I know amalgam fillings are more durable. However, they also require drilling away more of the tooth. Given this, which is a better choice for filling a molar in the long run for a young person?
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posted by Comet Bug
on May 21, 2013 -
15 answers
My dentist recently gave me fillings to replace the lost enamel of nine teeth, and four of these fillings keep falling out. Repeatedly. One of the molar fillings has fallen out three times. One of my canine fillings has fallen out twice. Is this common? Could he be using poor quality materials? Is it indicative of something else being wrong? Should I find a new dentist?
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posted by Calamity Jen
on May 3, 2013 -
11 answers
Is this from a movie or something? I've encountered it online but can't track down its origin. It's an animated gif of a man's shoes, and they have mouths with teeth opening and closing and tongues flapping.
You can see it here.
posted by RobotHero
on Apr 30, 2013 -
8 answers
I have had some years of gum issue - a few grafts, etc. Despite taking pretty good care of my teeth I am seemingly just cursed. I recently saw a new perio person and they said for most of my mouth it was actually "passive eruption" that only a little bit towards the back of my mouth has actual recession/ gum disease issues. Does this exist?
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posted by IzzeYum
on Apr 23, 2013 -
1 answer
I am an asian woman in my late 20's. I can't remember when, but at one point in my life my mom told me to never show my teeth when I smile for pictures because they looked ugly (I had braces then). It's been years since and braces have long been off (though they left some marks on my front teeth), and I still never smile with teeth in pictures. My teeth are not great, but they are not the worst I've seen-- they are sort of middle of the road in terms of straight-ness, and are naturally kind of yellow/grey, but not insanely so.
I feel like I look really weird in all of the pictures because I am smiling without teeth. I have an infectious, outgoing personality. I would like that to reflect in how I smile!
Without getting major dental work done or doing anything harmful to my teeth, are there any tips for getting over me feeling self-conscious about showing my teeth? i.e. I'm most asking for psychological aspect of things. I know I can get veneers, but I'd rather not.
posted by redwaterman
on Apr 21, 2013 -
32 answers
My dentist says they should come out because they will eventually rot and worse, allow decay on my second molars. My surgeon says that while there is decay on one of the wisdom teeth, there is actually a tendency for older people to get fewer cavities. I am having trouble processing this and other information. How do I decide? What other data and information should I collect?
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posted by starkraven
on Apr 12, 2013 -
27 answers
I've always been unhappy with my teeth, and I want perfect, straight teeth. Here's a picture.
http://i49.tinypic.com/w86a6b.jpg I want to know the likely cost of the procedure, and also what option, (braces, veneers, ??) would be the best route. If braces are indeed the best option, I would have to choose the invisalign braces. I plan on going to the Dentist soon, but I just want to know what to expect. Thank you, kindly!
posted by AMWKE1984
on Mar 21, 2013 -
21 answers
I have impeccable dental hygiene, and yet my gums insist on making good on their mutual suicide pact. This results in epically difficult, frequent, and expensive trips to the dentist. I'm looking for advice from any mefites who have dealt with similar issues.
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posted by fingers_of_fire
on Mar 13, 2013 -
17 answers
YNMD, and I have an appointment with a dentist next week. until then, I am just hoping to find some information and calm myself down, because I freak out irrationally much about teeth stuff. I think one of my teeth is sensitive to acid food? but I am not sure, and I am not sure how to describe this to the new dentist.
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posted by atetrachordofthree
on Mar 12, 2013 -
5 answers
I just got hit really hard in the chin, directed straight up. I have a mild headache in the front top of my head. I've had concussions before so I have a good idea of what to watch for, but is it even something to worry about with this kind of injury? And...what to do about the teeth?
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posted by the young rope-rider
on Feb 9, 2013 -
9 answers
Today my eight-year-old niece broke her two front teeth, both diagonally so that she has a triangle-shaped hole between her teeth. They are adult teeth. They are on their way to the dentist, but I just wanted to get some information from experiences you all may have had.
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posted by anthropoid
on Jan 24, 2013 -
37 answers
So, I managed to break a tooth last week (whilst attempting to chew a cold gummy licorice candy that had the approximate texture of partially-cured epoxy). Saw dentist this morning, who wants to install a crown. What, if anything, can I do between now and Coronation Day, as it'll likely be at least eight weeks out?
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posted by aecorwin
on Jan 9, 2013 -
8 answers
I never drink soda, and I place more focus on health and nutrition than anyone I know. Why are my teeth dissolving?!
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posted by lmpatte2
on Dec 18, 2012 -
48 answers
Our kids'
toothologist dentist would like to take x-rays to look for cavities. Is this typical?
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posted by werkzeuger
on Dec 15, 2012 -
23 answers
How can I keep my kitty from bouncing off the walls while he’s fasting?
My 12-year-old cat Marty must fast Monday after 8 p.m. in preparation for teeth cleaning (and the requisite anesthesia) Tuesday at 8 a.m. (Sorry to fall down on the picture mandate – he’s all black, so taking a recognizable photo of him is … not easy!)
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posted by virago
on Nov 18, 2012 -
12 answers
I'm having trouble finding teeth whitening strips that don't have a mint flavor. Some advertise that they have a mint flavor and others just don't say. (For health reasons, I must avoid mint.) Any ideas?
posted by grayber
on Nov 10, 2012 -
2 answers
When you had braces, did your orthodontist want to replace your wires a week before taking your braces off? Or is this a ploy to prolong treatment?
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posted by Sutekh
on Nov 1, 2012 -
15 answers
I have an older dog whose front tooth is loose enough that I can wiggle it with my fingers. I'm taking him into the vet tomorrow, but before I do, I'm wondering: is it possible for the vet to remove a dog's tooth without putting him under anesthesia?
posted by roger ackroyd
on Aug 30, 2012 -
14 answers
My gums appear to be falling apart. Is there ANYTHING I can do about them before I get scolded by my dentist? Tell me about the time you fixed your gums on your own.
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posted by windbox
on Aug 15, 2012 -
55 answers
How can I make an American flag, red white and blue, grill for my teeth that looks like the $25,000 custom grill gold medalist Ryan Lochte rocked at the Olympics? Jeah!
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posted by Unsomnambulist
on Aug 11, 2012 -
6 answers
Cursed with rotten teeth! In spite of brushing and flossing, still tons of cavities every checkup. What will work to stop this?
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posted by luvmywife
on Jun 27, 2012 -
32 answers
My adult dog lost a tooth a couple weeks ago after chewing on a Nylabone. I took the bone away, and was planning to make an appointment for cleaning/ scaling in a month or so, when I could afford it. Today I found another tooth and now I'm more worried that this is something that can't wait. Help please!
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posted by GastrocNemesis
on Jun 6, 2012 -
15 answers
Temporary crown on back molar fell off in two pieces, won't stay on with dental cement. I have the appointment to get the permanent put on on Tuesday--what do I do between now and then to minimize the chance of having to go through the whole process again?
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posted by besonders
on May 26, 2012 -
4 answers
I will be having a root canal soon, but the dentist has told me that the damage to the tooth may not be treatable by the root canal, and that other action may be necessary. He's given me a few options to consider, and has asked me to pick one.
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posted by smilingtiger
on Apr 17, 2012 -
18 answers
I recently moved and went to a new dentist. My old dentist used a probe to find cavities - I haven't had a cavity in a decade. This new dentist used a Diagnodent and told me I had 5-6 areas of decay that he wanted to drill into and fill. He said he didn't know if they went into the dentin or just the enamel, and wouldn't know until he got in there. What's up with this Diagnodent business? Is it legit? YANMD, but is a Diagnodent really better than a probe, and does it sound wise to get them filled? Thanks.
posted by baltimoregirl
on Feb 23, 2012 -
11 answers
Dentistry question: I am a savage night-grinder. Should I have my bite reshaped to help with my bruxism?
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posted by hydrophonic
on Feb 4, 2012 -
12 answers
My two bottom front teeth has been feeling a little funny since last Wednesday. They feel tight or crowded, kind of like how I felt back when I had braces on. they also kind of feel like the teeth were impacted recently, which they weren't. They don't hurt-- if I had to pinpoint, I would say the feeling came from between the two teeth. when I bite they don't hurt more. But the tight feeling is quite noticeable, and certainly not very comfortable. They've gotten a bit better in the past five days. What could cause this?
Also, I just knocked my upper front tooth on my computer screen 3 minutes ago. It hurt a little bit/ can feel the shock for about 30 seconds, and then it's back to normal. There was no bleeding and I couldn't see any fractures and it wasn't loose. Should I have a dentist look at it anyway? I am worried that it might die later.
I've been very worried about my teeth, and at this point I don't know how much to freak out about things that goes on in my mouth!
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posted by atetrachordofthree
on Jan 16, 2012 -
8 answers
Why are my upper left molars so fragile?! I am only 27, but my last three teeth are all dead and have cracked. I had a lot of cavities as a child, despite rarely having any sweets and a moderately good dental hygiene (okay, it wasn't impeccable, but it was not as horrible as some I've seen, namely my father who never brushed with no cavities at all) but as a teenager/young adult/adult my teeth were mostly fine and my brushing habits are much better nowadays. Within the last two years I've had two molars cracked. One losing a big chunk, the other down the middle and is not salvageable. All on my left upper side.
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posted by atetrachordofthree
on Jan 4, 2012 -
23 answers
Just got home from a dentist appointment with my seven-year-old son. Five of his baby teeth are crowding the rest of his teeth and need to be extracted very soon. But he's
extremely anxious at the dentist, and after today's ordeal, they're recommending putting him completely under using IV sedation with an on-site MD.
I had IV sedation for my wisdom teeth, and it was
amazing, but I'm flat-out terrified to knock out my little boy. He's never had anesthesia of any kind. Is it worth doing? Are there any risks or caveats I should know? Would it be better to stick with oral anasthetic? Help!
posted by waxpancake
on Jan 3, 2012 -
26 answers
