All posts by AllSmiles

Invisalign

Could Invisalign be making my lip numb?

 

I have worn Invisalign for 3 months. I haven’t had any problem with them, but this morning when I woke up the left side of my bottom lip was numb. It’s also slightly swollen too. I didn’t eat anything different and I was in town for the weekend, not exposed to anything unusual. Could Invisalign be causing the problem? Mikayla

Mikayla – It is unlikely that Invisalign is the cause of the problem.

Some of the causes of a swollen lip are a cold sore, an allergy, an insect bite, or an infection. You should make an appointment with your dentist to examine your lip. Your Invisalign aligners can also be examined to ensure that they are not irritating your lip.

Be sure to keep your regularly scheduled follow-ups with your dentist to ensure your progress with Invisalign is as predicted. Any problems with Invisalign can be detected during the follow-up visits.

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

Teeth whitening

How do I whiten patchy spots on teeth after braces are removed?

Hi. I saw the orthodontist last week and I will be getting braces soon. I have to wear them for 2 years. I am afraid that after wearing them so long I will get patchy spots on my teeth like some of the kids I go to school with. If I have patchy teeth when the braces are removed after 2 years, how can I get rid of the patches? Brooke Turner

Brooke – Instead of treating patchy spots on teeth after braces, we advise you to follow the steps required to avoid the patchy spots altogether.

Patchy spots on teeth after your braces are removed are the result of poor oral hygiene. When food is left on your teeth, it comes in contact with acid, causing bacteria to form on your teeth. When food and bacterial are trapped between braces and are not removed, calcium and phosphate are depleted from your teeth. The decalcification is the cause of the white spots on your teeth.

The white spots can be prevented if you avoid sugary and acid foods and drinks. Use fluoride toothpaste and brush your teeth thoroughly after every meal. Floss daily, and keep your regular appointments with your dentist for an exam or cleaning. Your dentist may recommend a fluoridated mouthwash or fluoride treatments.

When braces are removed and a person has white spots on their teeth, a cosmetic dentist can help. The teeth may need to be carefully remineralized with fluoride. Or, microabrasion—gently removing the damaged enamel from the tooth can help. If teeth are excessively spotted, they can be restored with porcelain veneers.

If you are diligent about oral hygiene you won’t have patchy spots on your teeth, but there may be stains on your teeth from the composite that was used to bond the braces to them. A cosmetic dentist can polish away the composite stains. After that your teeth can be whitened.

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

Toothache

Best medicine for my toothache?

For the past 6 months or so I got a horrible toothache every 2 or 3 weeks. I would hurt so bad for about 10 minutes then it go away. Within the past 2 months it’s more frequent. Now I think I need to take something for it. What’s better ibuprofen, aspirin, or something else? – Amber

Amber – We recommend that you see a dentist to identify the cause of the toothache. The dentist will recommend the correct treatment to eliminate the pain.

Sometimes people choose to self-medicate a toothache with pain reliever. But when you have a persistent toothache, the likely cause is a tooth infection. Pan reliever may help with the pain, but it won’t eliminate the tooth infection, which can make you very sick.

A tooth infection may spread into your jawbone. It can cause fever, earaches, headaches, and it can even spread to your brain.

Sometimes injury, problems with your ears, or sinus problems can cause tooth pain.

Don’t cover up your toothache with pain killers. See a dentist for an examination.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy

Affordable Dentistry

Looking for quality affordable dentistry in Mexico

Hi. I need some extensive dental work done. I have priced some local dentists and the costs are outrageous. Now I want to explore my options out of the U.S. Since Mexico is relatively close, I am starting there. How can I get quality dentistry there that I can afford? Thanks in advance. T.M.

T.M. – We do not at all recommend that you seek dental treatment in Mexico. You can get dental treatment at a lower cost there, but there are reasons for it.

Mexico has far fewer regulations on dentistry than the United States. Cleanliness, sterilization, malpractice insurance, and materials are left to the discretion of the dentist. There is no way to discern the quality of materials used in your mouth, nor is there a way to determine if proper sanitation is practiced to keep you free of unwanted germs and infection.

If there is a complaint, you will be able to file one through the government, but there is nothing in place to ensure that the work is corrected or that you are refunded.

We recommend that you speak with qualified dentists in the U.S. who offer financing or payment plans, or who make the work affordable for you by doing it in phases to spread out your payments. The limitations of your budget will be respected, and you will receive quality, regulated dentistry.

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

Invisalign

Accidentally dropped upper Invisalign in my bird’s cage

I have 2 pet parrots. I was goofing around in the den and teasing the birds and taking my Invisalign on and off my teeth. I know I shouldn’t have been doing it because they should stay on unless I’m eating or I am cleaning my teeth. It was funny how the birds were looking at me when I took the aligners off. Any way I was laughing and dangling the top aligner over the cage and one of the birds startled me and I dropped the aligner in the bird cage. It was too gross in the cage for me to ever get them clean enough to put them back in my mouth. I just can’t do it. I was only 3 days into these aligners. Can I put the new set on early? – M.T.

M.T. – You should not put the new set of Invisalign on early. Call your dentist for a replacement set. If you have the former set of aligners, you can wear them for now. Your next set of aligners is based on the new position of your teeth that would result from the set that you dropped.

Premature placement will interfere with your treatment plan. Call your dentist immediately.

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

Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry

The dentist’s drill chipped my tooth

I had 3 cavities filled on Tuesday. Everything seemed to be going fine. I didn’t feel any pain with the drilling, and I was quite pleased. But then the drill hit one of my front teeth! I know that I must have looked alarmed, because the dentist kept saying everything is okay. This is not the dentist I would normally go to. This one is less expensive than my regular dentist, so I decided to give him a try for a cleaning. I liked him so I decided that I would let him fill my cavities. This was just my second visit. When I got home and really looked at my teeth, I saw I small chip on a left front tooth! I am torn about what to do. It’s not difficult to see the chip. If this dentist didn’t tell me that he chipped my tooth can I trust him to fix it, or will he just say that he fixed it? – Noel T.

Noel – You do have a big decision to make. You should let the new dentist know about the chipped tooth right away. It may be wise to schedule an appointment to speak with him in person about it.

After you speak with the dentist, if you don’t want him to restore your tooth, you can ask if he will pay for the cost of having it restored. You can then return to your usual dentist or go to a cosmetic dentist for the restoration. Dental bonding can be made to match the color of your natural tooth. The bonding will be applied to the tooth, shaped, hardened, shaped again, and polished. If it’s done by a cosmetic dentist, people won’t be able to tell where your tooth was chipped.

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

General Dentistry

Why is my breath so horrible and my dentist isn’t helping me?

My breath smells horrible. When I blow my breath into my hands it smells like a rotten potato. I brush and floss twice a day and I gargle but it still stinks so bad. I told my dentist and he said that I don’t have any rotten teeth but he didn’t give me any suggestions or clues as to what may be going on. Please help. – T.H.

T.H. – In addition to tooth decay, there are many causes of bad breath.

  • Food and drink – Onions, garlic, certain vegetables, and coffee can cause your breath to have a strong odor. Some of the odors stay on your tongue, so in addition to flossing and brushing your teeth, regularly brush your tongue.
  • Dry mouth – Tobacco and alcohol can dry your mouth. Certain medications, certain diseases, and certain chronic conditions can make your mouth dry and create odor, so drink plenty of water. You can also chew sugar-free gum, or suck on sugar-free candy to assist saliva production. If your mouth is dry, speak with a dentist about how to increase or stimulate saliva production.
  • Toothbrush – Your toothbrush should be changed regularly. Bacteria and germs can cling to your toothbrush and transfer into your mouth and cause additional odor.
  • Nose and throat conditions – Congestion or inflammation in your nose and throat, including sinus drainage can cause breath odor.
  • Oral health – Gum disease can also create strong breath odors. So can faulty tooth restoration; bacteria can breed beneath it.
  • Physical health – Certain diseases and metabolic disorders can cause bad breath. Chronic reflux of stomach acid that often goes into your throat and mouth can affect your breath.

You can decide whether you want to speak with your dentist again about the problem, or get a second opinion from another dentist. If after an exam and review of your medial history, the problem doesn’t seem to be related to your oral health, you will be referred to a medical physician.

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

General Dentistry

Does a dentist need to check out my cut tongue or will it heal by itself?

Last Thursday I did something dumb that cut my tongue. I didn’t have scissors so I was trying to break into a hard plastic package with my teeth. The package slipped and cut my tongue. It hit my bottom teeth too but they are fine. My tongue started bleeding and I compressed and iced it but my tongue still hurts. I see a gash in it and every now and then it still bleeds. It will bleed heavy then stop when I compress it and put ice on it. When will it heal? Will it heal by itself? Do I need to have a dentist check it out? Thanks. Dylan R.

Dylan – A cut tongue usually heals on its own. The time that it takes to heal depends on how deeply it is cut. Hydrogen peroxide rinses, antiseptic rinses, or salt water rinses can help.

The concern is that your tongue is still bleeding, and sometimes heavily. We recommend that you make an appointment with a dentist to examine your tongue. The dentist will confirm whether your tongue will heal on its own or if sticthes are needed.

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

General Dentistry

Bleeding after dentist appointment

I had my teeth cleaned last Wednesday and there was a substitute hygienist there who was really rough. My gums never bleed, but they bled all through the appointment. I called the dentist’s office this morning because on and off this morning my gums are still bleeding. They told me that the bleeding should slack off today or tomorrow. I keep rinsing my mouth with water but it doesn’t permanently stop. I am not sure that I want to go back to that office. What should I do? – Jackie

Jackie – Your concern is understandable—particularly since your gums do not usually bleed when your teeth are cleaned.

Although gums may bleed during dental cleaning, they should not bleed heavily, unless extensive gum disease is present. It may be that you had more plaque buildup than usual during your most recent cleaning. Your gums may bleed for several days after your dental appointment. You should continue to rinse your mouth and include salt in the rinse.

If the bleeding persists, gets worse, or if it’s enough to worry you, schedule an appointment with your dentist to examine your gums and determine the cause of the problem. Swollen gums should also be examined by a dentist. If you are not comfortable with returning to your current dentist, get recommendations from friends or relatives for a new dentist.

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

Affordable Dentistry

Why didn’t dentist ask me if I could afford this?

After my last dental cleaning, I was told that I needed 2 fillings. No problem. I made the appointment and returned last week for the fillings. While I was in the chair, the dentist said something about 4 fillings and another appointment for preparing my teeth for the crowns. I am certain that I was told that I needed only 2 fillings and nobody said anything to me about crowns. When I asked about it his response was sort of like with the condition of my teeth surely I knew that crowns were needed. Why wouldn’t this be discussed with me? I can’t afford this work any time soon. Is it common for work to be planned on a patient without discussing it with the patient? Sonja

Sonja – Any dental treatment planned or in progress should be thoroughly explained to you. In addition to recommended treatment, your options should be discussed with you.

If it’s necessary treatment, your dentist should be able to give you options as to how the treatment can be made affordable for you. Often treatment can be done in phases, or payment options can be discussed with you.

At this point, you should discuss your concerns with your dentist. If you are not satisfied with the response from your dentist, you can consider getting a second opinion.

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