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Will “DIY” tooth fix while on vacation come back to haunt me?

Posted on by smiles4u.

Wouldn’t you know that while I was on my dream beach vacation, the crown on my front tooth broke and split in half! Since I was out of the country and still had a few days until going home, I panicked. I had no idea how to go about finding a dentist and was afraid it would cost a fortune, so I did the easiest thing I could think of – I bought some super glue for a quick fix and got back to the beach. It totally worked, but now that I’m home and need to see my dentist, I’m afraid I’ve caused a big problem. Will my dentist be able to get it off to replace it? — Leon

Leon,
Let’s face it… nobody wants to look in the mirror at a broken tooth – especially on vacation. But while DIY may be your specialty for home projects, it’s really best to leave any tooth “fixes” to the professionals.

It can be intimidating when you’re away from home to try and find an emergency dentist (even more so when you’re out of the country and you’re dealing with a possible language barrier, not to mention possible insurance hassles). But here’s the deal: an emergency dentist could have temporarily re-attached the crown properly so you could get by a few days until heading home. Try not to worry too much because your dentist will be able to get the crown off. Most bonding agents and cements he uses are stronger than any super glue you could buy. However, there’s no guarantee that it will come off in once piece, so you should be prepared in case you need to have it completely re-done. If you ever find yourself in this predicament again and you can’t get into your dentist right away, check at your local drug store for over-the-counter dental cement. It can be tricky to use and it will be temporary, but it’s a much better choice if you have to do a quick “DIY” fix.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

How long will bonding done by the emergency dentist last?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I slipped and fell on the ice last weekend. Unfortunately, my face broke my fall. I wound up with a black eye and a serious chunk of one of my front teeth missing. I went to the emergency dentist to have it checked out. He took x-rays and told me the tooth looked like it was ok structurally. Then, he patched it up and told me to follow up with my regular dental office to have it permanently fixed and checked on again later. I don’t want to waste time and money on another appointment if it isn’t necessary and it looks like he used the same stuff that’s usually used in fillings. Do I really need to go back or can I just let this one be? The patch job by the emergency dentist looks just fine to me.  — Don

Dear Don,
Glad to hear you’re mostly ok after the fall. As for the tooth, the emergency dentist probably did use the same composite material that’s normally used in fillings. If that’s the case, it could last years, perhaps even decades.

With that said, there’s probably more to this than simple bonding. First of all, the tooth was traumatized. Sometimes when a tooth is injured by blunt force, it doesn’t give off any symptoms right away. However, the blood flow to the tooth could have been cut off and that wouldn’t show up on x-rays. If this is the case, the tooth could be dead or dying, and it will eventually need a root canal. Unfortunately, the first sign this has happened is often pain or an abscess, though sometimes the person notices discoloration as well. Anytime you see an emergency dentist, he’ll refer you back to your regular office for a follow-up. In cases with trauma, having the dentist check out the tooth again later could save you a lot of pain and trouble.

As for your comment about having the tooth permanently fixed, could he have mentioned to you that the tooth needed a crown? If the chip was severe, the bonding won’t be adequate and the tooth will need all-around protection. Your best bet is to follow the advice of the emergency dentist and schedule a visit with your regular office to get it checked out. If you’re still wary, you can always call the office that did the work and clarify why he wanted you to follow up.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Is it an emergency when a child knocks out a tooth?

Posted on by smiles4u.

My kids love going to the play area at the mall. At times it can be a little crazy with kids running all over the place, but for the most part, we typically escape with a bump or a bruise here and there. Last week, a little boy had a pretty traumatic injury from what I could see. There was blood coming from his mouth, but I wasn’t exactly sure what happened at first. It turns out the kid knocked his tooth out and all the mom did was stop the bleeding (and the crying) and  let him go back out to play. If that would have been my kid, I would have immediately taken them to the dentist. It seems like an emergency to me so why didn’t she take him right away to get it checked out? Am I overreacting? — Mallory

Mallory,
It’s hard to say what happened. Knocking out a tooth isn’t always a dental emergency – especially when it comes to young children who still have their baby teeth. That’s not to say that he shouldn’t have it checked out in the near future to make sure there’s no other damage to his mouth or to the adult teeth that are yet to come in. It sounds like he recovered fairly quickly so it might not have been as bad as it looked. I’m sure his mom would have done something different if she felt it was warranted.

An older child knocking out an adult tooth is a different story. It would definitely be best to have the tooth implanted immediately if possible. You can save a tooth by placing it in a wet towel, glass of milk or even back in the child’s mouth until he or she can get to the dentist (which should be as soon as possible to achieve the best outcome).

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Can I wait till Monday or should I see an emergency dentist?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I recently started having a jaw ache that I was pretty sure was related to the implant I’ve had for about a year. Because I knew it didn’t feel right, I immediately went back to my implant doctor so he could evaluate it. Needless to say, he said he didn’t see anything wrong and that I had nothing to worry about. Since he is an implant specialist, I assumed I could trust his judgement. This weekend I woke up and fixed some breakfast. When I started to eat, it was quickly apparent something was very wrong because there was a bad taste in my mouth that I have never experienced before. I felt the tooth and it seems a little loose, so I looked at it in the mirror and there is pus oozing out all around the implant. I am absolutely freaked out! Of course it’s the weekend… should I call an emergency dentist or should I wait for my implant doctor to get back in the office on Monday? — Mary Ellen

Mary Ellen,
Oh my… this does sound like a serious situation. Even though you think your implant dentist doesn’t work on the weekends, you should try calling because he may be “on-call” for things like this or his voice mail might at least give an emergency number to call. Hopefully he will get back to you in a short amount of time, but if not, you should absolutely see an emergency dentist. From what you describe, it sounds like you have an infection – and it’s probably been getting worse all along. You need treatment immediately, not only to ensure the implant doesn’t completely fail, but also to make sure your overall health isn’t compromised. Depending on exactly what the emergency dentist determines in the examination, he will likely at the very least prescribe an antibiotic for the infection. If it’s loose, he could also splint it to hold it in place. He may not be able to offer a long-term solution, but at least he can help you keep the infection from spreading until you can get in to see your implant dentist.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Is it an emergency if I lost my healing cap?

Posted on by smiles4u.

Six months ago I had implant surgery and I’m currently waiting for it to heal completely so I can get the crown placed. Today, I noticed a large hole in my mouth – it completely freaked me out! I think the healing cap must have come off and I have no idea where it is. This is costing me so much and now I’m worried that I could get an infection or potentially damage the implant. Why do these things always happen on the weekend? I left a message on my dentist’s answering service, but I’m not sure if he will even call me back until Monday. Can it wait until then? — Ann

Dear Ann,
First, take a breath and try to relax. While healing caps don’t typically fall off, it can happen and there’s likely not any immediate concern.

After six months, the soft tissue around your dental implant should be well on the way to being healed so the chances of an infection are pretty slim. The main thing you want to watch until you can get it fixed is that you don’t injure the area – eating softer foods can help. If you notice food getting caught, try to pack it with cotton or gauze, or you can use a temporary denture adhesive that is found in the dental section of most grocery or drug stores to cover it.

Your dental implant should be fine looking at the long-term. Just be sure to make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible before the tissue could collapse or try to heal over the top. If you wait too long, that could make it much more difficult to place the crown.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

I broke my tooth and my mom will freak… can I see an emergency dentist alone?

Posted on by smiles4u.

My mom and I have differing opinions on wearing protective gear when I go long boarding. She’s always nagging me to be safe, but I don’t want to wear the stuff… it’s just not cool. Well, I guess I should have listened to her because today I face-planted right into the cement and broke off a small piece of my front tooth. There’s no way I can tell her what happened! I’m not quite seventeen, but I’m wondering if I can see an emergency dentist without her knowing? It doesn’t look that bad, so is it a big deal if I don’t even have it looked at? — Jeremy

Jeremy,
While it may seem that you are trying to step up and act responsibly to take care of this on your own, it might be best to re-think the situation and tell your mom what happened. The choice is yours, but she will probably see that as being more responsible than trying to take care of it behind her back.

With that said, there are laws in place that don’t allow people under a certain age to consent themselves to medical treatment and in most states that is age 18. An emergency dentist is going to want your mom or another consenting adult to be present and sign the consent for your treatment.

It’s obvious that your mom cares for you or she wouldn’t have bugged you so much about wearing the gear. She may be upset at first, but her main concern will be to protect you and help you find the right dentist to fix your tooth. Plus, your family probably has dental insurance which will help cover much of the cost. Without it, you may have to pay hundreds of dollars more and also have a full cash payment.

You definitely need to see a dentist. While it might seem like a simple chip on your tooth, your dentist will want to do an x-ray just to be sure there is no other damage beneath the surface. Take the high road and tell mom – you’ll feel better about it in the end and have your smile back in no time!

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Will ER treat my dental pain?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I had a couple of infected teeth pulled yesterday. I chose to do it on a Friday, thinking I would have the weekend to recover. I can’t believe the amount of pain I’m in! I’m concerned there is something else wrong because the swelling seems to be getting worse rather than better. My dentist has an emergency number and when I called, the recording said he would return my call within a few hours. The pain is so bad I don’t think I can wait. Can I just go to the emergency room? — Dave

Dave,
In no uncertain terms, severe dental pain can be some of the worst pain to deal with. If you think you need help immediately, you can rest assured that most emergency rooms are capable of providing care for dental emergencies – unless it is a broken or chipped tooth. The dentist or oral surgeon on call should be able to provide relief for dental infections and/or swelling by prescribing an antibiotic, or in the worst case-scenario, surgical intervention if needed. You will, however, need to follow up with your dentist as soon as possible.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Should I wait out pain and swelling or insist my dentist see me today?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I woke up this morning with pain and swelling on one side of my mouth. I called the dentist immediately, but they are telling me the earliest I can get in is tomorrow morning. At this point, the only thing I can do is keep popping over-the-counter pain meds and hope that it helps. I will be the first to admit that I usually have a pretty high tolerance for pain, but this is really causing me a lot of discomfort and I feel like it should be considered a dental emergency. I guess my dentist doesn’t agree since they won’t make any effort to get me in sooner. Should I wait until tomorrow or should I call around and see if I can be seen somewhere else?  — Ann Marie

Ann Marie,
This sounds like a dental emergency. It’s likely that you have an infection and the bad news is that it will continue to get worse the longer treatment is delayed and it could quickly become a very serious situation.

Maybe your dental office misunderstood you. Call again, and be very specific describing the symptoms you are experiencing and tell that that you need to be seen today and if they can’t make it happen, then you’ll have to see someone else. Hopefully they will agree to work you in or otherwise they will need to clearly explain why they don’t view it as an emergency. If the latter is the case, they will have to understand why you need to seek treatment elsewhere.

If you have to go somewhere else, call a local emergency dentist first. They tend to keep their schedules more flexible to deal with situations like yours. As a last resort, your medical doctor could buy you some time by prescribing antibiotics. Even if that makes you start feeling better, you’ll still want to see your dentist to determine the cause of the infection and get it treated so that it doesn’t come back.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

My tooth keeps bleeding

Posted on by AllSmiles.

What is the best medication to use in treating a constantly bleeding tooth? Every time I brush my teeth, a molar on the lower left bleeds really bad for about an hour. – Tim

Tim – If you are experiencing regular bleeding after you brush your teeth, you should see your dentist. If you don’t have a dentist, an emergency dentist will be able to see you. You can often receive an appointment the same business day.

It could be that the tooth is infected, or that your gums are bleeding as a result of gum disease. A dentist needs to examine the tooth and determine the cause of the bleeding. In the beginning stages of gum disease, a deep cleaning around the teeth and beneath the gums may be all that is needed. Oral antibiotics may be used after the deep cleaning to help control the infection.

You should see a dentist promptly so the situation doesn’t worsen and cause more problems. An infected tooth can result in a lot of pain. If there is an infection, it will continue to spread until the tooth is treated. A root canal treatment may be required.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune, whom many patients consider to be the best dentist in New Orleans.