Tag Archives: tooth pain

CEREC crowns

Is My Pain Caused by my CEREC Crown?

Hello there,

I had three CEREC crowns done on my back teeth recently. I was pleased with how convenient getting the CEREC crowns was, but since then, I’ve had a lot of pain when chewing. Eating anything crunchy or chewy causing a bolt of pain, as though a nerve is exposed or something. My dentist has shaved down some of the crown. He says the pain I feel is from how I grind my food when I chew. Is that the case? I’ve tried being more careful when I eat, but the pain I feel makes me nervous during meals.

Richard from Amityville, New York

 

Dear Richard,

There are a few reasons that can cause a new crown to hurt. One reason may be that the crown is too high, so the rest of your teeth hit it first when you bite into something. The second reason is that the tooth under the crown may be infected. The infection can cause inflammation in the jaw, causing constant jolts of pain when biting or chewing.

Your pain is unlikely to be caused by how you chew your food, as you did not have this problem prior to the crown. Also, CEREC crowns are supposed to fit exactly to your mouth’s specifications, as they are milled to fit your teeth precisely.

Since your dentist has tried to grind down the crown, your pain is not likely to be caused by hitting too high on the crown. You will need to find out if you have an infection, and where it is in your mouth. An X-ray will be needed, and you may want to seek a second opinion if you do not trust your current dentist’s skills.

This blog post is brought to you by Gilbert CEREC crown provider, Dr. Matt Roper, of Vista Dorada Dental.

 

 

Emergency Dentist

Can I Put Off a Root Canal?

Hello,

My dentist told me I needed a root canal on my tooth, but I don’t have any pain. How long can I put off getting a root canal?

Haruka, from West Virginia

 

Hi Haruka,

If your tooth is not hurting, or has not hurt in awhile, it may be ok to delay it. It may be what’s called an arrested infection or a latent infection — you may have one but not know it. However, you can still be affected by the infection even if it doesn’t cause pain. Putting off a root canal raises the risk of external resorption —slowly, the infection will eventually kill the root, and the tooth won’t be salvageable. However, an infection caused by active decay will continue until the tooth is destroyed, and action must be taken immediately.

Even without pain, if you have a red pimple-like spot on your gum near the root tip, or the infection is draining in your mouth, these are signs of an active infection. You should make an appointment with your general dentist to get this taken care of. If your pain comes back or you feel severe pain, you should see an emergency dentist.

This blog post is brought to you by Gilbert emergency dentist, Dr. Matthew Roper, of Vistadorada Dental.

 

Sedation Dentistry

Do i have to see an oral surgeon for my tooth extraction?

I have a strong apprehension to dentist offices. Therefore, I have not maintained a practice of attending regular dental check-ups. Then, a few years ago I lost a filling. I put off taking care of this and later that tooth broke. I prolonged having this looked at until the pain from the broken tooth became too much to bear.

When I finally saw the dentist, I learned that I needed a root canal. Following the root canal, the dentist did not follow up with me. However, because the pain had decreased for the most part, I did not follow-up either. I also did not have a cap put on the temporary filling. Therefore the temporary filling later fell out and an infection developed.

When I saw a different dentist about this, I learned the remaining part of the tooth needed extracted. In addition, because of the tooth’s poor condition, it was going to be quite invasive, involving the gums down to the bone. The dentist recommended I see an oral surgeon for the procedure and be under anesthesia. This is not something I can afford. Is an oral surgeon my only option, or can a general dentist conduct the procedure?

Thank you,
Jessica

Dear Jessica,

Your dilemma is an understandable one. First, it is important that you understand the reasons to see an oral surgeon for a procedure like this one. It would also be a good idea for you to develop questions to ask your dentist, to help you determine if an oral surgeon is the best route for you, even considering the cost.

Reasons to See an Oral Surgeon for Tooth Extraction

It could be that the dentist you say is not comfortable doing such an invasive extraction. He may be suggesting you seek out an oral surgeon to prevent himself from getting into trouble by taking on a procedure like this if it is outside his realm of experience.

Secondly, the procedure may be a traumatic experience for you, the patient. Therefore, he is suggesting seeing an oral surgeon in order for you to be under anesthesia, in order for the procedure to be easier on you.

Dental Anxiety Can Be Costly

As you are learning, the anxiety that sometimes accompanies dental visits and procedures can be quite expensive. If you had immediately replaced your filling after it fell out, there would not have been a need for the root canal you had. In addition, if the dental crown would have been placed quickly following the root canal, the tooth would not have needed extracted. And, if the tooth does get extracted, you may later need it replaced in order to keep your bite from collapsing.

Therefore, the idea of moving forward with the extraction procedure being done by an oral surgeon will prevent you from having a traumatic experience, which would just further amplify your dental anxiety and cause future dental issues for yourself.

Questions to Ask Dentist About Tooth Extraction

It is important to develop specific questions for your dentist, in order to help yourself better answer your question. Try asking how comfortable your dentist feels doing performing a procedure like this. Also consider asking if he has performed extractions like this before. It would be a good idea to find out if there is nitrous oxide available to help with your comfort level. Understanding if your roots are straight or tapered, or twisted with knobs on the end, would also be helpful.

From what you’re describing, it does sound like your dentist is sharing his fair and honest opinion with you, so place significant value in that while making your decision.

This blog post is sponsored by the office of Gilbert sedation dentist, Dr. Matthew Roper.

Emergency Dentist

Was I misdiagnosed by an emergency dentist?

I saw an emergency dentist a couple of days ago and am very upset. A little over a year, it was suggested I get a filling, and I have been putting it off. I mentioned this to the emergency dentist but added that the tooth next to that tooth was the one giving me the trouble at the time of my emergency visit. I indicated the issues I’d been having on the phone, therefore assumed they were going to do the fillings during my visit.

During my visit, he ran a few tests. In other words, he hit my teeth with his mirror a few times. Since my teeth were hurting when I went in, this caused me even more pain. He then proceeded to tell me that I needed a filling, but not on the tooth in question. I then asked about the tooth with the pre-existing cavity, to which he answered also needed a filling. He then told me I would need to come back. I’m still in pain. The visit to the emergency dentist did nothing! Do you think it’s possible that I could have an infection, or something else serious? I don’t want the issue to go unnoticed just because that dentist was in a rush to get through the appointment.

Thanks,
Doug


Dear Doug,

Typically, most infections are obvious. If the dentist performed an x-ray and exam, the infection would have been hard to miss. Cavities are capable of causing tooth pain, especially if they are deeply rooted. Not always are they indicators of infection or a need for a root canal. Regarding the tests, the dentist was likely trying to determine which teeth were causing you trouble, in order to recommend the best treatment route. It’s possible that your tooth could have passed its pain onto its neighboring tooth, or it could be cracked and be causing the pain, which is not always obvious, even with an exam or x-ray. However, the tests are a critical part of a thorough exam. That all being said, it’s alarming that your second cavity was not mentioned until you brought it up. This does indicate that your dentist was rushing through his work, making it understandable to question his assessment.

Moving forward, it would be wise for you to have those fillings done as soon as you can, and consider using a different dentist. It’s important to keep in mind that not all dentists allow time for the work when they haven’t completed an exam. This is because they don’t the amount of time that will be needed, or whether or not the patient will go through with the procedure due to the costs. If you do schedule your fillings with another provider, consider an early appointment, and be sure to pass on that your teeth have recently been diagnosed and the recommended treatment. Finally, ask if they could set aside time for the repairs during this appointment.

This post was written by the office of Gilbert emergency dentist, Dr. Matt Roper.

 

Dental Crowns, Root Canals

Can you get more than one root canal on a tooth?

I had a root canal two years ago from my dentist. I trust him and he usually does a great job. Recently, though, I have been feeling some pain on that same tooth.  I’ve been told before about pain in the teeth being projected (I think it was called) from another hurting tooth. I’m pretty sure that must be it because you can’t get a root canal twice in the same tooth, right?

Pat

Dear Pat,

toothacheThere are times when pain from a tooth is projected, or referred, from another tooth. In your case, though, it truly may be that you are feeling pain from the same tooth that had the root canal.

In most instances where a root canal is completed, the tissue, or pulp, in the tooth is completely cleaned out of the spaces and canals. Then the canals are sealed so bacteria can’t reenter. A crown is put on top and the patient goes home without another thought about the infection in the tooth.

So how come you may need another root canal?

Unfortunately, not all teeth are created equally. Most molars, for example, have three canals leading down to the roots. Every once in a while, those molars either have a fourth canal leading down or the canals are twisted and at angles that make it difficult for a dentist, even a good, competent dentist, to completely clean out the pulp. If that infected area isn’t completely cleaned out or properly sealed, it may cause pain again as infection grows. If that happens, a second or maybe even a third root canal may be necessary.

These scenarios of root canals aren’t common, but they do happen. If your pain continues, you may want to revisit your dentist to check your tooth. He may retreat it or may refer you to an endodontist, a dentist who specializes in root canal treatment.

This post is sponsored by Vista Dorada Dental in Gilbert, AZ.

 

Dental Emergency

Tooth Cracked

I bit into something and my tooth cracked. I’ve never even heard of such a thing.  What do I do?

Bronwyn P. – Georgia

Bronwyn,

This happens more frequently than you think.  You need to be seen fairly quickly to take care of this and hopefully save your tooth.

If you don’t already have a dentist you need to see an emergency dentist. They’re willing to take non-established patients, often even the same day.

There is an underlying problem that has caused your tooth to crack that will need to be addressed. Your body is interconnected. What affects your teeth will eventually affect your whole body. Be sure not to neglect this.

This blog is brought to you by Gilbert Dentist Dr. Matt Roper.