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Tooth Trauma Delay

A few years ago, while hiking, I tripped and damaged a tooth by breaking a part of a front tooth. I was out of town when it happened but did get an emergency root canal treatment with a dentist I didn’t really know. Once I returned home, my regular dentist checked it out and thought the work was good, but added a dental crown to it. Fast forward two years and the crowned tooth really started to bother me. It became sensitive to hot and cold. My dentist referred me to an endodontic specialist. He thought the problem was actually coming from the tooth next to the one with the dental crown because I have been clenching it in my sleep. Eventually, it stopped hurting, but now it is hurting again. They say there is nothing on the x-rays. I don’t know what to do. If something happened, is it normal for an adjacent tooth to have a problem a year or two later? What do I do?

Sammie


Dear Sammie,

A woman grabbing her jaw in need of an emergency dentist

I think I can help you here. First, once the root canal treatment was done on your tooth, the nerve was removed. So that means the tooth with the crown could not be the one sensitive to hot or cold unless the root canal wasn’t done or if it failed. This was an upper front tooth, which are the easiest root canals to do, so I don’t think it failed. Plus, your dentist checked it out and said it was fine.

I’m not shocked that they didn’t see anything on the x-ray. Until it progresses to an infection it might not be visible. It is also not unusual for a tooth to have trauma but not show problems for a year or so. I don’t know why your dentists are having trouble with this. My suggestion, if it is no longer bothering you, is to follow up with this and have an x-ray every year or so to check for a developing infection. It may never develop.

If you do have pain blow up before your yearly x-ray, get an emergency dental appointment because you want to stay on top of it.

This blog is brought to you by Gilbert Dentist Dr. Matt Roper.
Click here to learn about one-visit crowns.

Can You Bleach Your Teeth with Clorox?

I want to bleach my teeth so they don’t look so yellow. I know dentists use those trays. Is there a way to keep bleach on your teeth without them? I have a whole jug of bleach at my house and I thought I could use that to bleach my teeth. If there’s not a way to use a homemade type of tray, what about just brushing with it? Will that work?

Stacey A.


Dear Stacey,

Image of teeth whitening trays
Professional teeth whitening trays

I appreciate that you’re trying to find ways to bleach your teeth yourself. Unfortunately, this isn’t the way to do it. When dentists bleach your teeth, they don’t actually use bleach. Instead, they used a specialized peroxide gel.

Bleach is a base, like Lye, which means it is corrosive and can burn living tissue. Ironically, bleach is used in a dental procedure for that very reason. Dentists use it in root canal treatments to clean out and dissolve all the dead debris left.

While you might try something like brushing or rinsing with it, you will damage the tissue in your mouth. There are over the counter whitening kits that will work, such as Crest Whitestrips. It is significantly weaker than what you get at the dentist, but it will work.

While it is less expensive to get a box of Crest Whitestrips, than to do professional teeth whitening, in the long run it will end up costing you significantly more money. You’ll have to use quite a few boxes to do the same thing just one treatment with your dentist will do.

If cost is the only thing keeping you from doing it through your dentist, then I suggest that you shop around. Look for a dentist who advertises as an affordable dentist. Their prices will either be lower or they will be more willing to work with you on payments.

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

A Tooth Infection is Dangerous

I had a molar break about a month and a half ago. I did not have money to deal with it. Recently, I’ve been having pains in my cheeks, sinuses and temple on the side of the mouth with the broken tooth. This morning I woke up with pain in my neck, also on the side of the tooth. Do you think this is related? My sister thinks it is an infection. Is this dangerous? I tend to avoid dentists both because of the cost and the fact that I have never had a pleasant experience at the dentist. So, if there is an antibiotic I can use, I’d rather go that route.

Analisa


Dear Analisa,

Woman holding her jaw from a toothache

I am sorry this is happening to you. Before I talk about your tooth infection, I want to let you know ahead of time that I do have a solution for your negative experiences at the dentist. I want you aware of that so you do not panic.

Yes, you do have a tooth infection and it is spreading. It is dangerous. Yours has already spread up to your temple and your neck. Here are some things that can happen if it is not treated, all of which are life-threatening. It can spread to your brain. Your neck can swell up closing your breathing passage. It can continue past your neck and spread to your heart. I know it sounds crazy, but people die every year from an untreated tooth infection.

Unfortunately, an antibiotic won’t help. The most it can do is temporarily stave off the infection. It will not cure it. This is because it can only reach the part of the infection that has spilled out of your tooth. The only way to treat this is either with a root canal treatment or a tooth extraction.

Both of those probably sound very scary to you. I am going to recommend, especially because of your history, that you see a sedation dentist. They can provide you with a pill that will completely relax you during your treatment. In fact, many people call it sleep dentistry because you can sleep through your treatment if you want to.

Please don’t put off getting this tooth treated. It is a dental emergency and I do not want you turning into another statistic.

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

Tetracycline Stains and No Money

I’ve had tetracycline stains most of my life. When I went to my dentist about ten years ago in order to improve my smile. He told me that porcelain veneers were the only solution. I couldn’t afford them. I still can’t. I’m hoping there are other solutions now. Is there anything else I can do to improve my smile? I’m tired of being embarrassed by my teeth.

Caroline


Dear Caroline,

Image of teeth whitening trays
Professional teeth whitening trays

While porcelain veneers are the best option for smile makeovers, you are correct that they are quite pricey. The good news is that they are not your only option. While it will not make your teeth as absolutely stunning as they could get with veneers, it will improve them remarkably. My suggestion is that you have at-home teeth whitening done. Your dentist can make you custom fit trays. You’ll be able to smile without feeling embarrassed.

It is important to know up front that you will have to be persistent. This won’t happen overnight. But, if you keep wearing the whitening trays, you will eventually make a significant difference. And, it will be much more affordable than porcelain veneers, even after months of whitening.

One precaution. Do not try to use Zoom whitening or laser whitening. While both of those are initially stronger than the at-home whitening trays I suggest you use, it would take too many treatments to do what you need. These two options are more expensive and I do not believe you will find the extra cost worth the minimal amount of time you will save using them.

In the meantime, you can save up for porcelain veneers if you still want to get them eventually. The good news is that, while you need an expert cosmetic dentist to do porcelain veneers and you would not want to price shop for them, pretty much any dentist can do teeth whitening well. It is a basic procedure. So, in this case, you can price shop. Find an affordable dentist and wear the whitening trays as much as you can. You’ll find it the most effective if you wear them overnight.

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

I Want to Get ALL My Dental Work Done

I have avoided the dentist for years, but my mouth has been hurting so much that I went in. I need a LOT of work done. A LOT. I know it is my own fault, but I’ve never had a pleasant dental appointment in my entire life. I’ve decided it is time to man up. I want to get as much of this done at once as possible. So, give it to me straight. How much can I get done in one day?

Troy


Dear Troy,

woman asleep in the dental chair from dental sedation

You are not alone in your dental anxiety. Many of those anxieties start because they had a horrible experience at the dentist when they were children. This often happens because parents don’t think very young children need a dentist and wait until there is a problem before they bring them to the pediatric dentist. Then, their first experience in the dental chair is a painful and frightening one. That’s enough to keep anyone away!

I have a couple of pieces of good news for you. One, there is a way for you to have an anxiety-free/pain-free dental appointment. Two, there is a way for you to get more work done than would normally be possible in one appointment. Even better, they both have the same solution.

The best thing for you to do is to see a sedation dentist. They can prescribe you a medication that will completely relax you. I recommend that you find a dentist who offers oral conscious sedation. With this medication you will be able to sleep through your appointment if that is what you choose to do. It is so strong. The only real downside is that it’s strength means 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.

Dentists who offer sedation are more compassionate with their patients who have dental anxiety than most other dentists. Plus, because you are so relaxed, or even asleep, you are able to tolerate more work done in each sitting. Though, you need to know up front that dentists vary in the amount of work they are willing to do in each appointment.

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

Can I Whiten My Dental Bonding?

I have two front teeth that have dental bonding on them. The bonding is quite old and probably needs to be replaced. I’m just hoping to wait a couple of more years before doing that. I do realize that dental bonding cannot be whitened to a whiter color than it was created with. What I’m wondering is whether or not I can just whiten them back to their original color.

Amelia


Dear Amelia,

Before and after dental bonding

Unfortunately, all that teeth whitening will do in this case is make your dental bonding look worse. This is because it will whiten your natural teeth but do nothing for the bonding. Now, your teeth will be significantly whiter than the bonded portion.

If your stains are all external, it is possible that your dentist could polish them up to improve their appearance. Another possibility is for you to also use Supersmile Toothpaste. This does a good job of removing surface stains. If, however, the stains are internal neither of those options will help.

In that case, the only thing you can do is replace the dental bonding. Don’t try to save money on this by going to the cheapest dentist. Dental bonding is an advanced procedure and you will want a skilled cosmetic dentist to do it. Though, I am certain you may be able to find a dentist who is willing to work with you on payments. There is also the Care Credit company, which is a type of medical credit card. They will pay for your treatment with your dentist and allow you to pay out the treatment to them.

I hope this helps.

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

Am I Too Old To Remove Wisdom Teeth?

I am 35 years old. About 8 years ago I had a wisdom tooth removed, but they never told me that the others can be a problem. Now I have another wisdom tooth bothering me. My dentist is saying I need to have it out but is warning me that there are dangers at my age. I looked up some of the complications of wisdom tooth removal and it looks like my jaw can break. Am I too old to have this wisdom tooth removed? Should I just deal with the tooth bothering me? If I have to take the tooth out, should I get all of them done?

Hailey


Dear Hailey,

Woman holding her jaw from a toothache

While it would have been better to have all your wisdom teeth out eight years ago, you are not too old to have them removed now. Yes, these is a slight increased risk of complications at your age, but when I really start worrying about that issue is when someone hits 40 years old.

However, even if you were 40, if your wisdom tooth is bothering you, then there is a good chance it is infected. If the tooth is infected, then you have to have it out regardless of your age.

Yes, your dentist is going to tell you about scary risks. He’ll probably even give you a paper to sign that describes all types of horrible things that can happen. That is because we are a litigious society, so dentists do what they can to protect themselves.

I say get the tooth out now before it becomes a dental emergency. I do recommend you get them all out at the same time. This will prevent what you are dealing with now from happening ten years from now when you will be at a much higher risk for serious complications.

The good news is that this type of procedure is done with dental sedation, so you are not likely to even remember anything. You can sleep through the entire thing if you’d like.

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

Tooth Infection and No Money

What do you do if you do not have money but you have a tooth infection? I’ve got a back tooth which has been bothering me and I suspected it was infected, but now my cheek is swollen up to the size of a golf ball. Is there anything I can do at home for this or is there an antibiotic my medical doctor can provide? Though I do not have dental insurance, I do have medical insurance.

Susan


Dear Susan,

A woman grabbing her jaw in need of an emergency dentist

I am sorry that you are going through this. It is discouraging when you need basic care and cannot afford it. I want to warn you about the concept of just using antibiotics as a means of dealing with a dental infection. This can actually end up end up placing you in a worse situation than you were in before taking the antibiotics. This is because the antibiotics will temporarily hold the infection at bay. Then, once the antibiotics are completed, the infection will flare back up stronger than before.

There are only two ways to truly get rid of a tooth infection: a root canal treatment or a tooth extraction. With a root canal treatment, you remove all the infected pulp in the tooth. This will enable you to save the tooth. If that is not a possibility, than you can extract the tooth. Ideally, you will want to replace that tooth. Otherwise, the other teeth will shift or tip into the space. This can lead to painful TMJ Disorder.

With your cheek swollen up, you have a dental emergency on your hands and need to be seen as soon as possible. When a tooth infection is left untreated, it will continue to spread, even outside of the tooth. People still die from tooth infections, but only if it is allowed to spread.

Many dentists are sympathetic to patients in your circumstance. I would call around and see who is willing to work with you by treating the infection and allowing your to pay out the treatment. You may want to start by calling around to dentists who advertise as affordable dentists.

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

Why Are My Crowns Turning Yellow?

I had two CEREC crowns done and am a bit frustrated. I’ve only had them a few months and they’re already picking up stains. I do drink coffee, but no one told me not to. Is this something I am going to have to give up drinking coffee? If so, I wish they would have told me that. Is there a procedure I can have that will allow me to drink coffee? Will I be able to whiten them back to their original color?

Stan


Dear Stan,

A CEREC Machine
When Should You Get a CEREC Crown?

Teeth whitening will only work on natural tooth structure, so I would not count on that to do any good. Sometimes people are told they are getting porcelain crowns, when their dentist actually gives them a composite resin. This will pick up stains very quickly. I would not think that is what happened to you because you mentioned that you had it done with CEREC crowns which mills from blocks of porcelain.

The porcelain has a protective glaze which protects it from staining. In fact, it should be more stain resistant than your natural teeth. If they are picking up stains, then something happened to damage the glazing. Some possibilities are if your hygienist used something like a power prophy jet or acidulated fluoride. If this happened then, they should bear the responsibility of repairing this.

If they didn’t do this, it is possible you used something that caused some damage to your porcelain crowns. Most whitening toothpastes use abrasives to remove the stains on your teeth. While it does remove some surface stains, the abrasives scratch both your tooth enamel as well as any dental work you have. This means they will quickly begin to pick up stains.

As for your coffee drinking, as long as you get the protective glaze back on your dental crowns, you should have no problem drinking coffee. I do recommend you use a safe whitening toothpaste, however, designed specifically for dental work. Supersmile whitening toothpaste will remove all the surface stains without causing any damage to your teeth or dental work.

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

Should I Wait to Extract an Impacted Wisdom Tooth If It Isn’t Bothering Me?

I have four wisdom teeth. Two are impacted. The one on the top right is bothering me. The one on the bottom left does not. I’m having the one on the top right extracted. My dentist asked if I wanted to extract the other impacted tooth, but warned me the root went past the nerve. He said we could leave the root and that way there’d be less chance of a problem. I can’t decide what to do. That bottom tooth does not bother me so I wonder if I am borrowing trouble by removing it. Is there a standard for this situation?

Miles


Dear Miles,

An illustration with four examples of impacted wisdom teeth.

The most important rule of thumb is to take an impacted wisdom tooth out when you are young. When you are in your late teens to twenties, everything is relatively pliable. The older you get, the greater the risk of complications. By the time you are thirty years old, your risk of complications doubles. Then it doubles again every few years after that.

An impacted tooth almost always becomes a problem at some point. What you don’t want is to wait until there is a dental emergency to have to deal with it. You will have far less control over the circumstances at that point. Leaving the tooth root is not a bad idea. However, I am not in favor of leaving the entire root. I would suggest you just have him leave the root tip that is near the nerve. You’ll reduce the chances of having trouble with it if the root tip is small.

For dental procedures such as yours, where the patient can feel very anxious, I recommend using oral conscious sedation. This will allow you to get the needed work done in an anxiety free/pain free way. In fact, you will be so relaxed that you could sleep through the entire procedure if you wanted to.

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