Baton Rouge Dentist

Are CEREC crowns cheap because they are quick?

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I am suffering from a toothache that is similar to one I had about a year ago. To fix it then, I ended up getting a root canal and a crown. The process took three appointments: one for the actual root canal, one to go back and get my crown, and one more to make an adjustment on the crown. I’m pretty sure that I may end up getting a root canal and crown again. I have noticed signs for “Crowns in a day.” One appointment instead of three sounds great. I’m worried, though, that it’s going to be a cheap crown that won’t last. Usually, if it sounds too good to be true, it is. Should I avoid these quick-crown dentists?

Shelby, Richardson, TX

Dear Shelby,

It’s natural to question the value of something done quickly. In many instances, “fast” does cause you to consider quality. For example, if your home is built too quickly, you may question whether the builders did their best work.

How are CEREC crowns made so quickly?

In the case of the “Crowns in a day,” or CEREC crowns, the quality isn’t questioned because it is done quickly. The reason they are able to do it in a day is that they mill the crown in their office. Using computer programs, the dentist is able to match the colors and the shape of your tooth and to make the crown while you are in his chair.

When the dentist is finished with your root canal, the crown can be fitted and you go home with it. By having a CEREC machine in the office, it cuts out the steps of sending off your crown specs to a different ceramist to create it and waiting for it to come back to the dentist to place over your tooth.

With that said, the quality of CEREC crowns isn’t undermined by the time spent to create them, but possibly by the dentist behind it. Any dentist can have a crown-making machine in their office. That doesn’t automatically mean they are a master at using it. It takes training and experience to be able to create a crown that is going to match with your other teeth in shape and color and look as natural as possible. So before just going to any CEREC crown dentist, do your homework. Go to the dentist’s office and look at examples their work so you can get the best results possible.

This post is sponsored by Dr. Ryan Perry in Baton Rouge, LA.

Will it ruin a new crown to grind down a high spot?

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I recently had a root canal and got a crown on a molar on the bottom and now my bite is off. It doesn’t feel like it used to. My teeth don’t fit together the same when I bite or clench my jaw. I think it needs to be ground down or something, but my dentist thinks I’ll get used to it and I just have to give it time. Will it ruin my crown if the dentist grinds it down? Is that why my dentist doesn’t want to fix it?

Kay, Denver, Colorado

Dear Kay,

That’s too bad that your dentist is asking you to be patient instead of trying to adjust your dental crown. Unfortunately, when dentists do that, it is often a sign that they aren’t comfortable or knowledgeable about the correction.

The way your upper and lower teeth meet when you chew, and how your teeth function together, is called occlusion. When you get a crown, the shape of the crown is similar to, but most likely not exactly like, the contour of the original tooth, and the occlusion may be different. Over time, you may get used to your new bite, but in some instances, when the bite is off, it can cause unusual stress on the teeth. This stress can lead to bone loss or contribute to TMJ disorders.

When a new crown feels off, most dentists will simply fix it so it isn’t so high. There is a special “registration paper” that the dentist would ask you to tap and bite your teeth together on. When there is a part of the tooth that hits before the rest of the tooth, the dentist will grind the tooth in that spot to fix it. It doesn’t hurt the crown to grind down small spots that may be causing discomfort. This is a common practice with crowns.

You have a couple of options. You can wait as suggested and see if your bite adjusts if you have had a good experience otherwise with your dentist. If you do go back and ask again to adjust the crown and he is hesitant, don’t push it. It may end up worse than leaving the crown as it is.

If you don’t have any ties that bind with this dentist, it may not hurt to get a second opinion.

This post is sponsored by Dr. Ryan Perry in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Would pulling a tooth and covering it be better than a root canal?

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I had a friend who had a snap-in set of teeth to cover a bad tooth in the front. I’m wondering if there is something similar for a tooth in the back. I keep struggling with a tooth on the bottom of my mouth. I have had cavities and fillings, and now my dentist says I either have to have a root canal on it or an implant. I’m thinking it might be easier just to pull the thing and cover it up. What do you think?

Althea, Mississippi

Dear Althea,

While it is frustrating to keep having work done on the same tooth, a snap-on smile is not the answer. Snap-on smiles are meant for temporary tooth fixes. Because they are meant to be temporary, they aren’t very durable or strong, especially not in the place of a molar that takes the brunt of the work chewing your foods. They are not particularly cheap, either.

Also, there are complications that can arise from extracting the tooth. Anytime a tooth is pulled, the body naturally thinks the bone in that area isn’t needed anymore. The minerals in the bone will eventually be reabsorbed into the body, leaving that spot prone to deformation. It may also affect the teeth around that spot as it leaves room for them to shift, changing your bite.

Your dentist may have suggested a dental implant for that tooth if you mentioned extracting it. If you put an implant in, it will slow down or stop the bone loss because the base of the implant is in the bone and lets the body know it is still needed.

Really root canal is probably your best bet as it is the simplest option. It can take care of the needs of your tooth and most likely be the most cost-effective. Typically a tooth that gets a root canal also gets a crown. This is a strong covering that will allow you to still chew like you are used to without fear of it breaking.

If you want other options, depending on the location of the tooth, a partial denture or a bridge may work. Speak to your dentist about your options when you have your next appointment.

This post is sponsored by Dr. Ryan Perry of Baton Rouge, LA.

 

 

 

My Tooth Crumbled. What Do I Do?

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I had a root canal and temporary filling done. I’m supposed to go in for the crown on Wednesday, but it seems my tooth has crumbled. I was eating and suddenly I felt bits of tooth in my food.  My dentist warned me I wouldn’t be able to put off getting the crown, but this is sooner than expected. Do I need to see an emergency dentist?

Barth – New Mexico

Barth,

Of course, I can’t tell you with certainty without seeing you, but I suspect it isn’t your tooth crumbling, but the temporary filling coming out. Look in the tooth. Is there a hole in the center? That’s where your filling should be.

If that is the case, you won’t need an . Instead, you can just get some store bought tooth filling to tide you over until your appointment on Wednesday. It’s meant for situations specifically like yours.

However, if you look back there and the tooth is gone, then yes, you’ve got a problem. Call your dentist. They likely have a protocol for situations like these and may have you come in early.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Perry.

How long does bonding from an emergency dentist last?

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I had a fall and chipped my tooth. I went to see an emergency dentist. He put some kind of bonding on it to close the chip and sent me home.  How long will that bonding last?

Sadie M. – Alabama

Sadie,

It’s likely that the emergency dentist did composite dental bonding to repair your chipped tooth. If that’s the case, then it will last for years.  However, I hope your emergency dentist suggested you go to your dentist for follow up treatment. Not because of the bonding, but because of the trauma.

There’s always a chance the blood flow was cut off in accident. It may not show up right away, but it will cause the tooth to die and need a root canal.

You’d want to be aware of this before it causes an abscess.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Perry.

Root Canal Can’t be Performed on Front Tooth. What now?

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I have a front tooth that has been such a problem I had two dentists attempt a root canal on the tooth. Unfortunately, the dentists weren’t able to get through the root at the end because of calcium build-up.
Now, I’m researching the idea of having an implant on this tooth. Is this the best choice for this problem or is there another dentist that could get to the end of the root?
– Ted in Louisiana

Ted,
It doesn’t happen a lot but sometimes teeth get blockages in the roots and then it isn’t possible to perform a root canal treatment.

I’d recommend you don’t give up yet on the idea of having this procedure done. Be sure to seek the advice of a root canal specialist (endodontist) and have them try to penetrate the roots. They use fine, ultrasonic tips that can sometimes break through strong calcium build-ups. General dentists do root canal treatments on front teeth when the roots are straight with easy access. When the roots are complicated or hard to reach, a specialist is usually the answer.

Another solution that may work is to surgically seal the root end of the tooth without going through the tooth. This is fairly simple to do with a front tooth and is called an apicoectomy. This may be a good solution to your problem but you do need to consider that when you can’t clean all the dead tissue out of the inside of a tooth, there may be extra complications. I’d recommend you get advice on this from a specialist.

If possible, it’s best to save a tooth as there’s no substitute like your own natural teeth. Be sure to get proper advice from specialists before you do any procedure.

This blog brought to you by Dr. Ryan Perry, Baton Rouge Family Dentist.

Is my toothache causing a swollen cheek?

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My tooth has been hurting the last couple of weeks and now my cheek is getting swollen. Is this related and how?
– Maureen from Louisiana

 

 

Dear Maureen,

Your situation sounds like you have an infected tooth with an abscess. The tooth is either cracked or has a cavity that has grown and spread to the pulp of the tooth and this is causing your problem.  If this happens, an abscess forms, causing the tooth to ache, become temperature sensitive, and creates pain when you chew. Abscesses may spread from the tooth into the jaw bone. If the infection breaks through the jaw bone, it spreads into muscles and skin. In your situation, this would be – your cheek.

We recommend you visit your dentist as soon as you can as you must treat this serious infection properly. Your dentist will prescribe antibiotics to treat the abscess and you must take the entire prescription even if your symptoms decrease after a few days. If there’s a crack in your tooth that spreads down into the root of the tooth, an extraction has to be done. If you need to extract the tooth, you may be a good candidate for a dental implant or bridge. However, if the tooth has a cavity in the pulp of the tooth, a root canal is necessary. After the root canal is performed, a dental crown is needed to protect the tooth from breaking. Because there’s no blood supply to the tooth after a root canal, the tooth is weak so the crown is added to maintain the tooth’s strength.

This blog brought to you by Baton Rouge family dentist, Dr. Ryan P. Perry.