Archives for September 2023

Solution for a Crooked Tooth

Posted on September 30, 2023 by writeradmin.

I have been looking for a solution to a crooked tooth. I’ve been to three dentists and each of them has suggested something different. Thus far I have been told to get braces, get porcelain veneers, and even to remove the crooked tooth and get a dental implant. I suppose my situation is more complicated because all my teeth are straight except for this one tooth. I feel like each of the dentists I have spoken to have given me the procedure THEY want to do. I’m hoping as you are not anywhere near my city and I can’t get traatment from you, that I can get an unbiased opinon from you. What should I do about this one crooked tooth?

Emile

Dear Emile,

For one crooked tooth, I see two good options for you. However, whatever you do, please do not allow them to remove this crooked tooth. Unless there is something seriously wrong with that tooth that you haven’t mentioned, that suggestion is the most aggressive, unnecessary overtreatment I have heard in a while.

Valid Option One— Invisalign

I know someone suggested braces. I don’t know if that was traditional braces or not but I do have a better option for you if that was the case. There have been incredible advancements in orthodontics these days. My suggestion, if you want to actually straighten the crooked tooth, is to use Invisalign.

Instead of metal wires and brackets that traditional braces use, Invisalign uses clear aligners. These are invisible even at a conversational distance. No one would even know you were straightening your teeth. They also have the hidden benefit of allowing you to whiten your teeth at the same time, if that is something you are interested in. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. Simply ask your dentist to provide you with the whitening gel and you can apply it while you wear your aligners. It’s like getting a mini smile makeover.

Valid Option Two— Porcelain Veneers

This option will not straighten the crooked tooth, but it can make the tooth look straight. Porcelain veneers use tiny wafers of porcelain to completely remake your smile, including the shape, size, and color. It is what celebrities use to get that Hollywood smile. Unless you want to place porcelain veneers on at least eight to ten teeth, depending on how wide your smile is, you will need to do teeth whitening as well. Don’t let any dentist do this. You need someone with advanced cosmetic dentistry training and artistry.

If you are on a tight budget, then Invisalign is the better option for you. If money is not an issue, then you can do either one. I’d only suggest porcelain veneers, though, if there are other things you want to change about your teeth. I would not consider it worth the cost just to fix one tooth.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

How Far Back Should a Denture Go?

Posted on September 23, 2023 by writeradmin.

I have a denture and no part of it covers the gums where my wisdom teeth were. I keep telling my dentist it is very uncomfortable but he does not seem concerned about it. Am I overstepping? How far back should this wisdom tooth go?

Alan

Dear Alan,

Whle your denture will never be completely comfortable and even the best fitting dentures will reduce your chewing capacity by 50%, this is something that your dentist could help you with. In fact, your denture should go past where the wisdom teeth gums are. If possible, it should cover at least part of the retromolar pad. This is a pad of tissue that is just past the wisdom teeth.

It is likely that your dentist does not want to do this because it would mean starting over. That is a lot of extra work for him as well as laboratory costs. If you have already paid for your denture, you do not really have a lot of leverage. If you haven’t, you can tell him you will pay when the denture is correctly made.

If you have paid, you could tell him you are going to leave a negative review. This will have an impact on his business.

I do not know your age. However, I want to make sure you were warned about the problem of facial collapse by your dentist. When your teeth were removed, your body immediately began to resorb the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body. It does this in an effort to be a efficient as possible with your body’s resources. Unfortunately, that has a side effect of shrinking y our jawbone. After about ten or so years, you will no longer have enough jawbone left to even retain your dentures. In dental circles, this is known as facial collapse.

The prevention to this is the have your dentures anchored to dental implants. Not only will that prevent facial collapse, it will also take care all of the comfort and chewing problems that have come with your dentures.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

My Child Struggles at the Dentist

Posted on September 20, 2023 by writeradmin.

I need some advice. My son is six years old and really struggles at the dentist. He won’t sit still and sometimes tries to grab the instruments. Our pediatric dentist puts up with it but now he needs to have a cavity filled and I’m worried about him and the drill. My dentist just suggested we use a papoose board. She showed it to me but I’m not sure I want to go that direction. Is there any other option?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

It is not uncommon for young people to struggle with sitting still at the dentist. You are right, though, that you do not want him doing that when a drill is involved. For those who don’t know what a papoose board is, I am going to post an image here.

This is not as scary as it may look to a parent. It’s more like a big hug. It works a bit like the way swaddling does for infants. The wrapping makes the child feel more secure. Most of them calm down very quickly and can even fall asleep.

Another option is to see a family dentist who offers dental sedation options. There are generally two levels of sedation offered. The first is nitrous oxide. This is a gas that he can breathe through a nose piece. It will relax him. However, if his anxiety is high it he will be able to fight off its effects. In that case, he’d be better off using oral conscious sedation. This is so strong that he will sleep through the procedure and likely not even remember it. He will be groggy for a few hours after the procedure as well.

Either one of these procedures will help your son get the care he needs. What you don’t want is to put off treatment. Cavities have a way of turning into tooth infections when left untreated. You do not want him to end up with a dental emergency.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Bleeding Between Two Dental Crowns

Posted on September 5, 2023 by writeradmin.

I had six dental crowns placed on my anterior teeth for a smile makeover. I am having some problems with bleeding between the front two. I am a bit worried I am allergic to them. I asked my dentist for the certification of the alloys so I could figure out what was going on. There wasn’t any information on the alloys used. One thing that did surprise me is that e.max wasn’t listed, but instead it said it was listed as a GC LiSi Impress. I can’t find any information on this so have no idea how to figure out what is causing the problem. Do you know anything about this? My dentist thinks I’m overreacting. I wonder if I wouldn’t have more help from a holistic dentist with this allergy issue.

Hattie

Dear Hattie,

I don’t think what you are dealing with is an allergy, but I do think something is wrong. If it were an allergy, you would be affected by all the dental crowns and not just the two in front. As to the alloy certification, the reason there were none listed is because these crowns are metal-free, so there would be no alloys to list. A holistic dentist would provide the same material.

That being said, the bleeding indicates a problem. If your dentist is unwilling to take that seriously, then I would say he or she is not the best dentist for you. I lean toward there being a problem with the margins of the dental crowns. If there is, then food and other debris will get trapped there and lead to tenderness, bleeding, and even gum disease if left untreated.

You can check for this when you floss. If the floss seems to get trapped there for a moment, then there is an overhand or open margin. If that is the case, your dentist needs to fix this. Either way, you need a dentist willing to get to the bottom of why your gums are bleeding.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dentist.