Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with dentist

Removing the wisdom tooth opposite the problem?

TheophileEscargot — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:53:20 -0800

WisdomToothFilter. My previous dentist told me I had impacted wisdom teeth, which might need future attention. I now have toothache in the bottom-right of my jaw. New dentist says I have an infection there and has prescribed me antibiotics. However, he says the problem is the top-right tooth which is pressing down in the wrong place, and it's the top one that needs to be extracted. Is it valid to remove the tooth that's not giving me a problem? I've made an appointment for him to remove it next week, but I can cancel if necessary.

More info. I've been pretty slack and haven't had a checkup in a couple of years. I've never used this dentist before: got a slightly lukewarm recommendation from someone.

Oral Surgeons and dentists, what's the difference?

Muu — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:26:46 -0800

What are the differences between an oral surgeon and a dentist? Can either one tend to both jaw pains and general dentistry? Late last week I saw a doctor for what seemed like ear pain after using earplugs in a factory. As it turns out that it was inflammation of the jaws that was causing this. The doctor recommended I go see a dentist, but here's where I got confused.

It's my own fault for neglecting it so long, but I havent been to a dentist in over a year. The last one I went to left a lot to be desired, so I'm looking through lists for another one to go to (in Memphis, not that location really matters). Is there a difference in service that 'oral surgeons' and 'general dentists' can offer? Would I need to go see two different doctors, one for the jaws and one for general teeth checkups, or can one take care of both?

Increasing but not particularly disturbing numbness after a wisdom tooth extraction

d. z. wang — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:37:40 -0800

About 84 hours ago I had four wisdom teeth extracted. The bottom left, though, has been the most painful and swollen post-op. I've also noticed a strip along the left underside of my tongue was numb and, more significantly, that strip has since spread around the tip of my tongue. Should I be worried/what should I ask my doctor (whom you are not)? I had lidocaine and a few minutes of the nitrous (got uneasy with the systemic effects and asked that it be stopped). The top and even the bottom right went fine, even though the surgeon said it would be the hardest and had to crack it in half. My temperature is 99.7 F (about a degree and a half elevated for me).

I'm on 300mg clindamycin every 4-6 hours for seven days. I took 7.5mg hydrocodone twice the day of the surgery and have since been on 600mg ibuprofen with food every 4-6 hours for inflammation and pain. I have been rinsing with salt water a few times a day, with no blood or (additional) pain.

I'm very young and the surgeon said pre-op that my roots were short so nerve damage was basically impossible. I also realize that someone just hacked bits out of my jawbone with things that wouldn't look obviously out of place in a carpenter's hands, and considering I only took 2 of the 20 hydrocodone tablets prescribed, my pain is probably minimal.

My current plan is just wait and see what the surgeon says when I follow up seven days post-op. If you know of something so serious I really need to think about it right now, please tell me. Also mention if there is anything (possible complications, bad signs, useful tests) I should know about going in for follow-up.

Is there a dentist in the house?

allen8219 — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:53:49 -0800

Can you please recommend a dentist in Washington DC? I am almost certainly going to need a couple fillings, or maybe root canals, so I want to make sure I've got the right dentist for the job! I have really neglected my teeth for the past two years, for a variety of reasons (psychological, financial, idiotic), and it has finally caught up with me. I am getting twinges of pain from two back molars, and I know that I had some decay there like two years ago... so I am afraid of what's actually going on with them.

Anyway, the good news is I have a job, and dental insurance. The insurance is CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, and will pay $1000 toward the bill, so if possible I would definitely like to take advantage of that.

Ugh. There is really nothing better for making you feel like a moron, than facing thousands of dollars in dental bills because you can't get it together enough to brush your teeth.

Thanks very much in advance, I really appreciate it.

Why has the dentist left blue marks on my teeth?

Kirn — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:46:49 -0800

I've just had 3 white enamel fillings in the bottom-left corner of my mouth. Looking in the mirror, I now have a small bluish-gray mark at the nearest 'peak' of each molar. Should I be worried? The only reference to 'blue marks' I can find online is here, where it's stated that blue marks can be put on teeth (and then removed!) in order to file down the high points of newly fitted crowns.

But I don't have any crowns, and I don't know what to make of these blemishes, given that I paid (considerably) more to get white enamel instead of metal fillings.

What are these marks? Did my dentist not finish the job properly? Should I be worried?

WisdomTeethFilter: How do i NOT play around with the holes?! Its been 14 hours since the operation and i cant sleep.

freddymetz — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:50:47 -0800

WisdomTeethFilter: How do i NOT play around with the holes?! Its been 14 hours since the operation and i cant sleep. I have to admit that i used a straw to drink (my doctor didnt say anything about that).
I always have a lot of saliva floating around in my mouth (which STILL contains blood - is that normal?) and im scared of accidentally removing these things they put in the holes to stop the blooding.
And are there possible negative consequences if i swallow the blood?

No one likes Cigna DMO. :o(

acorn1515 — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:39:28 -0800

Help me escape the clutches of my Russian dentist -- who do you recommend as a general dentist in midtown Manhattan? I've already checked out previous posts here recommending Dr. Lantner, Dr. Deidan and Dr. Wong, but none of them take Cigna DMO.

The last time I randomly selected a dentist from the provider list, the office ended up being a sketchy half dentist office/talent agency, where only after he started drilling (for what I was told was a routine filling) did the dentist inform me that he was putting on a temporary patch, and that I needed to get a root canal. And the dental hygienists only spoke Russian -- I felt like Elaine in that episode of "Seinfeld" where she's in the Korean nail salon.

Any recommendations in midtown? A search for dentist, of the 10036 zip (where my office is located), for CIGNA DHMO turned up Drs. Krasnov, Gulbenkian, and Klein,
as well as several docs with the Group Health Dental Facility, and the Ferreira Dental Group, among others.

Salivafilter: Why do i keep having to swallow spit?

freddymetz — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 08:30:50 -0800

Salivafilter: Why do i keep having to swallow spit? This mostly happens when im lying in bed at night trying to fall asleep and when the dentist is doing something with my teeth.
Probably because im distracted in most other situations.

In these two situations i find myself having to gather saliva from under my tongue and swallowing it down. This turns into a vicious circle where i cant stop swallowing. I doubt its a serious medical problem, its just quite a nuiscance at times, and im scared i might do something stupid when i have my wisdom teeth removed next week.

Is nitrous oxide at the dentist worth the cost?

oblique red — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 07:37:53 -0800

I suffer from dental anxiety, especially when having shots. Is it worth the extra money to get nitrous oxide when having a crown put on? I have a very sensitive gag reflex and dental anxiety. My anxiety seems to be triggered in one of two ways- when I get a shot, I immediately freak out, start crying, breathing rapidly, etc., and they have to give me 5-10 minutes to recover before they can do anything. If I don't get a shot I can hold out for maybe 10 minutes of having work done (like a cleaning) before I get the same response. The problem is not just the pain of the needle but the sensation of feeling the stuff go in and feeling them move the needle around.

So far, I've always toughed it out through the occasional filling, cleaning, etc., but I'm facing more significant work and I'm not sure how to proceed.

My back molar is cracked (one filling on the top and one on the side, and a crack has formed between them) and is causing me some pain. My dentist says that I need a crown on it to keep it from breaking off and causing more trouble.

I have never had nitrous but have heard that it can really help ease anxiety for people like me. My dentist charges $90 for the nitrous.

So, people who know - would the nitrous help enough to be worth the extra money? I don't like spending extra money unless I need to, but I also hate the way getting shots in my mouth makes me feel.

Is this crown necessary?

msalt — Fri, 30 May 2008 21:33:35 -0800

My girlfriend's dentist is pushing her to get a crown on a tooth with several fillings. I'm skeptical because she has no pain, he doesn't see anything wrong with it, and he pushed her last year too. Should she listen to him, get a second opinion (any suggestions for Portland, OR?), or ignore him? His argument is simply that there are a lot of fillings in this tooth, the fillings are old (10 years), and it will hurt a lot if it breaks. She describes the tooth as "one big filling." Cost would be $1000, she has no dental insurance, and she works full time in theater so money is not super flush.

Looking for dentist in Durham or Chapel Hill

feathermeat — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:45:29 -0800

I'm looking for a good dentist in the Durham/Chapel Hill, NC area. My husband needs extensive dental work, to include several extractions, root canals, crowns, bridges, etc. He is unhappy with his current dentist. Does anybody have a dentist in Durham/Chapel Hill that they just love? He doesn't need anything fancy-schmancy like those sedation dentistry clinics.

Has anyone used Careington Dental plan, or something comparable?

nitsuj — Sat, 17 May 2008 08:01:46 -0800

Has anyone used Careington Dental plan, or something comparable? My girlfriend and I are looking to get some basic work done on our teeth. We don't have insurance, so are looking at using a dental plan of some sort. Does anyone have any experience with Careington?

They offer a $6.95 per month plan that gets you great rates on lots of procedures. Too good to be true?

It doesn't seem like full dental insurance would make sense for us, since we rarely have work done.

This is in the United States.

Teeth!

matthewr — Fri, 16 May 2008 06:54:07 -0800

A fair-sized bit of one of my teeth just fell off. The tooth is a molar, third from the back on the bottom jaw. I'm not in pain, and this has never happened before; I have no fillings and my teeth are generally healthy. I can see an NHS dentist in two weeks' time at the earliest, but what (if anything) should I do about it in the meantime? Is it OK to keep eating normal foods?

And what is the dentist likely to do? Remove the whole thing? File down the sharp bits? Fill it?

Can the coronation of my tooth wait until January '09 when my treasury will be filled?

elkerette — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:56:45 -0800

How long can I wait after a root-canal on a molar to get a crown put on? So I took rotten care of my teeth for the last few years (went through an irresponsible "Mummy isn't forcing me to go, so I won't" stage coupled with a move to a new city away form my family dentist).

I had some pain in back molar and, after doing copious research, found a great dentist here in Toronto.

Thus far, he has performed:

1 dental exam
1 full xray
1 partial xray
1 polishing
2 scalings (preventative and perio)
1 basic filling
1 root canal
1 “restorative service” on the root canal tooth

I had booked three further appointments. 1 to take care of some small cavities located under a sealant placed by my former dentist. 1 to prep my root canaled tooth for a crown and 1 to place the actual crown.

My dentist (and the Canadian Dental Association's website) indicate that post-root canal your tooth needs the support of a crown in order to prevent cracking and futher damage (since it is now essentially dead).

My problem is that I have just reached the maximum dental benefit of $1500 that my company insurer is able to pay for the calendar year.

Needless to say, I am loathe to pay $1500 or so for a new crown when my benefits provider should be covering 50% of that cost.

My question: how long post-root canal can I wait until getting the crown placed without risking damaging my tooth too badly? Can I wait until January 2009 when Great West Life will kick in its share?

Further info: the dentist in his "restorative service" on the root canal, removed the temporary filling and replaced it with a permanent one. It's not like I still have the piece of putty in my tooth...

I know you are not necessarily a dentist, nor are you MY dentist, but I would really appreciate your advice!

This buckle filling is going to be the death of me...

Unicorn on the cob — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:09:40 -0800

I keep losing the same buckle filling again and again. Should I just suck it up and tell my dentist to give me a cap instead? On my next-to-last bottom molar on the left-hand, I have two buckle fillings. These are fillings that run along the gum line. Unfortunately, I chew most of my food on that side of my mouth as my upper and lower molars on the right side of my mouth are completely gone now. Three times in the past six weeks, I've lost that same filling. Before I changed dentists, I lost a filling right next to it four times in a year (same tooth). At first I thought I had a crappy dentist, so I changed dentists. Now I feel like I just have a crappy/unlucky tooth situation going on.

I know it's expensive to have a cap made (~$500) and I have a limit on my dental insurance to $2000 per year. I just had $1000 worth of fillings done.

Obviously my mouth is a mess. This last filling only lasted 13 days. I am waking up, realizing the filling fell out when I'm flossing in the morning and getting frustrated.

Is there anything I can do to prevent this? Yes, I chew gum on occasion (mostly when I drink) and will eat Jelly Bellies about once every two months. I probably am only hurting my teeth by doing this. Does anyone else have experience with losing fillings over and over again? Is getting a capped tooth a better solution? I'm just sick of going to the dentist and would love to hear if anyone else has this problem but me.

Any dentists in the house have any advice on this? I cannot believe how many times this tooth has given me problems. IT'S MY ENEMY. HELP ME CONQUER IT!

They're going to make me pay in teeth?

SassHat — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:54:03 -0800

I'm going to see a dentist in Toronto tomorrow. How much is this going to cost me? Feels like a waste of a question but I realized I have to pay up front and then get reimbursed by insurance afterward. I'm getting a checkup/cleaning and x-rays done as a "new patient visit."

Roughly how much is this going to set me back? I looked online but the ODA mentions the dental fee guide but I can't seem to find the actual prices anywhere.

False Teeth in Chicago?

jtron — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:34:02 -0800

Looking for a good place to get dentures/implants/false teeth in Chicago. I have terrible, terrible teeth. "Summer Teeth" some have called them, 'cause some are there and some ain't. It's the usual combination of genetics (my mom has had dentures since age 16), poor hygiene, poverty, and just plain bad luck (I once broke a newly-emerged wisdom tooth on a curly fry!).

For the first time in my life, I have a job with medical and dental benefits (BCBS is taking over the account in a couple months, if that matters). I'd like to find a place in Chicago to get my mouth fixed up. Location is important (I'm in Logan Square), as are hours (afternoons and weekends are best; I work nights), and good attitude (I do not want to be judged, just helped).

Any suggestions?

Dental Sealant: Should I have the treatment?

Chuckles — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:10:15 -0800

Dental Sealant: Should I have the treatment? I've been to the local dental hygienist school for treatment, and one of the things they do is tooth sealant. It would be free, but is it actually worthwhile?

About me: I have very good teeth. To give that some context, it has been 8 years since I've had a checkup/filling, and the dentist (not the student hygienist) at the hygienist school recommended one new restoration, along with replacement of one old filling.

Odds are I will not be a regular dental patient in the future, so I'm only interest in 'fire and forget' treatments. Though I obviously want healthy teeth, it is 100% critical to minimize cost of care now and in the future.

Research so far: The hygienist student said something about etching to improve adhesion, that didn't sound good. There has been talk about possible leeching of bisphenol-A, but It doesn't seem that worrisome. Wikipedia has little to say on the subject, and one very negative comment in the talk pages which might just be a crackpot. Google results are spammed by marketing messages from interested parties instead of objective and useful information. An example of the last, from the ADA:

adults can benefit from sealants as well.

Key ingredients in preventing tooth decay and maintaining a healthy mouth are twice-daily brushing with an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste; cleaning between the teeth daily with floss or interdental cleaners; eating a balanced diet and limiting snacks; and visiting your dentist regularly. Ask your dentist about whether sealants can put extra power behind your prevention program.

A bunch of weasel words, with no real recommendation..

So, should I?

6 year old needs to have his tooth extracted. Any advice?

jeremias — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:59:38 -0800

My 6 year old needs to have a tooth extracted for medical reasons tommorrow. Any tips/advice that my wife and I can use to ease the anxiety pre-pull? We have already told him as gently as possible, and he understandably was not thrilled, in fact his initial response was "I'm not going." Neither my wife nor I ever had to go through this procedure at such an early age, any thoughts appreciated . . .

"3-2-3" "2-3-2" "3-3-3"

np312 — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:18:47 -0800

Looking for a great dentist in Venice beach area or Santa Monica, preferably one who has all the modern technology. Please help! I had a great dentist in Colorado who had all the newest technology at his disposal for dental work. When I moved to NYC the dentist I had was so-so, and his office seemed straight out of the 50's which kind of made me yearn for the high-tech stuff (I'm thinking primarily of the gum-tracing tools where they chart on computers how much your gum-line as receded, which is what the title of this post is in reference to.) Now that I'm living in West LA, I am looking for someone as good as my Colorado dentist.

Also, big plus if you know that they accept Delta Dental insurance.

Thank you!!

Dentist with familiarity with trauma

gerls — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:42:03 -0800

I need to find a female dentist who has some experience with patients who have experienced trauma/ have PTSD in Sydney, Australia. How to best go about this process? Where would you start? Who would you call or talk to? I guess I need to work out what direction to head in, and who'd offer the most useful tips without thinking my request was 'weird'.

Need dentist second opinion.

spacefire — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:33:46 -0800

Teeth Grinding and Root Canal. Should I get a second dentist's opinion? So apparently I've been grinding my teeth so much one of them has a big hole in it. I thought it was a cavity, but the dentist said it was from the griding. That tooth had hurt for a while in contact with hard foods or sweet stuff, but now it doesn't hurt anymore.
Anyway, I thought it needed a filling but the dentist said root canal outright. He said it a bit too soon, in my opinion, I don't think the X-Rays were even developed at the time. (I haven't seen the X-Rays myself)
Besides the root canal I would get a point, I think that's what it was called, also a crown, and then I would have to see someone else for the night-time grinding and the existing damage to my teeth. He did, however, recommend I get a night time teeth guard from the pharmacy which I did.
I also have been having a sore throat and was prescribed antibiotics by the dentist for it...can they do that? Didn't get my teeth cleaning because of the sore throat, which means probably another copay when time comes for that.

So, doing a bit of research here, it seems that with my insurance coverage I would pay about 100 dollars for a root canal. From what I understand root canals are needed when the tooth is decaying. My problem is not an infection, but rather mechanical action. I'm not sure the nerve is exposed, he said that the 'red' you can see at the bottom of the hole is due to the nerve being close to the surface, and the pain is cause by the nerve swelling and then going back down for periods of no pain.

Should I get a second opinion? The catch is that since it's hard to get a dentist appointment soon enough during the weekend or off work hours I would have to take some time off from work, which I have been doing a lot lately.

But I really feel the diagnosis was a rushed and the dentist shifty.
Is there a chance the root canal is not needed?
That another dentist might say a filling and using an OTC nightguard is enough?

Should a new crown hurt this much?

sergeant sandwich — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:37:27 -0800

My girlfriend's crown came off one of her molars, and it was damaged. She went to a dentist who reshaped the stump, made a new crown and replaced it. Since then (3 weeks) it came off once, she's been in excruciating pain the whole time, and now the dentist says she might need a root canal. Is this bad dentistry, or to be expected, and is there any recourse? So, the issue is that before the new crown was put on, the technician drilled away at the old tooth for a while to reshape it -- reasons unknown -- and it's been nonstop pain since then. The theory as put forward by the dentist is that the tooth was shaved down too far and that the nerve is now too close to the new surface of the tooth. Right now we are wait-and-see if the pain gets any better. But if it doesn't, apparently the only recourse is to do a root canal.

To me this seems like really bad work -- replacing a crown should be an easy thing, right? At least, it shouldn't leave you in agony, right? I've never had to get one myself, so I dont know. If I am wrong, please correct me, but it sounds like it was bungled pretty bad.

Anyway, if it was in fact a massive cock-up by the dentist's office, what can we do? Should we expect the dentist's office to pay for the root canal? Should we expect the fee for the crown ($800 after insurance) back? I am retarded when it comes to doctors and dentists and health care etc., so I don't know what's normal. Thanks!

how much radiation from an old dental x-ray machine

thewalrus — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 04:00:38 -0800

Radiation levels from older dental x-ray machines? Some time in the next year I may need to have dental work done in a third world asian country. The x-ray machines in use there are either 30 years old, or inexpensive Indian / Chinese models which put out quite a bit more radiation than a modern north american x-ray machine.

How much radiation can I expect to receive from a series of dental x-rays, and how does that amount compare to the same 'shots' taken by a modern machine?

Drilling for Dollar$

Fupped Duck — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 12:10:35 -0800

I'm mid 40s, have had 2 cavities in my life, to date, one in my late teens and another 15 years later. My dentist from childhood retired in 1999. Since then I have consulted a dif't dentist each year, for a total of 7 dental "exams". Each one has alerted me to various work I need done to my teefs, which I declined to have done. None has ever "diagnosed" a problem remotely similar to any of the preceeding dentists. Each has found something new. The science of Dentistry is a profession exactly how? How can I ever find an honest dentist?