Monthly Archives: April 2021

Sedation Dentistry

Traumatic Tooth Injury and Dental Anxiety

I took a pretty bad fall and now two of my teeth are starting to turn black. Is there something that can be done to help this? I have to tell you I haven’t been to the dentist in two years because I have horrible dental anxiety. The last time I went the teeth were healthy.

Brooke

Dear Brooke,

woman asleep in the dental chair from dental sedation

When a tooth turns black after an injury, it means the nerve inside the tissue of your teeth has died. The treatment for this will be a root canal treatment. Then a dental crown can be placed over the tooth to both protect the tooth and to improve its appearance.

I do understand that you are not comfortable at the dentist and have some dental anxiety you are dealing with. I want to make sure you know there are dentists who work with anxious patients. By seeing a sedation dentist, you can have a completely anxiety-free and pain-free dental experience.

Most dentists offer two levels of dental sedation: nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation. Nitrous is sometimes called laughing gas. It doesn’t actually make you silly as it does give you a relaxed, floaty feeling. This is often enough for some patients to have an easier dental experience. It has the additional benefit of allowing you to get on with your day immediately following your appointment.

If your anxiety is stronger, and for some it is debilitating, then I would suggest oral conscious sedation. This is so strong that some call it sleep dentistry because you are so relaxed you can sleep through your appointment. The only real downside is that, because of its strength, you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment as well as stay with you for a few hours after your appointment until you are lucid and steady on your feet.

This blog is brought to you by Gilbert Dentist Dr. Matt Roper.

Invisalign

Options for a Tooth Gap

I have an 8mm gap in my front teeth. My dentist is suggesting I get Lumineers to fix that but I’m a bit nervous about that. I see the Lumineers have mixed reviews. Are there other options for me that do not include 3 years in metal braces?

Cameron

Dear Cameron,

An image of Invisalign aligners

Whatever you do, please do not allow your dentist to do Lumineers on your teeth. For one, 8mm is enough space for a whole other tooth. This is a very complicated case for any brand of porcelain veneers and you are correct that Lumineers is touch and go at best. This is due to two factors.

1. They are highly advertised to inexperienced cosmetic dentists. You would need one of the top 1% of cosmetic dentists for your particular case.
2. The company that owns Lumineers insists dentists use their lab, which is not known for having excellent results.

My suggestion would be for you to get Invisalign. This can straighten your teeth and close that gap in half the time of traditional braces. Not only that, they can do it invisibly. There are no metal wires and brackets. Instead, Invisalign uses clear aligners. These are much more comfortable and, because they are removable, it is simple for you to brush and floss your teeth.

They have an additional hidden benefit of allowing you to whiten your teeth at the same time. This is because the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. It is like getting a mini smile makeover at a fraction of the cost.

This blog is brought to you by Gilbert Dentist Dr. Matt Roper.