Last week I saw a sedation dentist and got 2 teeth filled. It was so hard for me to keep a dental appointment because of my anxiety. After learning about sedation dentistry, it gave me the courage to do something about my teeth. My understanding from the Internet is that sedation helps you relax and it makes the pain less intense. I received the fillings because I thought they would fix the pain and sensitivity in my teeth, not cause more of it. The pain and sensitivity haven’t gone away and this is a huge disappointment. What’s going on? Am I going to need to have the fillings redone? Bahja
Bahja – Sedation dentistry does relax you and decrease the pain during a dental procedure. Sensitivity and pain after a tooth filling are normal. For the first 24 hours after having cavities filled, you should avoid hard or sticky foods that can irritate your teeth or cause the filling to dislodge.
As the nerves in your teeth calm down, sensitivity should gradually diminish. You will find that foods or drinks that are hot or cold will increase sensitivity in your teeth. If you had deep tooth decay that might have been close to a nerve, it is not unusual to feel pain and increased sensitivity, and it can take up to four weeks for the sensitivity to go away.
If you notice that you have pain only while you are chewing, it is possible that the fillings in your teeth are too high. Another indication that a filling is too high is that it will prevent the biting surfaces of your teeth from closing together. If you are experiencing either of these issues contact your sedation dentist’s office.
My question is about being able to get an affordable dentist for porcelain veneers at my age. My parents are not together, but I am on my dad’s dental plan and he has really good insurance. He says I can get veneers and since I have a job, I can pay for what insurance doesn’t cover. I live with my mom and she says I am too young for them and I need to wait a few years. I asked her if she meant that a dentist won’t do them at my age or if she just thinks I am too young for them. I am 17 yrs old. She keeps saying I am just too young. Will a dentist do veneers for a teenager? Thanks. Kyla
Kyla – A conscientious affordable dentist who is also a cosmetic
dentist will let you know that the best time to receive porcelain veneers is when your jawbone growth is complete, which can be around age 17 or 18. Here’s why:
If your veneers are placed while you are still growing, the movement of your teeth and jawbone may create space between your gumline and your veneers.
Your veneers will no longer look natural.
Either you will have to replace the veneers as jaw and teeth develop, or you will have to wait until you are able to receive new veneers.
A review of your family history, an examination, and x-rays from a cosmetic dentist can help determine if your jawbone growth is complete or not. Your parents—particularly your father—will want to consider if he wants to make the investment of porcelain veneers before your jawbone growth is complete.
An Exam and Consultation Are Needed
If you have permission from your parents to proceed with an examination, it will give you more information on the best time to receive porcelain veneers. If your parents approve of your getting veneers, ask for their help in finding a few skilled cosmetic dentists. Here’s why: It will be easy to find an affordable dentist to provide you with porcelain veneers, but only a skilled cosmetic dentist can provide you with veneers that look natural and will last.
Compared to other forms of cosmetic dentistry, veneers are relatively expensive. If you receive them, you want to ensure they are quality veneers and look like your natural teeth. Also, porcelain veneers often require the preparation of your natural teeth. This involves shaving a microscopic amount of tooth enamel from the front of your teeth so the veneers won’t look bulky. We just want to ensure you understand what is involved in receiving veneers, and why it’s so important to find a highly qualified cosmetic dentist to do the work.
Schedule consultations with two or three cosmetic dentists and each dentist what can be done to make veneers affordable for you. Don’t expect a discount, but payment plans and financing can help you meet your budget.
I have been trying some cheap and free teeth whitening techniques to try to even out my smile some. For the past six months or so, I’ve noticed my teeth have developed some white spots on them. I wanted to get rid of the spots or make them blend in more. I tried special toothpastes and strips, but none of those were working, so I finally went and saw a dentist who was offering free teeth whitening treatments to all new patients. We went through the whole thing and I followed their instructions exactly. Well, my teeth seem a little brighter, but the spots look brighter too. I called the office and the woman told me that spots like I have won’t respond to bleaching and that I should have known that before I started. How could I have possibly known if they didn’t tell me? I have to wonder if it’s possible that they were just using a fake gimmick to get people in the dental office. If, however, they are being truthful and the spots can’t be fixed this way, where exactly does that leave me in terms of fixing the problem? Thanks. Kris
Kris,
Sorry to hear you’re having so much trouble with spots on your teeth. It sounds like decalcification might be the problem. The dental office should have let you know the results you could expect before your free teeth whitening treatment started, but all is not lost. Let’s discuss what’s happening.
A Balanced Mouth Is a Healthy Mouth
Ideally, natural teeth are in a pH-balanced environment, bathing in mineral-laden saliva. In everyday life, intake acid food and drink that disturb the pH balance. Health conditions like acid reflux or bulimia introduce even more acid, and certain medications reduce the amount of saliva in our mouths. We get plaque buildup and feed bacteria in our mouths with sugary foods, which also upsets the pH balance.
Decalcification Occurs When Minerals Leave Your Teeth
The enamel on your teeth is incredibly tough when it’s healthy, but when your mouth isn’t balanced, the minerals start to leak. They’re in a constant state of flux; losing minerals and then gaining minerals from your saliva and diet. If you’re really good about brushing and flossing and don’t have health concerns, yet eat a lot of sugar or consume a lot of acidic things, your teeth will naturally remineralize on their own. But when your teeth have significant mineral loss, white spots, also known as decalcification, will develop.
Decalcification Is Often Called Pre-Cavity
The white spots on a tooth are not as strong as the rest of the tooth structure. Many dentists refer to them as pre-cavities, though precarious lesion is the more clinical term for it. Some people do believe you can heal those spots by correcting the imbalance and making sure you’re getting the minerals you need. There are specialty products on the market that claim to remineralize teeth. Unfortunately, there’s little evidence to support this. Those spots typically become cavities. If you’re really diligent and follow a good care regimen (your dentist may have specific suggestions to help you), then you may be able to delay decay for an extended period of time- perhaps even years.
Your Dentist Will Need to Repair the Spots
Often, dentists will want to repair the spots before they become cavities.
Depending on the severity of yours, there may be minimally-invasive options, such as abrasion. Teeth are usually repaired just like cavities.
You’ll need an evaluation from your dentist to find out which options are best. As for the free teeth whitening you received, it was probably legit, but it won’t get rid of the white spots or even tooth color. However, dentists usually recommend that you have whitening done before any restorative work, because bleaching gel won’t brighten filling materials or veneers. If you did want a brighter smile overall, the whitening helped, but you need alternate treatment to correct the white spots.
This blog is sponsored by Dr. Miranda Lacy. Dr. Lacy’s Plano free teeth whitening for life program includes free whitening gel for patients of the practice who keep their regular cleaning and exam appointments.