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Dental Implants for Baby Teeth

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I’m sixteen and still have baby canine teeth on the top. My mom wants to have them pulled so my other teeth will come in. I’m not too keen on having blank spaces, especially with yearbook pictures coming up. If the grown-up teeth don’t come in can I get dental implants?

Madison

Dear Madison,

dental implant diagram showing three examples with the implant crown being placed on the implants

Do you see a dentist regularly? I’m quite shocked that your dentist hasn’t dealt with this already. A diagnosis and treatment plan should already have been on the books for this. Personally, I think if you’ve been under the care of a dentist and he hasn’t dealt with it he’s being negligent.

The first thing you need is to get an x-ray to see why your adult canine teeth haven’t come in. There are generally two reasons. One, they’re impacted in which case you would need to have an orthodontist work with you to get them in their proper position.

A second reason would be you have congenitally missing canines. This does happen sometimes, where the adult teeth just never form. In that case, you’d have spaces which need to be dealt with. You’re a little young for dental implants because your jaw is still developing. But, that doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck with blank spaces in your smile.

Options Until You’re Old Enough for Dental Implants

Dental Flipper: This is the least expensive option. It’s a single false tooth that can clip on to your other teeth. It’s meant to be a temporary fix.

Removable Partial Denture: This would last longer and likely feel more comfortable. It will put two false canine teeth which can be slipped onto the arch and fill in the blanks.

Once your jaw is completely developed, which will be after you graduate high school, then dental implants will be a fantastic solution for you. They feel and respond like natural teeth.

Make sure your teeth are the color you want before you get your implant crown crafted. Once the crown is completed, the color can’t be changed. So, once you’re ready to move forward with your dental implants, if you’re going to do teeth whitening, do it then. This may not be necessary for you. You’re young and probably don’t have a lot of staining on your teeth unless you’re a big coffee/tea drinker.

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

Swollen Wisdom Teeth

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My wisdom teeth were coming in fine but my dentist said we should keep an eye on them. I’m in college now and they’ve been really hurting. One of them seems swollen. Is this a big deal? Should I see an emergency dentist? I won’t be home from school until this summer, unless I can squeeze in a quick trip over spring break, but I don’t want to miss too much work.

Jennie

Dear Jennie,

A woman grabbing her jaw and in need of an emergency dentist

If it were just a matter of your wisdom teeth becoming uncomfortable, I would say that you could wait until the summer. However, you’re talking about pain and swelling. This leads me to think you’re dealing with an infection at the wisdom tooth site. It’s possible that could wait until this summer, but I wouldn’t risk it. That could blow up quickly.

There are emergency dentists who will see non-established patients on the same day they call. You need to call an office and let them know what is going on. They’ll likely get you in rather quickly. If the tooth infection can be dealt with easily they’ll probably try to take care of it. At the least, they’ll give you some antibiotics and then refer you to an oral surgeon, or schedule a further appointment with you to extract the wisdom tooth themselves if that’s a procedure they routinely do.

Sedation Dentistry with Emergency Dental Appointments

This is a significant procedure. I wouldn’t do it simply with a local anesthetic. You’ll need something like oral conscious sedation. That requires someone to drive you to and from the appointment as well as stay with you throughout the day. This is because you’ll be quite loopy and unsteady on your feet.

If I were your parent, I’d want to be there with you. Even though you can’t easily get home, I bet at least one of your parents can get there to see you.

I have to say, I love seeing college students taking responsibility for their oral health. I’m assuming you visit your dentist when you’re home. If it’s getting harder and harder for you to get home because of work responsibilities, it’s probably time for you to find a good dentist near your school. This way you have someone regularly looking out for your oral health.

If you decide it’s best to remove your wisdom tooth, it may be in your best benefit to remove all of them at the same time. The best time to remove wisdom teeth is when the roots are almost (but not completely) developed. The older you get, the more risks there are to wisdom tooth removal. As you may be doing the procedure anyway, this may be the ideal time to get it all done at once.

Best of luck to you and definitely get this looked at. Infections spread.

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

Bump on Husband’s gums

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I noticed my husband has been babying his mouth. When I asked him what was wrong he said he thinks he jabbed his gum with something sharp and cut it. The next day, he was in obvious pain so I asked him to let me peek. When I did, it wasn’t a cut, but rather more like a bump. It looked like a pimple, but you don’t get those on gums, do you? Is it a big deal? He’s certainly in a lot of pain.

Cassie L.

Dear Cassie,

A man holding the side of his mouth from pain, in need of an emergency dentist

A pimple on your gums is a dental emergency

A pimple on your gums, or in this case your husband’s gums, is known as an abscess. This means he has a dental infection which has spread. What likely happened is your husband developed a cavity. Many times you can’t feel a cavity so he may have had no clue that decay was growing.

Either it was a fast-growing cavity or he has been neglecting his dental appointments so there was no x-rays or exam to give him a heads up. Whichever it was, at this point a simple filling would have taken care of things. Without that, it would continue to spread. Once it covers over 1/3 of the tooth a filling isn’t sufficient and he’d need a dental crown.

If he still doesn’t notice it or just ignores it, the decay will eventually reach the pulp of his tooth. He would definitely notice this. It’s quite painful. Once that happens, it would turn into an infection and need a root canal treatment to “cure” it. This is also the point where it would be considered a dental emergency. If he doesn’t have a regular dentist, he’d need to call an office who treats non-established patients in the case of an emergency. You can often find them by doing an internet search for an “emergency dentist”.

A pimple is what happens when the infection has no place else to go and is “spilling” out of the tooth.

The Importance of Dealing with Dental Emergencies

Too often patients think a dental infection can be treated like a bacterial infection they get elsewhere in their body. However, our mouths are a tad different. Once the infection reaches the pulp of the tooth, it causes it to die. That means no more blood flow can reach the area.

Even if you took an antibiotic, the most it could do was hold off the infection from the surrounding tissue where the medicine can reach. Then, once the antibiotic is gone the infection will return.

The only thing that will truly take care of the situation is for the dentist to get in there and physically remove the infected tissue. Hence the need for a root canal. Without that, the infection will run rampant. If you think about how close your jaw is to your heart and brain it could turn life-threatening rather quickly. In fact, every year people still die from tooth infections left untreated.

Don’t let your husband be one of them. Get him to the dentist.

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

Cancer Caused Dental Anxiety

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I was never afraid of the dentist until I was diagnosed with cancer. They told me when I started radiation and chemo that I’d need to be especially careful of my teeth and they’d need extra attention. I tried to do that, but the chemo has every inch of my body in pain. My first dental appointment was excruciating. I feel like a complete coward saying this, but I’m afraid to go back. Is there anything which can make this easier for me?

Kate

Dear Kate,

Someone hiding behind a chair

I will say first, you are not a coward. Given everything you’re going through it’s normal to be afraid of any pain. The medications you are on will make everything in your body more sensitive. Your dentist may not have worked with many cancer patients. If he or she had, they would have taken steps to make you more comfortable.

You may need to switch dentists for the duration of your treatment. Before you do that, though, check to see if he offers these services.

You’ll need to find a sedation dentist. Now, there is a large range of sedation options and not every dentist has all of them available. Start by finding a dentist who offers sedation. There are three common keyword sets you can use in your search.

Dental Sedation for Cancer Patients

You are in a lot of pain even when you’re not undergoing dental care. You’re also taking a lot of medicine. A LOT. I’m going to recommend oral conscious sedation. It’s also called sleep dentistry. You’ll take a simple pill before your appointment.

It completely relaxes you. Most people sleep through their appointment. However, you’re so relaxed you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment as well as stay with you at home after your appointment until you are lucid.

All strong sedation requires a consultation before treatment. That will be even more important for you because of all the medications you’re currently on. Make sure during your consultation you bring a list of every medication you are taking, including over-the-counter medicines.

This helps your dentist know what type of sedation he can safely give you which won’t interfere with anything you currently have to take.

You’ll find this will take away all your fear, as well as the pain you’ve faced going to the dentist. A side benefit is the dentist will be able to get more work done on your teeth during each appointment.

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

Visible Invisalign?

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I had always been told that Invisalign would be invisible. Yet, my sister-in-law’s is becoming noticeable, sort of yellowing. I had been considering getting them, but don’t want to have these yellowy plastic things on my teeth. Is there something else going on with hers or is the hype about them being invisible just hype?

Catherine

Dear Catherine,

A woman placing her Invisalign aligners

It sounds like your sister-in-law is having trouble keeping them clean. Or maybe she’s developed habits that stain the aligners. When well taken care of, Invisalign is completely invisible even at a conversational distance.

Here are some tips to help keep Invisalign invisible:

Don’t Smoke or Vape with Your Aligners In

When you smoke or vape while wearing your aligners, it stains them a dingy yellow color. Now think about it doing that to your lungs. It’s impossible for me not to do a PSA about the hazards of smoking. However, many people still choose to continue the habit.

If that’s you and you’re determined to keep smoking, be certain not to do that while your Invisalign aligners are in. If you do, they will become stained and very noticeable.

Don’t Use Traditional Tooth Cleaners With Your Aligners

Using regular toothpaste, or even worse a whitening toothpaste will scratch your aligners. Though the little grooves they create may not be visible, those same grooves will begin to pick up stains. Instead, you’ll want to use the cleaning kit your dentist provided for you when you first received your Invisalign.

If you can’t find it or your dentist doesn’t provide that, I’ll give you an option in a moment. Be careful not to use mouthwash either. It will tint your aligners the same shade as the mouthwash. Bear in mind you can use regular toothpaste and mouthwash on your teeth. Just make sure you do it when your Invisalign is out of your mouth.

Cleaning them with Baking Soda

If you don’t have a cleaning kit for your aligners, you can mix some baking soda with some water and give them a brush. Make sure you use a soft bristled brush. You don’t want to scratch them.

Soak to Freshen the Up

If they need some freshening up because they’re picking up some scents you’re not proud of, you can always do a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water. You can even soak them in full-strength vinegar, just make sure you don’t do it longer than about 10 minutes.

A plus with Invisalign. Most patients don’t realize the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This can allow you to get your teeth brightened and straightened at the same time.

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

Dentist Can’t Get CEREC Crown to Match

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I had a root canal and the tooth needed a dental crown. My dentist has had a very hard time getting it to look natural. The first one looked way too white. Then he redid it. The next one was a more realistic shade, but still doesn’t match my adjacent teeth. He bonded that one on. At first, I thought I could live with it but I’m really uncomfortable having mismatched front teeth. He’s willing to try again. Do you think I’m being too picky? I can tell he’s getting frustrated, even though he hasn’t said anything. Is this because it was a CEREC crown?

Louisa

Dear Louisa,

CEREC crown restoration block

CEREC crowns can look natural

The tendency for most patients in your situation is to finally just settle for a crown that doesn’t look quite right. If this is a front tooth, however, even a slight variation in the color between the crown and adjacent teeth will be noticeable to others and will make the crown look fake.

Your dentist may have the best of intentions, but it is a highly developed skill to get a single crown on a front tooth to match perfectly, that is especially true with CEREC crowns where the crown is often milled from a single block of porcelain. With a traditional crown, it also requires a good relationship between the dentist and the laboratory technician, where they can communicate about color and understand one another.

Even with expert cosmetic dentists, there will often be several try-ins before the crown is matched perfectly. In your case, since your dentist bonded on a crown that didn’t really match, it doesn’t appear that you are in the hands of an expert cosmetic dentist.

Another way that is being used very effectively to match crowns on front teeth is photography. Using sophisticated camera equipment designed for taking dental photographs, the dentist will start by taking a photograph of a standard shade tab of a shade that is close to the shade of your natural teeth. The shade tab will be put up against your natural teeth and photographed, and this photograph will be sent to the ceramist as a guide in re-creating the natural color of the tooth. Then, if the crown provided by the ceramist doesn’t match perfectly, that crown is tried in on the tooth and a new photograph is taken. The ceramist then will be able to see, in the lab, exactly what color modifications need to be made to get it to match perfectly.

A typical family dentist will not likely have photography equipment like this. Furthermore, if he or she has only the training provided by dental school, they are going to be lacking in a lot of color training. Dental schools teach very little about color, and will ordinarily not get into the complex and subtle variations of color and translucency that make up a tooth.

So what do you do? If you are willing to settle for a crown that is just close to the color of your existing teeth, stick with this dentist and keep having him send it back to the lab (or in your case, re-do it on his CEREC machine) until it is right.

If you want to get a perfect match, then have a frank discussion with your dentist and transfer to another dentist who has more expertise in cosmetic dentistry. But know that only a small percentage of dentists have that level of expertise that you need to get a perfect match. For most of them, the way they get a perfect match between two front teeth is to do two crowns on them.

This blog is brought to you by Portage, MI Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Dental Work Allergies

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I have had a number of unexplained medical problems including joint pain, fatigue, and unexplained hives. My doctors ran a bunch of tests that told us nothing. Eventually, they said I’d feel better if I exercised more. I did that and while I lost some weight (yay!) it didn’t help with the other things. I went back and the doctors hinted it was in my head. I was frustrated and realized I was on my own. I starting doing a bunch of research. There’s a whole lot of conflicting information, but one thing which kept coming up is the dangers of certain dental material. Several of the articles suggested getting a Clifford’s test. It took me a bit to find a doctor who did the test but I finally did. It turns out I’m allergic to a lot of metals and other dental materials. I think I may finally have the answer I’ve been looking for but my dentist doesn’t “believe in” the Clifford’s test. He said it’s a scam. Yet, I saw the physical reaction. I’d like to at least test the theory. Is there a dentist who works with patients who have allergies such as mine? I have a lot of dental work. I’m thinking if I remove them and switch them for something I’m not allergic to I’ll know if it works or not.

Karen

Dear Karen,

Woman lying in a field of flowers

You want a holistic dentist

This has been quite a trial for you. It has been the experience of many that if doctors can’t figure out what’s going on after what they consider a reasonable effort, some of them will blame the patient or say it’s “in their head”. Fortunately, not all caregivers, both in the medical and dental field, are so prideful.

In your situation, I’d look for a holistic dentist. This isn’t a specialty. It’s more of a philosophy of treatment. They consider your whole body and not just your teeth. If you have a sensitivity to any material, they’ll work around it.

Finding an Holistic Dentist

Because there is not a recognized holistic dentistry specialty, it’s not always simple to find one. I’d start by just doing an internet search under one of these three terms:

There are additional benefits as well. You’ll be glad to know that, even though there are some differences as to how they flesh out their philosophy of treatment, all of them are mercury-free dentists. Additionally, they all know how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. So, when you get rid of your silver fillings in order to get them replaced with white composite fillings, you won’t have to fear any exposure to the mercury or mercury vapors. They know the correct procedure and will protect you from any toxins. This is especially important given your allergies.

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

Where Can I Get a Digital Smile Makeover?

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I keep hearing about these digital smile makeover type of software. You take a picture of yourself, upload it and can see what you’d look like with a better smile. I’d like to do that before investing in a smile makeover. Do you know where I can find one?

Emerlee

Dear Emerlee,

before and after of a smile makeover

Smile makeover done by Dr. Dennis

Digital smile makeover software is awesome. In fact, Dr. Dennis utilizes hers regularly giving patients a complimentary smile makeover analysis with the software to help them see what their smile would look like and help them decide what’s right for them before investing.

Unfortunately, the companies that make these will only sell them to dental professionals. However, without a way to make the smile a reality, it’s really just a waste of your time. It won’t change your smile. In your place, I’d find a cosmetic dentist in your area which utilizes the technology.

A Mini Smile Makeover

Some patient’s don’t need huge changes to their smile. Simply straightening their teeth with Invisalign along with a teeth whitening procedure is all they really need. In fact, the Invisalign trays can double as teeth whitening trays allowing them to do both procedures at once.

Often this changes someone’s smile so much it’s all they need. Others want something more dramatic.

A Total Smile Makeover

If you’re looking to change the whole character of your smile, porcelain veneers are probably the way to go. These tiny wafers of porcelain can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth simultaneously. In the hands of a skilled, artistic cosmetic dentist you’ll will have a stunning celebrity smile.

Some things to do before you go to see a cosmetic dentist:

First, check out their smile gallery— You want to see what type of results they get with their work. Their smile gallery should be their best work. If you’re not truly impressed, move on to a different dentist.

Second, make sure they have a beautiful smile guarantee. They need to be willing to stand behind their work.

This blog is brought to you by Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis of Portage, Michigan.

5 Invisalign Myths Debunked

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Invisalign is a highly popular orthodontic option with an extraordinarily high patient satisfaction rate. Yet, there are still some myths hanging around there which are commonly asked when people are considering this treatment option. Here are the top 5:

Invisalign aligners
Invisalign Aligners

Myth 1: Adults & Seniors Can’t Wear Them

I have absolutely zero idea how this one started. In fact, in the beginning it was only adults and seniors who could wear them. Invisalign was designed so adults in need of orthodontic treatment wouldn’t have to wear unsightly metal wires and brackets which could affect promotions at work.

It wasn’t until later that Invisalign Teen was developed because of the demand for a product suitable for younger patients.

If you’re an adult looking for a discrete way to improve your smile, Invisalign is a fantastic solution.

Myth #2: Braces Work Faster

This is another one of those myths where the opposite is actually true. In fact, Invisalign works in about half the time as traditional braces. In addition to the speed benefit, the aligners can also double as teeth whitening trays, allowing you to knock-out two procedures at once.

Myth #3: Braces Work Better

This one used to be true. When Invisalign first came out, it was only effective on certain patients. Complicated cases were still relegated to a mouth full of metal.

Now, the functionality of the aligners can take on the complex cases. The one exception may be for severe cases of crowding.

Myth #4: I Can’t Eat or Drink Certain Foods

If you wear traditional braces, it limits what you can eat. This is because things will get caught in the wires and brackets. Because you simply remove your aligners when it is time to eat, Invisalign allows you to eat whatever you want.

Myth #5: You Can Order it Online Cheaper

What is true is that you can order invisible braces online cheaper. However, you do not get the regular care of a dentist or orthodontist. They simply ship you the aligners and you change them out on a pre-determined schedule. There is a reason this is dangerous. With Invisalign, a dentist regularly checks the shifting of your teeth to make sure they’re moving in the healthy pattern they are designed to.

When things don’t go according to the ideal and it goes unchecked you can actually lose your teeth. Instead of saving money, you’ll be spending more getting tooth replacements like dental implants.

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

Cosmetic Dentist Isn’t Listening

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I’m quite concerned how this smile makeover is going. I’ve been very specific with my dentist about the type of smile I wanted. He keeps arguing with me to tell me why I’m making the wrong choice. Every time I try to argue, he says, “Trust me. I know what I’m doing.” I just don’t think I’m going to be happy with these results. Should I get out now or trust him as he says?

Bernadette

Dear Bernadette,

brunette woman smiling
Getting a smile you’re proud of requires a great cosmetic dentist

You called him a cosmetic dentist, but I’m not sure he really is. The problem many patients run into is there isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry. Any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist regardless of their training and skill.

In dental school, we’re taught that the dentist knows best. However, those of us who’ve studied cosmetic dentistry after dental school, understand that what matters is the look the patient wants.

One area we see general dentists fight patients is with the color of their smile makeover. Most patients want really white teeth. A non-cosmetically trained dentist will say they want their teeth an unnatural color.

However, with the increase of teeth whitening and cosmetic work, teeth are whiter than they were when these dentists went to school. Even if it were to look “super white”, if that is what the patient wants, that’s what they should get. They’re paying to receive their dream smile.

I don’t think you’re going to get the results you want from this dentist. You’re better off finding one who will listen to you.

What to Look for in a Cosmetic Dentist

The first thing you want to look for is a dentist who gets good results. Look at their smile gallery to see the type of results they get. Would you be thrilled to have a smile like that?

Next, you want to make sure they’re willing to listen to what YOU want. Many of these type of dentists offer something called a beautiful smile guarantee.

Finally, check their reviews. Are patients who’ve been to their practice praising the dentist and staff? Are they happy with the results they received?

I feel confident if you tell your current dentist “nevermind” and seek out a dentist such as I mentioned above, you’ll be much more excited about your investment.

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