Happy new year and a dental emergency?
January 1, 2018 4:50 AM Subscribe
So...I got a temporary crown placed about ten days ago. Now I am having weird problems. Is this an emergency or can it wait until tomorrow?
None of this hurts, but my gum around the temporary crown is swollen and receding....and the tooth itself is separating from the others! There is a gap between the crowned tooth, a back molar, and the tooth right in front of it. Is this an ER trip or a dentist trip?
Also, should I consider switching dentists? The dentist who did this seemed to botch the job - she took far longer than scheduled, my mouth was incredibly cut up, she kept telling the tech how difficult it was due to the angle and she apologized to me on the way out. Of course, she has my real crown now, and I've already paid several hundred dollars as a deposit and fees, but this was a new dentist and I feel like my old dentist, though more expensive, would not have screwed it up.
I have done a salt rinse and will be keeping an eye on it today if not going to the ER. I am reluctant to go to the ER since it doesn't hurt.
None of this hurts, but my gum around the temporary crown is swollen and receding....and the tooth itself is separating from the others! There is a gap between the crowned tooth, a back molar, and the tooth right in front of it. Is this an ER trip or a dentist trip?
Also, should I consider switching dentists? The dentist who did this seemed to botch the job - she took far longer than scheduled, my mouth was incredibly cut up, she kept telling the tech how difficult it was due to the angle and she apologized to me on the way out. Of course, she has my real crown now, and I've already paid several hundred dollars as a deposit and fees, but this was a new dentist and I feel like my old dentist, though more expensive, would not have screwed it up.
I have done a salt rinse and will be keeping an eye on it today if not going to the ER. I am reluctant to go to the ER since it doesn't hurt.
For what it’s worth, my wife had a similar thing happen last month, and ignored it. It turned out to be an abscess that couldn’t drain because of the temporary crown and her face swelled up to Garbage Pail Kid proportions before she called the dentist, who fixed it in about 10 minutes. The pain was, evidently, excruciating by the time the swelling really started.
Call your dentist, and if you can’t get treatment today or early tomorrow, see if you can find your local ER that has a dentist on call (some do, some don’t).
posted by uncleozzy at 5:02 AM on January 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
Call your dentist, and if you can’t get treatment today or early tomorrow, see if you can find your local ER that has a dentist on call (some do, some don’t).
posted by uncleozzy at 5:02 AM on January 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
Call your dentist and find out where you can be seen today or at latest tomorrow. I had a similar problem, face swelled up while visiting my son's family in LA. Not on a holiday thankfully but my son's family dentist saw me right away and sent me to an excellent oral surgeon who took care of the problem. It is an abcess when your face swells, nothing to mess with.
posted by mermayd at 6:05 AM on January 1, 2018
posted by mermayd at 6:05 AM on January 1, 2018
I'd just endure it, since it doesn't hurt. The temporary's going to feel a little strange, 9 times out of 10, but you'll get used to it (I got one of those just last week). It's the permanent crown that matters, and if it doesn't fit correctly they'll keep making new ones until one fits.
Since you say there is no pain, do not go to the emergency room. But definitely make your dentist aware of what's going on.
she kept telling the tech how difficult it was due to the angle
Sounds like an inexperienced dentist to me - yes, I'd want to switch, especially after this.
posted by Rash at 6:17 AM on January 1, 2018
Since you say there is no pain, do not go to the emergency room. But definitely make your dentist aware of what's going on.
she kept telling the tech how difficult it was due to the angle
Sounds like an inexperienced dentist to me - yes, I'd want to switch, especially after this.
posted by Rash at 6:17 AM on January 1, 2018
I would continue with the salt rinse and go tomorrow. Temporary crowns are wonky, especially after ten days. It's more likely that it is moving than your actual teeth are moving. Can you get the permanent one tomorrow? I would go ahead and do that, keep up on salt rinsing until it feels normal, and then get a different dentist since you aren't comfortable with your new one. If you can go back to the old dentist, do, because trusting a dentist is *priceless*.
If the crown can be sent to old dentist, I'd considering doing it for placement. I'm a real happy dental times veteran and I've never gotten 'cut up' from a crown and if there is nothing otherwise wonky about your teeth I don't understand what 'angle' would be at issue. I mean, they're teeth. In your mouth. She's a dentist.
The script would be 'The procedure to put the temporary crown in place seemed to go poorly and I continue to have irritation. I would feel more comfortable if you shipped the the permanent crown to dentist X for placement'. The deposit may have covered what has happened so far but not the ultimate cost, so they might not have to refund you anything and you'd just pay dentist X for the placement.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 9:16 AM on January 1, 2018
If the crown can be sent to old dentist, I'd considering doing it for placement. I'm a real happy dental times veteran and I've never gotten 'cut up' from a crown and if there is nothing otherwise wonky about your teeth I don't understand what 'angle' would be at issue. I mean, they're teeth. In your mouth. She's a dentist.
The script would be 'The procedure to put the temporary crown in place seemed to go poorly and I continue to have irritation. I would feel more comfortable if you shipped the the permanent crown to dentist X for placement'. The deposit may have covered what has happened so far but not the ultimate cost, so they might not have to refund you anything and you'd just pay dentist X for the placement.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 9:16 AM on January 1, 2018
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posted by DarlingBri at 4:55 AM on January 1, 2018 [1 favorite]