Can I refuse sedation dentistry with wisdom teeth removal?

I need to have all of my wisdom teeth pulled and I don’t want sedation. I haven’t seen a dentist recently, but I know it’s my wisdom teeth that are hurting and the pain is getting worse. Before I go in I want to know if sedation is necessary or just something the dentist will try to convince me to get. I don’t like people doing anything to me medically or otherwise without me being fully aware of what’s going on. I am not afraid of the procedure. I just want to be full aware and awake. Can you tell me if sedation is standard for wisdom teeth removal or can I go without it? Thanks Brooklynn

Brooklynn – It’s good that you recognize that dental care is needed for your wisdom teeth. Whether or not you need sedation dentistry depends on the condition of the teeth and their roots. Wisdom teeth are especially painful when they are impacted.

Impacted wisdom teeth can lead to a variety of oral health issues, including those listed below:

  • Damage neighboring teeth
  • Become infected, and in some cases form a cyst that affects nerves, other teeth, your jaw, and facial muscles
  • Become difficult to clean and promote bacteria and gum disease
  • Bacteria can enter your bloodstream and affect your organs, including your heart and kidneys

You will receive an anesthesia evaluation. Local anesthesia will definitely be administered. Your dentist or oral surgeon is concerned about your comfort during wisdom teeth removal. If the removal of the teeth is anticipated to be complex or time consuming, sedation dentistry might be recommended.

There are various levels of sedation:

  • Nitrous oxide
  • Oral conscious sedation
  • IV sedation dentistry

Before you decline sedation, ensure you understand what to expect during the procedure. Ask the dentist about what you will be able to hear, see, and feel more intensely than you would without sedation. It’s your right as a patient to accept or decline care, but sedation dentistry can make the removal of impacted wisdom teeth a much more pleasant experience.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy. Dr. Lacy’s office is convenient to Addison, Allen, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Frisco, Garland, Highland Park, and Little Elm.

How can I find an affordable dentist to replace 8 porcelain veneers?

How can I find an affordable dentist to replace 8 porcelain veneers I receive May of last year? Within 3 months of getting the veneers, one of them fell off. My dentist bonded it back on. Since that time 2 more veneers fell off. When I was brushing my teeth last Wednesday, I noticed that one of the veneers that my dentist bonded back on is now loose. This is ridiculous and I want to switch to another dentist to get my veneers completely redone. If I could go back to my natural teeth I would do so. I feel stuck and ripped off by my dentist. Of course I didn’t budget for porcelain veneer mistakes, so now I need to find an affordable dentist to get new veneers. Of course I’m concerned about quality. I already paid a lot of money for these veneers and the quality is poor. Hopefully you can guide me in finding quality affordable veneers. – Sabrina

Sabrina – We’re sorry to hear about your bad experience with porcelain veneers. Quality cosmetic dentistry is a rare art, and when patients request affordable dentistry for cosmetic purposes, it concerns us.

A skilled cosmetic dentist can make it more affordable for you to get your veneers replaced, but it won’t mean that the restorations will be inexpensive. We caution patients who focus on cost alone. Affordability is best met through payment plans or financing to make new porcelain veneers easier on your budget. If you insist on the lowest cost, even if you get new veneers, there could be a sacrifice in quality, and they too can fall off or be easily damaged.

A skilled cosmetic dentist has the tools required to properly bond your porcelain veneers. He or she also knows the bonding techniques required to secure your veneers. They should never fall off.

Select two or three experienced cosmetic dentists with whom you can schedule consultations. Have your veneers examined. It’s possible that you don’t need new veneers. Sometimes poorly bonded veneers can be removed, cleaned, and correctly bonded to your teeth.

  • Compare the options and costs for each consulting dentist.
  • Ask to see before-and-after pictures of porcelain veneers each dentist has placed.
  • Ask about options for payment plans or financing.
  • Don’t automatically select the dentist with the lowest cost. Verify his or her training and qualifications.

This post is sponsored by Plano, TX dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

 

 

I got free teeth whitening online but my dentist won’t help me with it

After I found out how much my dentist charges for teeth whitening, I started looking around to see what I could find that was much cheaper. I found a website where you can complete surveys and after survey #20 you could pick a gift. Free teeth whitening was one of the gifts so I chose that. The whitening kit came about 6 weeks ago. The instructions have a disclaimer about not whitening your teeth without a dentist’s supervision. What’s the point of that? Anyway I’ve had a dental cleaning appointment since then and told my dentist about the free teeth whitening. She said she doesn’t recommend it and she will not supervise it for me because she doesn’t know the source. I think it’s unfair. If I can’t afford whitening from her, what’s wrong with getting free teeth whitening? It seems like she isn’t interested in helping me improve my smile unless I’m getting the work done from her. Is it worth it to find another dentist who can work with me on this? – Shauna

Shauna,

Before you receive teeth whitening of any kind, there are several things you should know:

  • Are your teeth healthy enough? Your teeth should be clean and free of decay before they are whitened.
  • Is whitening the right option? Depending on the cause of the stains in your teeth, whitening them can make the stains more noticeable. In these cases, a dentist wouldn’t recommend it.
  • What bleaching gel is best for your teeth? The cause of your stains, the extent of them, and any sensitivity issues with your teeth help a dentist determine the type and the strength of bleaching gel you need.
  • You need bleaching trays. The teeth whitening gel should not be applied directly to your teeth. A minimal amount of gel should be placed in custom bleaching trays to keep the gel in contact with your teeth, but away from your gums. Excess gel can irritate your teeth and gums.
  • How long should you use the bleaching gel? It is possible to over-bleach your teeth. During the treatment period, bleaching gel should be used for a limited amount of time each day. With professional-strength bleaching gel, the length is usually about 30 minutes. After a two-week period, your dentist will check the progress of your treatment.
  • You need periodic touch-ups. Periodic touch-ups are needed to keep your teeth white. Usually, once or twice a year is enough. You will need to obtain additional bleaching gel for touch-ups.

Your dentist’s concerns are valid. Without being able to verify the source and the contents of the free teeth whitening gel, how can she predict the results? Of course, she would feel responsible for the outcome. Seriously consider your dentist’s concerns before you use the whitening gel. Any dentist would have the same concerns about bleaching gel from a questionable source.

The safest way to get your teeth whitened is with a dentist’s supervision. If whitening isn’t affordable through your dentist, you can consider switching to a dentist who offers free whitening for patients who stay current with dental cleaning and exam appointments.

This post is sponsored by Plano, TX dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.