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CEREC crowns

An “Unusual” Question About CEREC Crowns

I’m a big believer in the “Their are no stupid questions” philosophy.  Though, if you’ve ever read Yahoo Answers, you’ve likely realized sometimes you have to be very charitable to keep that philosophy.  One of my favorites was someone asking how Lindsey Lohan was cloned for the Parent Trap.  Well, I’ve recently had a question in that ilk.  I received a question wondering why their dentist’s printer will print out cerec crowns, but when they try to print out a CEREC crown on their printer they only get a picture of one.

Now, maybe this is a joke. But, just in case it isn’t I will answer the question.

Your dentist doesn’t print out a CEREC crown on a printer. Instead that use a very sophisticated piece of machinary (The CAD/CAM System) that can cost up to $80,000. This machine mills your crown out of a block of porcelain.

Your printer simply reproduces pixels of color on a sheet of paper. There’s no way to get a crown out of that. Even if you had a 3D printer, which is capable of printing actual objects and not just pictures, it would print in plastic, not porcelain.

Your best bet is to continue going to your dentist for your dental crown needs.

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

Dental Emergency

Am I a Baby or is Toothache an Emergency?

I feel like such a baby. My tooth really hurts. Like excruciating hurts. My dentist just said to schedule an appointment, but I can’t take this. Am I a baby or is this more of a see me now kind of thing?

Beth C. – New Hampshire

Beth,

If you’re in that much pain, your dentist needs to see you. If he’s unwilling to see you, which is what it sounds like, you need another dentist.

There is a solution.  My suggestions would be to see an emergency dentist. They’ll see you the same day, in most cases. They can get you out of pain , while you schedule a follow up appointment with your dentist or with a different dentist (which would be my suggestion).

Just don’t put it off out of frustration. You want to  make sure this is dealt with because it is likely a tooth infection.

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

Sedation Dentistry

Scared of Sedation Because of News Stories

I finally talked myself into going to the dentist by using sedation (It will be my first time in sixteen years) and now I keep seeing all these news stories about patients being sexually assaulted.  Now I’m afraid to go.

Cyndy M. – New Jersey

Cyndy,

I understand you’re frightened. These type of stories are very scary.  Though it may not mean much to you now, I will tell you that these type cases are very rare. Most dentists ( and their staff) went into the field in orderto help people. They have no interest in doing harm.

Sedation is a great way to get your dental care done, pain free, especially  if you have dental anxiety. Generally, dentists have someone else in the room with them during sedation for their own protection. That way they can’t be accused of anything.

However, one thing you can do to put your mind at ease is to bring a friend.  Talk to the dentist about your concern. They’ll likely be able to accomdate your friend to be there with you.

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

Affordable Dentistry

Can’t afford to clean my teeth

I’m a young adult, fresh out of college. I need to get my teeth cleaned, but when I called to get a price it was outrageous. Then, I called to get insurance, but it was too much money and every month. I asked my mom to pay for it, but she said I should plan and save up.  How in the world am I supposed to get my teeth cleaned?

Marcus G. – Little Rock, AR

Marcus,

Life is hard for adults, isn’t it? Some dentists are more expensive than others, so I hope you didn’t just hear one really expensive price and give up.  There are more affordable ways to get dental care as well.

Even though you can’t afford the insurance, some dentists have their own in-office plans. These tend to be much more affordable and the fee is annual instead of monthly.

You’ll also get discounts on cleanings and other services in most of them.

Also, don’t hate me, but I agree with your mother.  If you put aside a little every month, you’ll have the money for a cleaning in no time. You don’t want to get in the habit of being dependent on other people to provide for your basic need.

It’s a horrible cycle that few people get out of.

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

Dental Emergency

Tooth Cracked

I bit into something and my tooth cracked. I’ve never even heard of such a thing.  What do I do?

Bronwyn P. – Georgia

Bronwyn,

This happens more frequently than you think.  You need to be seen fairly quickly to take care of this and hopefully save your tooth.

If you don’t already have a dentist you need to see an emergency dentist. They’re willing to take non-established patients, often even the same day.

There is an underlying problem that has caused your tooth to crack that will need to be addressed. Your body is interconnected. What affects your teeth will eventually affect your whole body. Be sure not to neglect this.

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

Affordable Dentistry

Why do some dentists have their own insurance plans?

I was pricing dental insurance and noticed some dentists have their own plans.  I have trouble affording my dental care and the dentist I want to go to isn’t on any of the plans.  I noticed some dentists have their own plans. Why are they not just part of the regular dental plans?

Abbey S. – Maryland

Abbey,

One of the problems with dental insurance plans is they often try to dictate what work the dentist can do.  They want to only cover the lowest cost treatment. While low cost is great, Sometimes a patient wants the best treatment.

Dentists want to give their patients the best dental care possible. Sometimes, to do that and keep the dentistry affordable they start their own care plan.

You pay a minimal fee, but get discounts on all your care. It enables the dentist to do quality work, while giving patients the discounts they typically get with insurance.

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

Dental Emergency

How can I treat full mouth pain?

I woke up with horrible pain radiating around my entire mouth. It’s pulsating up into my head too.  I have a huge audition today. One that can change my life. I can’t afford this pain, especially in my mouth and jaw.  I need some kind of remedy. Will an emergency dentist help?

LeeAnne S. – Florida

LeeAnne,

A lot of it depends on what kind of dental health you’ve had up until now.  If you’ve had poor dental health, then an emergency dentist might find something that is causing the problem.

If, however, you’ve had great dental health up until this point, then it is likely the stress of your audition is the cause of the pain.  In your anxiety, it’s possible that you’ve been clenching your jaw all night. This would cause the type of pain you’re experiencing.

If that is the case, you can take some anti-inflammatories to help you get through your audition.

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

Sedation Dentistry

Why can’t I get numb?

I’ve been to the dentist twice to get a procedure done, but he hasn’t been able to get me numb.  We end up abandoning the procedure.  What’s the deal?

Danny B. – New Jersey

Danny,

It’s possible that you have some form of dental anxiety, even without realizing it.  That can cause your body to burn up the anesthetic before it has a chance to really take effect.

Sometimes using something as simple as nitrous oxide will relax you enough for the numbing medicine to take effect.  If that doesn’t work, you’ll need a stronger type of dental sedation.

I would go to a sedation dentist and let them know what is going on. You will likely have your first completely pain free dental appointment, which should really help with that anxiety.

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

Affordable Dentistry

I can’t afford my teeth

I saved up for what seems like forever to get my teeth cleaned, and now the dentist is telling me that I need a lot of work done.  It’s going to cost thousands.  Would it be better just to get rid of my teeth?

Amanda W. – Louisana

Amanda,

I know you’re frustrated. I know you’re in a panic about the cost, but getting rid of your teeth when it is unneccesary is a bad idea.  You didn’t mention what was wrong with your teeth, but I’m guessing you’re not in pain or you wouldn’t have been saving up just for a cleaning.

Before you do anything, I want you to get a second opinion. I find it hard to believe you need that much work if your teeth haven’t been bothering you.

Next, I want you to understand that, if you do need some work, there are affordable dental care options. Talk to some dentists about your situation. Many of them will be willing to work with you.

Getting rid of your teeth will cause more problems AND be more expensive.  You’ll need to replace your teeth (if you don’t want to live off of mashed potatoes) and that can be very expensive.

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

Dental Emergency

Is a gum pimple a problem?

`My husband was messing with his mouth, saying it hurts. I looked at it and he has a pimple on his gums.  We popped it and got out all the goop, but it keeps coming back.  Is this something dental?

Helen M. – Washington

Helen,

Yes, this is something dental.  It sounds to me like he has a dental abscess. This can get serious and your husband needs to see an emergency dentist or get an emergency appointment with his existing detnist if he has one.

An abscess means his tooth is infected. That infection will spread.  It can become a serious issue quickly.  Your mouth is close to your brain and that is one of the LAST places you’d want an infection to spread to.

This isn’t something that can be fixed with just antibiotics.  The dentist will have to get in there and physically remove the infected tissue.

Don’t let him put off being seen.

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