Archives for March 2024

Can I Get a Refund If My Crown Keeps Falling Off?

Posted on March 31, 2024 by AllSmiles.

I got two new crowns last October and one of the has fallen off four times. The last time it fell off I was in Kansas visiting my father. My tooth was very sensitive to cold because the crown fell off, so I went to an urgent care. I waited for three hours, and they didn’t do anything but tell me to go to a dentist. I found some temporary bonding stuff and put the crown back on. I basically lived on lukewarm soup for the next three days until I got back home. I called my dentist’s office and they saw me right away. My dentist bonding the crown back on, but I asked how he would make sure this didn’t happen again. He offered to remake the crown. When I returned to the office, he said he needed to reshape the tooth and add posts. And the billing coordinator told me that I would have a $325 fee. So now, I am wearing a temporary crown and trying to figure out what to do other than return to my dentist and pay him $325. So far, the temporary crown is staying on. How long do I have to find another dentist before I lose my tooth? – Thanks. Dylan

Dylan,

Although losing a crown is a dental emergency, it is best to wait until you can see a dentist.

Getting a Refund

You can contact your dentist and explain that you did not receive what you initial paid for—a functioning dental crown. Your dentist should recognize his responsibility to reimburse you for what you did not receive. If your dentist will not cooperate, you can do the following:

Report the issue to your dental insurance company, if applicable
Report the issue to the state dental board
Write negative online reviews
Consult with a medical/dental malpractice attorney

Switching Dentists for a New Crown

Although any trained dentist should know how to prepare your tooth and bond a crown to it, we recommend that you find an accredited cosmetic dentist. You can avoid a repeat bad experience and save yourself time and aggravation.

Metairie, Louisiana, dentist Dr. Duane Delaune sponsors this post.

Jaw Numbness After Wisdom Teeth Removal Is Not Improving

Posted on March 26, 2024 by AllSmiles.

I still have jaw numbness that is not improving after wisdom teeth removal. An oral surgeon pulled all four of my wisdom teeth. I waited until I was 32 to get the teeth pulled, so I thought I might have a rough recovery. I saw the surgeon for sensation tests because the lower right side of my jaw was highly numb after a week. I will follow up in two weeks. I have trouble brushing my teeth and eating. Should I be concerned? Is there something I can do at home to improve the situation? My dentist recommends waiting because I might have nerve damage. She says it takes months for some nerves to heal. I wonder if I should make an emergency appointment with a dentist for a third opinion. Thank you. Noah

Noah,

Your description sounds like your lower right nerve is damaged. It may recover in time, but for some people, it does not recover. Some wisdom teeth are so close to the tooth nerve that the surgeon mistakenly damages the nerve during wisdom tooth removal.

Categories of Nerve Injury During Wisdom Tooth Removal

Three categories of nerve injury during wisdom tooth removal include bruising, crushing, and severing.

Bruised – Numbness lasts for about a month and will gradually return
Crushed – New nerve fibers must grow, and that takes about a year
Severed – The damage is permanent, and the nerve will not grow back

You may not see much—if any—improvement when you return to your dentist. We would think that your dentist would delay the appointment to give more time for your nerve to heal. Depending on the severity of nerve damage, you should feel improvement within a month to a year. In this case, it will not help to schedule an emergency appointment. Unfortunately, the damage might be permanent.

Symptoms of nerve recovery

As your jaw nerve recovers, you may feel tingling in your lip. Sensation will gradually return until the nerve heals. People who do not experience recovery report that the numbness is not as intense as when the damage first occurred.

Best wishes for a progressive recovery.

Dr. Duane Delaune of Metairie, Louisiana, sponsors this post. Read why Dr. Delaune’s patients consider him one of the best dentists in town.

Bonding Keeps Falling Off My Lower Front Chipped Tooth

Posted on March 12, 2024 by AllSmiles.

My lower left right front tooth was chipped last October, and the bonding keeps falling off. My dentist can’t seem to secure it. The chip isn’t large, but it’s big enough to show when I smile. The bonding fell off four times. When it comes off, my tooth looks worse than it did without the bonding. I’m tired of trial and error and going back and forth to the dentist. I lost my confidence in her anyway. She doesn’t know how to repair my tooth. What do you suggest? It’s sad to think about changing dentists for a small tooth chip, but I’m self-conscious about my smile. Thanks. Lydia

Lydia,

Many dentists find restoring a chipped lower incisor challenging because the edges of the tooth hit the opposite upper tooth whenever you close your mouth. An impact of upper and lower teeth can cause a tooth to chip. The composite on a chipped tooth is under extreme stress that can loosen the bonding. A dentist must understand occlusal stress to ensure the bonding stays intact.

Veneers or Dental Bonding for Lower Front Chipped Teeth?

Skilled cosmetic dentists can use dental bonding or porcelain veneers to conceal chips on teeth, but they must minimize stress on the teeth when they meet. Before treatment, a cosmetic dentist will consider the position of each chipped tooth. For example, light shaving may be needed for a tooth that leans forward. Otherwise, it would absorb more stress when you close your mouth when the upper and lower teeth meet. Stress on teeth is minimized when the upper and lower incisors meet simultaneously, and only an expert cosmetic dentist can achieve the desired results.

We recommend finding a dentist with postgraduate training in occlusion, bite, and cosmetic dentistry. Schedule a consultation to learn about your options.

Metairie cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune sponsors this post. Read details about how Dr. Delaune strives to provide some of the best dental care in Metairie.

An example from Dr. Delaune is how a cosmetic dentist can produce beautiful results with dental bonding.