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Archives for August 2024

A Case of Dental Incompetence

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I had a dental implant placed. A few weeks after it was finished I noticed it felt a bit loose. I went back to the dentist. He felt that it was just the crown that was loose and all it needed was to be re-bonded on. That sounded like good news to me but he started having trouble getting it off. Then, he tried with this special tool. When he pulled on the crown, the entire dental implant came out. Is this normal? Is there a way to fix this?

Danny

Dear Danny,

metal and zirconia dental

I would love to hear how your dentist explained that! No, that is not normal. It was obviously not your dental crown that was loose, but the dental implant the whole time. When the crown did come off when he first tried, he HAD to know that it was really the dental implant that was loose. The amount of incompetence it would take to not realize that is almost unfathomable. Fixing a loose crown is simple. Fixing a loose implant is not. The thing to figure out is why was the dental implant loose to begin with.

Some Causes of a Loose Dental Implant

I don’t know the exact timeline of when your dental crown was placed, but one cause of a loose implant is from what is known as premature loading. This is when the dental crown is placed before the bone has had time to integrate with the dental implant fixture.

Another reason would be an infection. There would usually be pain and/or fever with that. You did not mention either so I tend to think that is not the problem.

Fixing this issue will not be as simple as just replacing it with another dental implant. Instead, you will need some bone grafting done first in order to build up the bone that was lost when the implant was pulled out. After that, then you have to start over with the implant procedure.

In your place, I would demand that your dentist pays to have this repaired, including the bone grafting. You should be the one to pick the dentist to do the repairs. Make sure you get an expert implant dentist to do the work. Take a peek at Dr. Marion’s bio to get an idea of the type of post-doctoral training and expertise you want in an implant dentist.

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

Does She Need a Root Canal Because of Crest Whitestrips?

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Years ago, I had a tooth with trauma that knocked it back a bit. I had it fixed by an oral surgeon. Eventually, it turned dark. The gum is also a bit recessed. I asked my dentist about whitening my teeth. He doesn’t do the teeth whitening procedure but did recommend I get some Crest Whitestrips and said that they do whiten teeth slowly. I got a box and used it for seven days. That’s when the formally injured tooth started aching. I stopped using the whitestrips and still another week later it was still hurting. I went to see him and he ran some tests and it appears this tooth now needs a root canal treatment. Was this because I used the whitestrips?

Sandy

Dear Sandy,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

Usually Crest Whitestrips are too weak to do any damage, which is why they are available over the counter instead of through a medical professional. However, this tooth had some additional problems and the whitening gel may have thrown it over the edge.

Your dentist had a misunderstanding of how teeth whitening works. When you whiten your teeth, it whitens the teeth evenly. This tooth, which needed the root canal treatment would not have been affected. This would only make it look worse compared to your other teeth.

As you are going to get a root canal treatment, you will need a dental crown. Please don’t have this crown done by your current dentist. Teeth whitening is one of the easiest cosmetic procedures there is and he did not understand that at all. Getting a dental crown to cover a dark tooth will take a much more advanced cosmetic dentist.

Look for someone with a smile gallery and post-doctoral training in cosmetic work. Then look at the procedures on their smile gallery that are similar to your needs. When they do the crown, they should try it in with a temporary try-in past. You should be able to look at the crown in several types of lighting to make sure it matches well and you love the way it looks. If you don’t, they need to be wiling to redo it.

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