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Archives for September 2020

Hockey Players and Dental Implants

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My son is a hockey player and recently had a tooth knocked out during a practice. I want to get him a dental implant but his teammates said it could get knocked out again and to not replace it with an implant. What do you recommend? Would a Maryland Bridge be okay?

Cathey

Dear Cathey,

Hockey player with missing tooth

I have a colleague that worked with the official team dentist for a hockey team in Minnesota. He also mentioned this problem. What happens is if the tooth gets knocked out with the implant it can rip the bone. I would listen to his teammates. Yes, a dental implant is the top of the line in tooth replacement options, but not while he is at high risk like this.

Here is my recommendation. First, you can go ahead and get the root form of the implant placed. Doing that will help preserve the bone structure for after his time with hockey is over. Just don’t place the dental crown yet. Instead, use a temporary tooth replacement.

I’m going to nix the Maryland Bridge idea as well. This attaches to two other teeth. If that gets knocked out, it has the potential to take two other teeth with it.

What he can get is a dental flipper. This will make a nice temporary replacement. It doesn’t cost that much money and won’t cause any harm to either his other teeth or any bone structure if it takes a hit with a hockey puck.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Full-Mouth Reconstruction Horror Story

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I had twenty-year-old veneers that needed to be replaced. My new dentist said what I really needed was a full-mouth reconstruction. I trusted him but am now having serious doubts about this whole thing. The temporaries never felt right. Ever. I complained about them multiple times and he kept telling me that they were fine and things would be different when the permanents were in. Well, it’s not. I’m in pain and can’t even keep my mouth closed normally. My mouth is so dry I’ve been sucking on popsicles and drinking water non-stop. I feel like a water balloon and am miserable. I went back to the dentist complaining but he says he met all the check points and I’m just not used to crowns yet. Please tell me what to do? What is a reasonable amount of time for me to get used to this?

Gina

Dear Gina,

woman smiling with dentist behind her

You are in serious trouble here. This dentist has messed up big time. First, I’m trying to figure out why the full-mouth reconstruction was necessary to begin with. You said your porcelain veneers were old and need to be replaced. Fine. Do you know what the solution to that is? Replacing them with new porcelain veneers. A full-mouth reconstruction is a major overtreatment and one he hasn’t done correctly.

Your Dentist Blew it

When dealing with this type of case, which involves putting dental crowns on every tooth, the temporaries are worn to make sure everything occludes well and your bite is comfortable. If your bite was comfortable before but painful now, he did something wrong. Combine that with the fact you can no longer close your mouth when it is in repose and it sounds like your dentist opened up your bite too much. This is serious.

I don’t care if he says he met all the checkpoints. He didn’t. One of the first things to check is whether or not the patient can close their mouth normally and comfortably. So, either he is a liar or he doesn’t know what the checkpoints are. Neither of those bode well for either of you.

Your case needs to be re-done from the beginning. Please, for the love of all that is good, don’t allow this dentist to re-do it. Get a refund and get a different dentist to re-do your case.

Finding a Reconstructive Detnist

The first thing I’d like you to do is click here to read Dr. Marion’s professional bio. This is the type of dentist you will need to fix this properly.
This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.