what are the dental cons to getting it done?

$300 might be worh it since I know of dentists that charge that as the regular fee. Can teeth be whitened as much as puttig crown on? On lots of people yes. It really depends on the person but its very possible to get as white as can be following bleaching. No over the counter stuff will work as well or as quickly mainly because the concentration of bleaching material is not as high. That being said, I know of many folks who are happy with what they got from the OTC treatment.

I have no clue about that product you're describing and have no idea how it would work. I'd be extremely skeptical about it if I were you. The fact that it was taken off the market might have something to do with false claims...

Broken teeth? I've seen people break their teeth biting on tongue rings and then decide to take it out after they see the bill for a root canal and/or crown. :eek:

Not worth the cool factor IMO.

Thanks again for the input

Sun Tzu, I just realized that you must've been referring to Enamelon toothpaste. Sorry, had a brain fart.

From what I know, although the science was good the company went bust. I really don't know what happened to them but I read that someone else might start making the same product.

Thanks for answering all these questions... I've read through a good number of them and I don't seem to see anything that would come close to mine...

I had a root canal a long while ago but it was not able to go in from the top so they drilled in through the jaw. The tooth with the dead root now is slowly turning brown. My dentist suggests doing whitening treatments before doing something invasive like laminate etc.

Thanks again!

as far as the student doctors... my wife went to the NYU dental school and she didn't have a good experience. I'm sure that it varies, but just letting people know that a bad experience can be had anywhere.

You're gonna think I'm joking.

I have a gigantic cavity in one of my back teeth. Seriously, more tooth than cavity. I don't know what it'd cost to get pulled, and was honestly wondering if it was worth trying the whole, string on a doorknob thing, on a fairly firm tooth with more hole than tooth.

Good for your dentist, he's trying to start with conservative treatments first. With a root canaled tooth, the recommended method of bleaching is from the INSIDE of the tooth, rather than the outside like most people get. It usually has good results. But if tht doesn't work, there's always the more expensive laminates/crowns.

True, you can have a bad experience in a dental school. Just like you can have a bad experience with a graduated dentist.

If you have a bit more money to spend and nned more extensive work, you can go to a graduate clinic in a dental school where recent graduates (dentists) treat you instead of dental students. It's still cheaper than a regular dentist and these are usually dentists who did well in dental school since it's competitive to get into graduate school.

Weston:

Trust me, whatever cavity you have, I've seen worse. ;)
If it's a non-surgical extraction it'll cost ~$100-150. More if they need to drill & cut & put sutures. You can try the string but it's not gonna do much. Adult teeth have long roots and unless it's half out already it's not going to work.

Seems to be a theme, but dental schools are cheaper. Sometimes even free if you go to a hospital oral surgery clinic.

how much do prices vary?
 

im in las vegas and ive not been to the dentist for years. so i called one up that a friend recomended. 100 for xrays and 75 for exam.

is that a lot?

and while im posting, how much should a root canal cost? how bout a crown? a filling? i think ill need any or all of these.

last question. my gums have receded a bunch on both sides of my bottom, center teeth. it seems that the oral surgery i had years ago has moved my teeth around and that along with other factors has lowered my gums considerably.

question is, how do i get them back up? or, is it even possible to get them back up?

thanks so much for answering all the questions that have been asked. very helpful.

Re: how much do prices vary?
 

It's tough to answer the price questions because it ranges depending on factors like where you live and wat type of practice you're going to. When your dentist gets something fabricated for you (like a crown), they pay a dental lab to make it. The lab price varies by a huge amount depending on the materials used and the lab technician's skills. If you get a dentist who charges $500 for a crown, you can be sure that he's going to a lab that gives him a good price. Bottom line. If your dentist charges $1500 for a crown, chances are he's getting work done at an expensive lab. Obviously that's not necessarily true.

That being said, here are some general ranges:

Your prices for the xras and cleaning does sound a little high because lots of offices have new patient specials that give those services for a reduced rate. The prices you list are reasonable if there is no such special.

Root canal front tooth: $500-$800
Root canal back tooth: $700-$1300
Crown: $600-$1500 depending on type & quality of materials used
Silver Filling: $80-$200 depending on size
White Filling: $120-$300 depending on size and type.

Keep in mind that you generally also need what's caled "post & core" on a tooth that had a root canal and will be getting a crown. This should be in the $250 range.

One thing people have to keep in mind is that dentistry is something that is a service. A crown from one dentist is NOT the same thing as a crown from another dentist. It ain't like comparing VCR prices at amazon.com vs. buy.com. If a dentist is charging very little, BELIEVE me, he is making it up somewhere else whether it be in materials used, amount of time he's willing to spend on the work until he's happy with the results, or other ways. Cheaper is not always worse quality but there is a huge difference between even a well-done filling vs. a poorly done one.

As far as your gums receding, yes it is correctable with periodontal surgery. The general way of doing it is to take a graft from the roof of your mouth and put it where you need it. Don't be frightened by what people tell you about it. Some people experience pain with it, some don't. My wife barely needed any advil. Whatever discomfort there is, it's less than losing your teeth and using dentures. ;)

Popo, why do I go through toothbrushes so quickly? I don't brush that hard. I've been brushing the same way all my life.

I don't know how quickly you're going through them but changing it every 3-4 months is a good (and inexpensive) idea.

I'm surprised nobody's asked this yet (at least i didn't see it), but what toothpaste do you use? Also, is there a best order for brushing, flossing, and mouthwashing or does it matter? Thanks!

:) The simple questions always get overlooked. Then again, no one's asked about the real serious stuff either. (you can die from some simple dental infections...)

Anyways, you'll be surprised to know that in 4 years of dental school we spent probably a total of 3 minutes on toothpaste. It just doesn't matter as long as it has the fluoride. Your technique is much more important.

That being said, I use Listerine toothpaste. It's expensive (~$4.50 a tube) but I like the taste. The best order would be floss, brush, rinse so you dredge out the gunk, brush it away, then rinse for a clean start.

I think its awesome you are answering all these questions popo.
Here's mine =)

I've got braces right now and I know you're a dentist and not an ortho, but I bet you know. Anyways, my teeth look great but my ortho says I need to have them on for more time and its been 4 yrs! It would be shorter but I cant make it to the ortho because he's 160 miles away from my house(because I'm away for college) and I'm always breaking brackets or "tpas" what ever those are. So... I took off my upper braces,except for the bands around my back teeth where the wire connects to. My question is, will my teeth go back to the way they were? I hate these damn things and I'd like to take them off asap. Again, thanks.

I actually don't know much about orthodontics. It'd be really tough for me to tell you whether you're teeth will go back to where they were without knowing many more details such as what the teeth were like to begin with, what exactly was done, length of time, length of time for stabilization, etc.

Usually an ortho will suggest a procedure called a fiberotomy if you've had teeth rotated during treatment. This helps to keep them from rotating back. The real defining factor though, in most cases, is basically how often you wear the retainers.

Sorry I couldn't be more help.

BTW, ortho's are dentists too. ;)

Popo: Thanks for the thread

i have a question. I currently have a permanent plate on my lower row of teeth and two of my teeth have a metal “jacket” type thing (the hold the plate in place). I was curious as to what this metal is likely made of and if there are any issues of toxicity?

One other thing, like white rice, is brown rice a major contributor to tooth decay or is it ok? Thanks!

To give you more details about the "plate", I need to get a better understanding of what it is exactly... If this is a denture type of thing, it's made of an alloy of chromium, cobalt, nickel, molybdenum, and a few others. If you have no nickel allergy (and you'd know if by now) then there is nothing harmful there.

The decay is just a reflection of the carb content and stickiness. I'm not sure if there is a significantly lower amount of carbs in brown rice but if you do know, that'll give you your answer. Regardless, if you brush your teeth after you eat them then even candy & jellies are fine to eat.

Thanks popo!

Thanks brother. i was a bit worried that they may have contained lead/aluminum/copper.

wow, you are the nicest dentist that i have ever met :-)

Thanks popo for giving your advice like this. Very kind of you :)

My toothbrush smells bad. Should I replace it?

wow, popo seems like the nicest dentest ever. My dentist is an evil witchy woman, ughhh

is it better to use electronic toothbrushes? (and which old fashioned ones do you recommend?)

also, i floss everyday.. i get in between the gum and the tooth on both sides (thats what youre supposed to do right?) is this gonna make my teeth loose eventually or something?