Archives for December 2019

Some of My Teeth Just Came Loose!

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Hi there,

My grandmother is in her nineties, and while she has most of her teeth, her teeth and gums may not be in the best of health. She saw her dentist for a filling recently, however since then, two of her teeth have simply fallen out of her mouth! We’re not sure what the best options for her are – should she get a bridge with her remaining teeth? If her teeth are healthy enough, should she get dental implants or should she go for dentures?

Anna, from Kissimmee, FL

 

Hi Anna,

Teeth take a large amount of force to knock out. If your grandmother’s teeth simply fell out, then she most likely has advanced periodontal disease, or gum disease.

With gum disease, it is likely most of her teeth are unstable in her gums, making it impossible for her to get a bridge. If you anchor a bridge to unhealthy, unstable teeth, it will strain and stress them, causing them fracture and need removal.

The ideal replacement would be dental implants, but since your grandmother likely needs a full-mouth smile makeover, that can run tens of thousands of dollars. A removable denture is also the more affordable option compared to dental implants. Also, if you grandmother does not have enough bone in her jaw, she may be better off going with a removable denture. For patients lacking enough bone in their jaws, a bone graft is an option, but your grandmother may be too old or not healthy enough to receive a bone graft procedure.

Since your grandmother’s teeth are likely in need of extraction, a full set of upper and lower dentures may her best option. Dentures can lead to bone resorption (the body breaking down the jaw bone for minerals and nutrients) and facial collapse over the course of 10 years. At your grandmother’s age, she may not need to worry about jaw collapse as much as a younger patient would.

A full set of dentures would be less stressful on her teeth than a removable partial denture. Seek a general dentist or affordable cosmetic dentist for your grandmother as soon as possible, before any more teeth fall out.

This blog post is brought to you by Baton Rouge smile makeover provider, Dr. Steven Brooksher, of Dentistry by Brooksher.

Why Do My Shots Hurt So Much?

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Hello there,

I had a cavity filled and my dentist tried to numb me with anesthetic. However, the shot hurt horribly. I’m sensitive to shots. The next time I needed numbing, I asked him to be gentle when giving it, but he ignored my request, and the shot hurt just as bad as before.

I have to get another filling but I am hesitant to go back to this dentist. It hurts too much. Can I do something before my appointment to make it hurt less? Or is there a way to get him to be more gentle this time around?

Connor, from Detroit, Michigan

 

Hi Connor,

When you asked your dentist the first time to be more gentle, he should have listened to you instead of ignoring you. Sometimes dentists get stuck in their ways. However, dentists need to maintain a good level of bedside manner in order to gain the patient’s trust, so he was in the wrong here.

One way to decrease the pain associated with the shot is to ask the dentist to use numbing gel. Leaving numbing gel on the gums first can help. Also, the dentist should administer the shot slowly instead of quickly. Doing it slowly allows the body to absorb the medicine better; doing it fast can cause bubbling at the injection site, or stretching of the skin.

If you are sensitive to shots, it may be because of the nerves in your jaw. Everyone’s bodies are different, and your dentist is administering the shoot where it is most likely to be effective. However, while this may cause no pain for most people, if your facial nerves are near the injection site, it will hurt you a lot more than it would otherwise. The dentist cannot control where your facial nerves are, so if this is the case, you may want to look for a gentle dentist or sedation dentist.

A cosmetic dentist who practices gentle or sedation dentistry will listen to your concerns. They will have a much more improved bedside manner than your current dentist. To have your sensitivities addressed, you may want to seek a different dentist.

This blog post is brought to you by Baton Rouge sedation dentist, Dr. Steven Brooksher, of Dentistry by Brooksher.

Where Is The Cost Information on Dental Websites?

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Hi there,

I need a tooth replacement and want a dental implant. However, I’m looking for an affordable dentist, so I wanted to compare cost information. However, none of the cosmetic websites I’ve checked had any pricing information. How can I find out the cost of my procedure before the appointment? I don’t want to waste my time or the dentist’s time.

Phoenix, from Mesa, Arizona

 

Hi Phoenix,

Most dentists don’t post their dental information online as they think it will make them look unprofessional. Dentists prices vary due to payment plans or the type of insurance patients have. So putting prices of dental care online may not be accurate.

Choosing a dentist is not the same as choosing a car dealership. Picking the cheapest option may not be a good idea when it comes to dentistry. A dentist that is cheaper upfront may use lower quality materials, which may cost you more in the long run. On the flipside, the dentist with the highest fees may not be the best, either.

Whoever gives you a dental implant should use high-quality materials, so it will last a long time and not require any future work. Getting a dental implant from a cosmetic dentist is better than seeing a general dentist. Dental implants take a lot of skill and experience to place correctly. A general dentist may offer a cheaper price, but it may be placed incorrectly, and end up costing more due to increased appointments to fix it.

If you want to know pricing information before making an appointment, call a few cosmetic dentists in the area and ask for the ballpark prices of a few key procedures: a cleaning, a multi-surface composite filling on a molar, and a posterior crown. Any fees that see extremely high or much lower than the others are places to be avoided.

This blog post is brought to you by Baton Rouge affordable dental implant provider, Dr. Stephen Brooksher, of Dentistry by Brooksher.