dental flipper Archives - Drake & Wallace Dentistry

Dealing with a Maryland Bridge Before a Dental Implant

Posted on March 10, 2025 by writeradmin.

My daughter is 13 years old and just finished orthodontics to get all her teeth in place. She does have a missing lateral incisor that had never come in. They’ve got a small wire attached to the back of her top three teeth to help keep them in place. Our plan is to eventually get her a dental implant when she is old enough. In the meantime, we were trying to get something temporary. Our dentist recommended a Maryland Bridge. We’ve had some trouble with it. She used non-metal wings and bonded them to her two adjacent teeth. However, they are not staying in. He’s used two different types of cement. Both times the bridge fell out. Now he is wants to create a new dental bridge with metal wings. I’m concerned about a couple of things. First, is there any guarantee that it will actually stay in any better than the non-metal wings? Second, will the metal show through on her teeth? She’s already had some embarrassing moments with this situation and doesn’t want to go to school until this is fixed. Kids can be pretty mean.

Selena

Dear Selena,

I’m glad you wrote. It appears your dentist is well-intentioned, but doesn’t understand the engineering of a Maryland Bridge. Additionally, I would not consider it a temporary replacement. This is because in order for it to be securely placed, along with the cement, a notch has to be cut into the tooth in order for it to stay in place.

Anytime you have to change the tooth structure, that is not a temporary replacement. In fact, a strong benefit of a dental implant is that nothing has to be done to the adjacent, healthy teeth. Maybe your dentist didn’t create that notch and that is why it is not staying. If so, that is good news for your daughter, because her tooth structure is still there. If not, she’ll need some composite bonding to fill in the area.

I would not expect the metal wings to stay on any better. In fact, it will be harder to bond on metal wings than zirconia wings. As to whether it will cause a cosmetic issue, yes, it definitely will. The adjacent teeth will be darkened as a result. This is one reason most dentists are switching to the zirconia (metal-free) wings to begin with.

I recommend you get your daughter a dental flipper. It is much less expensive and will not need any change in structure to her other teeth. I can’t imagine why he didn’t just suggest this to begin with.

When you get her dental implant placed, please make certain that the dentist has extensive post-doctoral training in placing implants. This is an advanced procedure. There are countless horror stories from patients who went to unqualified dentists to have theirs done.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.
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A Dental Flipper to Straighten Teeth?

Posted on October 9, 2024 by writeradmin.

I have crooked teeth but do not want a mouth full of metal braces at the age of 42. I was thinking that I may be able to get a dental flipper that could fit over my teeth and make them look straight when I am out in public. Have you seen something like that work before? If not, is there a better option?

Terry

Dear Terry,

I am glad you wrote. A dental flipper doesn’t fit over teeth. It is actually just a false tooth used to fill in a space. You may be thinking of the Snap-On smile procedure. This will fit over your teeth. They are not going to look stunning, like porcelain veneers would. This is because Snap-On smile is made of acrylic. I would look at is as something that could be adequate. This can look a little bulky because it snaps over your teeth.

My suggestion will allow you to have actual straight teeth all the time, and not just when you are out in public. Don’t worry, you will not have to wear braces. Instead, I am going to suggest you get Invisalign. These use clear aligners (pictured above) which can be used to straighten your teeth. Using an advanced software system, these can straighten your teeth in about half the time of traditional braces. Plus, no one will even know you are wearing them, even at a conversational distance. They are like having invisible braces.

As you may have realized, our teeth pick up stains as we age. Because of that, you may also be interested in whitening your teeth. If so, the Invisalign aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This allows you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time. It also actually saves you some money because you won’t need the teeth whitening trays. The aligners work the same way. All your dentist will need to provide for you is the teeth whitening gel.

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

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.

Options for Treating an Infected Tooth

Posted on November 13, 2021 by writeradmin.

I had a filling on a tooth that kept hurting me. I took ibuprofen every day straight for over a month and finally just decided something else has to be wrong and went back in to see the dentist. He took an x-ray and said that the tooth is infected. He wants to do an extraction next week. I have a couple of questions. Can you tell me if that is my only option? What consequences are there for that or any other option I may have?

Louisa

Dear Louisa,

You definitely have other options. However, if you are on any kind of government insurance, they will only cover the cheapest option, whether or not it is the best one for you.

Generally, when a tooth is infected the dentist will want to do everything they can to save the tooth. That can be done with a root canal treatment. That would be the best option for you. If the tooth is beyond saving, then an extraction would be necessary, but that also means replacing the tooth.

If you don’t replace the tooth, the adjacent teeth will shift or tip into the open area. This will throw off your bite. That can lead to jaw pain, headaches, and even TMJ Disorder, so you really will need to replace it.

You have several options for tooth replacements these days, but the hands-down best option is a dental implant. This is the closest to having a healthy, natural tooth because it implants a prosthetic tooth root in your jaw. This makes it a permanent and stable replacement. They are pricey, though.

If a dental implant is out of your reach, here are some other options in descending order of good to “if you must”.

Dental Bridge: This suspends a false tooth between two dental crowns, which means the adjacent teeth will have to be ground down whether they need it or not.
Removable Partial denture: There are several ways these can be made, but the biggest downside is the removable bit as well as loss of jawbone structure.
Dental Flipper: Like a denture, this is removable. In the case of a flipper, it is designed to be temporary, while you work on financing for the better options.

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

Tooth Infection to Salivary Gland?

Posted on September 30, 2020 by writeradmin.

I am wondering if a tooth infection can spread to a salivary gland? My daughter had a root canal treatment directly above a salivary gland that has had three infections. We’ve done all kinds of scans and cannot find a reason for the recurring infections. Is it possible her root canal treatment has failed and it is infecting her salivary gland?

Marybelle

Dear Marybelle,

If there is an active tooth infection, it is always possible for it to spread. So, technically, yes it is possible. This is why a tooth infection is considered a dental emergency. Unless the infected tissue is physically removed, such as by a root canal treatment or a tooth extraction, it will continue to spread. Your jaw is close to your heart, lungs, and brain so allowing an infection to move further than your jaw is quite dangerous.

However, in your daughter’s case, I don’t think that is the problem. You mentioned doing scans. If her root canal treatment had failed, that would have been visible on the scans. I know this means you are still looking for the true cause. I wish I had another answer for you.

If something changes, where you think her tooth is re-infected, you can do a re-treatment. However, be aware that the chances of success go down with each re-treatment. If that doesn’t work, you may have to extract the tooth. If that happens, you’ll want to get your daughter a dental implant if her jaw is fully developed. If not, I’d recommend a temporary replacement, such as a dental flipper, until she’s old enough for the implant.

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

Cheap Fix for Broken Tooth

Posted on September 26, 2020 by writeradmin.

I broke a tooth off at the gumline. My dentist wants me to extract the remaining portion and get a dental implant, but I need a much cheaper fix than that. Do I have other options?

Paula

Dear Paula,

While an extraction and dental implant would be the best solution, not everyone can afford that option. Your dentist should be giving you all your options, not just the ideal one. If he is unwilling to do anything but the ideal, you may need a more understanding dentist. On that score, your best bet would be a dentist who advertises as an “affordable dentist“. These dentists are much more willing to work within a patient’s budget.

Fortunately, you have quite a few options. The second-best option for you would be a dental bridge. This suspends a false tooth between two dental crowns. The only real downside to this is it means grinding down the two adjacent teeth.

If that is still too pricey, you can look at getting a removable partial denture. These are significantly less money than the first two options mentioned. Finally, the cheapest option is a dental flipper. However, it is meant to be a temporary tooth replacement. They’re best used when you are saving up for a different tooth replacement.

Another benefit of an affordable dentist is they are much more willing to allow you to pay out your treatment. This could mean that you can get a better treatment than you originally thought. The better the treatment, the higher your quality of life. Because of that, I’d get the best treatment you can afford.

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