About Mark Bornfeld DDS Expertise I can respond to all questions dealing with the practice of dentistry, from both the dentist`s and patient`s perspective. I am knowledgeable about all dental disciplines, from cosmetic dentistry to surgery, from restorative dentistry to root canal treatment. I have strong opinions about controversial issues in dental practice, including those topics which directly impact on the reputation of the profession in the eyes of both the lay public and our health profession colleagues.
Experience
Past/Present Clients Editor, Queens County Academy of General Dentistry newsletter; contributor to Dentistry.com 29 years practicing general dentistry partnered with brother Steve as one-half of the DentalTwins®
Question I was hit in the face about three ago while cheerleading and the left side of my lip became really swollen. The swelling went down but afterwards, my front tooth began hurting and wiggling and becoming very sensitive to hot and cold. I began to see some discoloration yesterday, so I went to see the dentist today. She told me that my nerves might be dead and that she would have to drill a hole in my tooth and take out all the dead nerves. I was just wondering if there was any other possible solution and if my tooth could heal on its own if I just leave it. Also, I was wondering what I could do in the meantime to deal with the sensitivity. Thank you!
Answer Dear jenny,
The sequence of events clearly indicates that you have injured the pulp of your tooth and will require root canal therapy-- your dentist's guidance is consistent with mine. The only thing that should be done here to confirm that plan of treatment is to take an x-ray to ascertain whether the root of the tooth was fractured by the injury, because that may make the tooth unrepairable, and necessitate extraction followed by prosthetic replacement.
Your best bet to deal with the sensitivity is to prevail upon your dentist to implement treatment as soon as possible, because that is the most reliable and effective way to make the pain resolve. In the meantime, you should take over the counter analgesics as needed, and avoid chewing on the tooth when you eat.
Good luck!
Mark Bornfeld DDS
www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
