Tag Archives: broken tooth

Emergency Dentist

What’s Wrong With My Root Canal?

Hi there,

I fractured my teeth playing sports a few months back, and was treated by an emergency dentist and released. A few weeks after the accident, my teeth became grey and discolored.  I was in severe pain and had swelling, so I had to go back to the dentist for an emergency root canal.

I was ok for a few days with antibiotics but now the pain is back. I don’t know what to do to get the pain to go away. My tooth is sensitive to cold food and even chilly air. I’m very uncomfortable and want the pain to stop.

Should I have gotten a root canal sooner? Do I need more antibiotics? What can I do about the pain?

Luca, from Quebec, Montreal

 

Hi Luca,

A discolored tooth means there is damage to the root, or an infection may be present. It needs a root canal treatment as soon as possible at the first sign of greying. Once the root is removed, the bacteria is cleared up and the tooth is sealed to prevent further problems. Leaving an infected tooth in your mouth longer than it needs to be there serves no purpose. Oral infections should be taken seriously, as they can spread to other parts of the body if left untreated too long.

It sounds like your root canal treatment was sealed before all the bacteria was removed, which is causing a flare up. Usually, the infection is allowed time and space to drain, but since it has been sealed, there is no where for it to go. Also, a few days of antibiotics is not enough time to be on the medication.

Your best bet is to find an endodontist specializing in root canals. They can fix what has been started, and will advise you on how to properly take your antibiotics for maximum effectiveness.

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

 

 

Emergency Dentist

Emergency Dentist Won’t Fix Crown

Several months ago, I had a crown placed. Shortly after, approximately 3-4 months, a portion of the porcelain broke completely off. Not only was I bothered that the piece fell off so soon after the crown was placed, but it has been bothering me ever since. I returned to the dentist a few times for adjustments, but nothing really improved the issue.

I still need to address the problem, but have zero interest in returning to the same dentist. It is causing me pain and discomfort, so I sought out an emergency dentist who saw me quickly. Unfortunately, the dentist would not correct the current crown issues, stating that, instead, it needed to be completely replaced.

A new crown is not in my budget, especially since the crown should not have broken. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks,
Mike

Dear Mike,

It is understandable that you are frustrated after experiencing these issues. However, it is important to understand that different dentists have different opinions when it comes to treatments and ways to address issues.

You mentioned your crown was broken. It’s possible that there is no way to save the crown and a new one needs placed. If this is the case, it would be good to return to the dentist who originally placed it, to at least attempt treatment, as it would cost less for you.

Dentists have varying opinions on the length of time a treatment should last. For example, a crown should last at least five years. If a repair to the crown is needed, or a crown needs replaced, the dentist should not charge the patient, or at minimum, charge a reduced fee. You should expect that your dentist will stand behind his or her work.

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

 

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.

Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Bonding, Snap-On Smile

Will Snap-On Smile work for my son?

Hello,

My son is eight years old and he has chipped his tooth pretty badly. It’s almost broken in half. The dentist filled it, but it broke within a week. It doesn’t seem to hurt him since the roots are unharmed. We’ve been told that he isn’t old enough to have his tooth capped. Will the Snap-On Smile work for him?

– Maya from Indiana

Maya,
Snap-On Smile works well to temporarily give the appearance of a straight, white smile. In the particular case of your son, I’m not sure this is the way to go.

If his tooth is broken, then placing this Snap-On Smile appliance over his tooth is doing nothing to address the real problem. Direct dental bonding with porcelain or composite materials can fix this problem for your son. And it needs to be done correctly so that it does not interfere with his biting or chewing. Although, you will need to seek the talents of a true cosmetic dentist. Not just any family dentist will be able to do this kind of work well.

There are some other issues to choosing Snap-On Smile for your son. Not only will it feel bulky, a boy his age may lose it. Also, he has a combination of permanent and baby teeth. This means that fitting the appliance correctly will be difficult since his bite is changing so rapidly. The appliance itself may also get in the way of new teeth that are erupting.

The reason the repair you mentioned failed is likely due to the fact that it got in the way of his bite. When he is a bit older, he will have all his permanent teeth and this will be less of an issue. It is difficult to make anymore recommendations without actually seeing this particular case. Therefore, I highly recommend consulting with an expert cosmetic dentist to present your options to you.

The tooth will look and function normally if it is done correctly.

Best of luck to you.

This post is sponsored by Gilbert dentist Vista Dorada Dental.

Related link: emergency dentist

Dental Bonding, Pediatric Dentistry

My child’s broken tooth

I feel so bad for my nine year old daughter. Yesterday, she fell down and broke one of her front teeth. Also, I just noticed a horizontal crack in another one. When I took her to the dentist, they didn’t seem concerned. Basically I was told that he doesn’t have the availability right now to take care of it. He said it should be fine for three months and needs that time to desensitize. Have you heard of this waiting period? I really want her to have it fixed as soon as possible.

Thanks for your time.

– Kendra from Arizona

Kendra,

If it is your desire to have this taken care of immediately, there is really no reason to wait. It would be ideal if you still have the broken piece of the tooth. If you find a cosmetic dentist that has an artistic eye, the tooth will actually be able to be reattached.

Please do your homework though and don’t go to just any dentist. Make sure the dentist is passionate about cosmetic dentistry and has undergone the additional training beyond dental school. From what you have described, the location of your daughter’s tooth is quite prominent and it will be important the the dentist is experienced.

Dental bonding will work to restore the look of the tooth if you don’t have the piece that has come off. As time goes by and your daughter gets older, the pulp in the tooth will be smaller. At that time, a single crown may be more appropriate based on damage that has been done.

Best of luck!

This post is sponsored by Gilbert dentist Vista Dorada Dental.

Related links: emergency dentist, pediatric dentist

Dental Emergency

How dangerous is an infected tooth?

So here’s the deal… I think I have a broken molar. It’s way in the back right next to the spot where my wisdom tooth used to be. I have very painful sensations in my cheek and jaw and up into my sinuses. Now the pain has radiated to my head, ear, and even into my neck. The best way to describe it is that the pain starts in my ear and moves all the way around into my neck.

Do you think this is a dental emergency? I don’t have dental insurance and don’t have the money for a tooth extraction? It may not be the tooth at all and maybe is more related to my sinuses. Can you tell me if I’m in any danger or give me an idea of what is going on?

– Cindy in Georgia

Cindy,

What you have described sounds very dangerous. It sounds like you have a tooth infection from the broken tooth. And now it is spreading which will continue if you don’t get it taken care of as soon as possible.

You may check with a local hospital or dental agency to see if they will help you out. Many areas will treat residents that need serious procedures done. Keep calling around and if you can’t find someone to help, just go to the emergency room. They will be able to help you temporarily.

Antibiotics is important to treat the infection. But most importantly you need to have the tooth taken out or repaired so the you don’t build up resistance to the antibiotic. If you only take the antibiotic and don’t take care of the tooth, you risk a more serious problem than you already have. The reason for this is that the medication will not get inside the infected tooth. What needs to be done is a tooth extraction or root canal treatment.

Act soon before it gets worse!

This post is sponsored by Gilbert dentist Vista Dorada Dental.

Related Links: Dental bonding; Sedation dentist