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Dental Emergency

Can’t afford a dentist and now I have an emergency

I haven’t been able to afford a dentist in a while. Now I’ve got a loose tooth. I don’t recall getting hit, but it worries me that this tooth might fall out. What do I do?

Drew O. – Cleveland

Drew,

I’m sorry for the situation you’re in. I have a strong suspicion that your tooth is loose because of gum disease. If you don’t have tooth trauma, but have loose teeth, your gums are often the culprit.

I’m assuming you don’t have a dentist, however you need to get this looked at as soon as possible.

There are emergency dentists who will see you and understand your financial situation. Some of them have interest free payment plans. Others will just charge you what you can afford.

The key is to be honest with them. But, don’t put this off. This won’t be the only tooth you’ll lose.

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

CEREC crowns

Can CEREC crowns be made to look like vampire teeth?

My girlfriend is a huge fan of Twilight.  I’m going to propose to her despite this one very obvious fault.  As a sign of my undying (get it?) devotion, I want to get crowns put on my teeth that look like vampire teeth. Will CEREC crowns do this? I want to spend as little time as possible on this.

Cedric B. – Cape Cod

Cedric,

That is devotion. While CEREC crowns can do this, you want to think about whether you want to permanently change the shape of your natural tooth. In order to have a a crown put on, your natural tooth has to be ground down in order to fit the crown.

If you’ve already got a crown on that tooth and are wanting another one placed instead, that should be fine. I will tell you most dentists are not comfortable placing permanent vampire teeth. You might get them to give you a temporary crown, but that is it.

If you don’t have a crown on that tooth, there are other ways to get the vampire shape, such as bonding, that won’t require such a drastic change to your teeth.

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

Cater to Cowards

I’m too scared to go to the dentist

I know I need to go to the dentist, but every time I think about scheduling an appointment, I start shaking. My last appointment was like a medieval torture session. Is there something I can take to make this hurt less without interfering with the local?

Deidre K. – Pasadena, CA

Deidre,

I’m sorry your last appointment was so unpleasant. It is not uncommon for people with a difficult dental experience to develop a form of dental anxiety. That seems to be what you’re going through.

There is something you can take. Most dentists who practice sedation dentistry can give you a pill for oral conscious sedation. A lot of those dentists like treating fearful patients. They want to help them get past their fear. They’ll even call it catering to cowards.

I’d call around to see if you can find a dentist like that in your area.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette Dentist Dr. John Theriot.

Sedation Dentistry

Bulimic who’s scared of the dentist

I’m bulimic and I need to go to the dentist. Something is wrong with my teeth. I think it is because of how much I purge. I know it’s important, but I am terrified of the dentist.  What I really want to do is not go, but my mouth is hurting. Is there a way to home treat this?

Brittney – Alabama

Brittney,

I’m sorry you’re hurting. You’re probably right that the purging is causing problems in your teeth.  The acid from the vomit will eat away at the enamel on your teeth. That leaves you susceptible to decay, gum disease, and infection.

I realize that you are scared of the dentist, but to protect your teeth, you’ll likely need some dental crowns.  However, there is a way you can get the treatment you need without having to worry about pain.

See if your dentist is a sedation dentist. If not, then you can do an internet search for a dentist who uses sedation. They can give you a pill that will make you sleepy and you can have all your work done without feeling a thing.

Be sure to let your dentist know about the bulimia. It will help him no how to help you.

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

Affordable Dentistry

Need an affordable option for dentistry

I have a large family with a lot of dental problems. In fact, I don’t think more than two weeks has gone by this year without one child or another needing something done. Honestly, we must have the worst teeth in history. I have a kind dentist. He’s been letting me come in on Fridays, when the office is closed, and clean in exchange for dental care.  This has been great, but I’m pregnant with our 7th child (yes, we’re catholic) and my dentist has told me I need to be on bedrest.  I don’t know what to do. Not only will I need to figure out a way to care for my family from bed, but three of my children need fillings right now. I don’t think I’ll be able to come in and clean.  Do you know of programs that help make dentistry cheaper?

Marissa P. – New Mexico

Marissa,

You’re obviously a good mother. I love that you’ve been so creative in finding ways to deal with expensive dental care for your children.  You must feel a great deal of stress in thinking about how to continue your care of your home and family while on bedrest. Though doctors are trying hard to care for you, their instructions aren’t always practical in the real world.

Each dentist is different in their financial policies.  If you’re looking for affordable options in dentistry, I’d start by telling your dentist exactly what you told me.  He’s worked with you in the past, he’ll probably be willing to work with you now as well.

Some offices, like Dr. Roper’s office, have in-office dental insurance programs that keep your costs down. Others give discounts on certain procedures, like a sale of sorts.

The best practice is open and honest communication.

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

Dental Emergency

Store bought fillings

About a year ago I saw some store bought fillings at the pharmacy. I filed it away for future reference. Last night, one of my fillings fell out. I’m trying to leave town to pick up my son from college and don’t have time for a dental appointment. Can I just use the stuff from the store?

Amanda L. – Iowa

Amanda,

If at all possible I’d call an emergency dentist and see if he can fit you in right now.  Sometimes they can.  If not, you can use the store bought filling, but not for more than a day or two at the most.

It doesn’t do what a real filling will do. Plus, there is an underlying issue that has caused your filling to fail. That needs to be dealt with or you could end up with a more serious situation.

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

CEREC crowns

Will I save money with a CEREC crown?

Is it cheaper to get a CEREC crown over a porcelain one?

Amanda B. – McClean, VA

Amanda,

CEREC crowns are also porcelain crowns, they’re just milled by a machine instead of a lab.

They’re not necessarily cheaper or more expensive than traditional porcelain crowns. It depends on the dentist what the cost is.

What you will save is time, which as the saying goes, “Time is Money”.  You can get your crown in one appointment instead of two, which means you won’t have to go back into the dental office missing an additional day of work.

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

Sedation Dentistry

Child scared of the dentist

My nine year old daughter had a bad experience at the dentist last year. Since then, she hasn’t wanted to go.  In fact, she’s terrified.  Is there a way to help children with this?

Elaine D. –  South Dakota

Elaine,

What will help her the most is a series of good experiences at the dentist, but I realize you have to get her there calmly first.  There is sedation dentistry. It is safe for children.

There are different levels of sedation: nitrous oxide (laughing gas), oral conscious sedation,  and IV sedation.  I would discuss what is going on with your dentist and decide which option is better. If he’s not compassionate with your daughter’s fear, then you need to find a different dentist.

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

Affordable Dentistry

My dentist made me cry

I had the worst dental appointment.  I need to have several teeth removed.  My dentist said I need to have dental implants put in, but I just can’t afford it. My dentist essentially told me that if I cared about my teeth I’d get the implants because they are the best treatment. He made me feel stupid. He also hinted that I wouldn’t look as attractive. I’ll be honest, when I got home I broke down and cried. What woman wants to be less attractive? I just can’t afford it.

Cyndy- Bartlett, TN

Cyndy,

I’m having trouble  not getting angry at your dentist and I’ve not even met him. Let me just say to get it out before we discuss your case, that I believe he is being unethical and manipulative.

I really hope, but am doubting, that your dentist gave you all your options. Yes, dental implants are the ideal solution, but they’re the only option.  The last thing your dentist should be doing is making you feel guilty about needing a more affordable dental option. He certainly shouldn’t be making comments about your appearance.

If he was any good at his job, he could make your smile beautiful no matter what procedure you chose.

You could also look into dental bridges or removable partial dentures as very viable options to dental implants. If you feel like you can communicate with your dentist, I’d discuss those options with him. However, I would be more inclined to tell you to find a less manipulative dentist.

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

Dental Emergency

Dentist doesn’t care about my broken crown

I had a temporary crown break. My dentist said it would be several days before he could see me and that this wasn’t considered an emergency. I called another dentist explaining the situation. He fit me in right away and said it most definitely is an emergency. How can there be such a difference in emergency standards?

Jean F. – Philadelphia

Jean,

Every dentist is different in what their dental emergency policy is. Some dentists will see you the same day, even if you’re not a patient of theirs. Others may not see even their own patients, unless they’ve lost a tooth.

The key is to discuss these policies with your dentist before there is an actual issue. That way you’re not taken by surprise when something does arise.

It sounds like you demand more individualized care from your dentist and your current dentist’s policy might not fit with your expectations.

This blog is brought to you by  Lake Forest Dentist Dr. Richard Cottrell.