Archives for December 2021

Stuntman Losing Teeth

Posted on December 29, 2021 by writeradmin.

I work as a stuntman which is a high accident-prone job. Normally I do fine, but in the last year I have sprained my ankle, broken one finger, and lost three teeth. I need to replace those teeth but I am trying to figure out the best solution. I want to get dental implants but wondered what the impact would be if my run of bad luck continues. I’m not superstitious but I’m to the point where I wonder if burning some sage wouldn’t be a bad idea. Haha. If dental implants aren’t my best choice, what other options do I have?

Adam

Dear Adam,

I’ve been giving your situation some thought. While I do think dental implants will be your best solution, some minor adjustments will need to be made because of your line of work. What you don’t want is to have a tooth replacement with dental implants only to have it ripped out of your jaw by another accident. At the same time, having implants in there will protect you from any bone loss through resorption.

What I think you need is to have the implants themselves placed. This will protect your jawbone and keep the space open and available for the final restoration. In the meantime, don’t have the crowns placed. This is what I think will put you at risk. When you’re not doing a stunt, you can wear a temporary tooth replacement, such as a removable partial denture or a dental flipper. This will give you some teeth for social reasons and protect you during stunts. I assume you are wearing a mouthguard.

Then, once you are ready to retire or move onto a different field you can have the permanent dental crowns placed and have the steady replacement that will last you a lifetime.

Here’s hoping 2022 is a much better year for you and sage does not become a necessity.
This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Ten Year Old Daughter Damaged Teeth

Posted on December 24, 2021 by writeradmin.

I need some advice from you. My ten year old daughter took a nasty fall. One of her teeth is chipped and it looks like there is a horizontal crack on the other. I called my dentist and he can’t see her for a month. I really want to get this looked at before then. When I mentioned going somewhere else, he told me the roots have to settle down anyway. Is that true or is he just trying to get me to stay with him?

Nancy

Dear Nancy,

I have no idea why he told you to wait. You certainly do not need to. In fact, I think he should have made room for her in an emergency dental appointment just to do some x-rays and make sure there is no damage to the pulp of her teeth. I would get her seen somewhere else.

The solution to the chipped tooth is dental bonding. However, not every dentist can do this. Even if you find one that does, make sure you look at some before and after pictures of dental bonding cases they have actually done. This is to make sure they can make the tooth blend and look natural. It is not an easy repair and you want your daughter’s tooth to look as natural as possible.

I hesitate to mention a solution to the other tooth without knowing more about it. I will just reiterate, don’t wait. This dentist can’t or won’t see your daughter, look for another pediatric dentist who will.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Why are My Teeth Whiter Than My Crown?

Posted on December 22, 2021 by writeradmin.

I had to get my first dental crown ever. My dentist said he gave me the whitest shade, but my teeth are whiter. How can my teeth be whiter than the whitest shade? It looks really weird. Can I use teeth whitening on the crown?

Leslie

Hi Leslie,

I’m glad you wrote and am certain I can help you. I’m having to make some assumptions here because I haven’t actually examined you. If any of these are wrong, feel free to write back and we’ll work the problem a different way. First, I am assuming that you have used teeth whitening in the past. Second, it appears your dentist does not do a lot of cosmetic work. With those two assumptions, here is what I think is going on, as well as how you can fix it.

First, when dentists are looking to match a shade of a tooth in order to match a crown to it, they always start with a shade guide. Directly above, I have posted an image of the old shade guide that dentists would use. Then, the 1990s came along and things changed. Teeth whitening skyrocketed in popularity. Suddenly, patients were coming into the dentist’s office with teeth that were whiter than anything on the shade guide. Dentists had a hard time matching dental work to their patient’s teeth.

Fortunately, it didn’t take long for cosmetic dentists to express the need for these shade guides to be updated, and the supply companies stepped up to the bat. Above, I have an image of an updated shade guide. Notice the extension on the left. This is where those brighter shades are placed. They are all much whiter than the whitest shade on the old shade guide.

I believe your dentist is still using the old shade guide. So, how do you fix this? Teeth whitening, while remarkably effective on teeth, will only whiten teeth. That means your natural teeth will get whiter but your dental crown will stay the same color. That will not have the effect you were hoping for. Instead, I suggest you inform your dentist about the new shade guide so he can give you the correct color crown. You can even show him this post if it helps.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.