| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| root canal | 7/27/2008 |
Q: i had a root canal. and two shots to numb me. and its been 5 days and i cant open that side of my ...
A: It is very likely that you have an abscess that was caused when infected debris from inside the ...
|
| Infection in root | 7/9/2008 |
Q: I had 3 root canals done last year on my upper right molars. I have been fine, with no pain until ...
A: It is odd because there shouldn't be any pain in these teeth because they've had their nerves ...
|
| I need dental advice | 7/7/2008 |
Q: 6/7/08 1:56 PM Hello: I have a brother in special education. He doesn't brush his teeth and ...
A: Have him brush, supervised if necessary. The exposed nerve can either be two things: an already dead ...
|
| Over Age 30 - Removal of Impacted Bottom Wisdom Teeth? | 7/5/2008 |
Q: I am 30 years old and I still have all my wisdom teeth. I am having the top ones removed in just a ...
A: 1. Would you say it is safe to leave my impacted bottom 3rd molars in my mouth, and monitor them ...
|
| dental bridge | 7/4/2008 |
Q: On Friday, I had two teeth ground down and covered with temporary teeth in preparation for a fixed ...
A: When preparing teeth for bridgework, many if not most dentists like to perform root canal treatment ...
|
| Molars replaced using fixed bridge | 7/4/2008 |
Q: Miguel, Thanks for being here and your help. I am 26 years old with good teeth and oral hygiene and ...
A: As a %, I've never come across an exact figure for the restored chewing ability of prosthetics. Your ...
|
| Over Age 30 - Removal of Impacted Bottom Wisdom Teeth? | 7/2/2008 |
Q: I am 30 years old and I still have all my wisdom teeth. I am having the top ones removed in just a ...
A: OK, the bit about "they won't get complicated after 30" is, as you correctly pointed out, for fully ...
|
| morder hielo | 7/1/2008 |
Q: es verdad q masticar hielo es malo para los dientes,????ami y ami hija y perrito nos encanta comer ...
A: Efectivamente, se gastan los dientes, aunque el riesgo mas probable es que se fracturen, o sea, que ...
|
| Infant : 1.2 yrs : Tooth Chirped off | 7/1/2008 |
Q: I am a mother of 1.2yrs baby boy. He has now 5 teeth.3 upper , 2 lower.One of the upper teeth had a ...
A: I can only think of some possible mineral deficiency in the child's diet or another condition that ...
|
| dentistry abroad | 6/29/2008 |
Q: I have been afflicted by a cosmetic dental problem ( a misplaced tooth) and also periodontal ...
A: I have not heard of any similar scams. Nonetheless, my advice is that the cheapest option usually is ...
|
| Retained root tip after wisdom tooth extraction | 6/24/2008 |
Q: I am 28 years old and had my lower left wisdom tooth extracted by a general dentist. The tooth was ...
A: What your dentist told just about covers it. Thin a curvy roots break very easily, and in some cases ...
|
| cavity | 6/11/2008 |
Q: "i have a cavity just started stage need to know what strong toothpaste will cure it thanks in ...
A: Cavities, once develop, do not heal. One thing that is possible is that it becomes, with good ...
|
| fillings | 6/9/2008 |
Q: "Dear Dr Rodriquez..I have 5 mercury based amalgam fillings on my teeth that are more than 10 years ...
A: In my experience and opinion, this only has "cons". Removing old fillings has two very negative ...
|
| stupid question | 6/3/2008 |
Q: I have fairly healthy teeth and always have. However, I notice the following couple days after I am ...
A: Yours is a pretty unusual condition I've never heard about before, so I looked it up on the ...
|
| Burnout on dental x-ray??? | 5/28/2008 |
Q: Today at the dentist, on bitewing x-ray, there was an area between the last upper teeth on the ...
A: When tissues overlap, the radiation has to go through more matter so, "shadows" will actually be ...
|
| broken tooth | 5/26/2008 |
Q: I broke what seems to be the upper part of a back tooth yesterday on a popcorn kernel. Perhaps some ...
A: Well, the first thing that you'll experience with a fractured surface is that your tongue may be ...
|
| Oral Surgery | 5/26/2008 |
Q: I just had 3 days ago 17 teeth pulled ...upper denture ,lower partial ...all is wonderful ...the Dr. ...
A: Well, in my personal opinion, you shouldn't be wearing any dentures at all until the extraction ...
|
| Fillings Vs. Crowns | 5/22/2008 |
Q: Obviously I prefer the low cost of fillings to the high cost of crowns. My teeth feel perfectly ...
A: The kind of cracks you mention do not need treatment until something breaks or you start ...
|
| About Teeth | 5/21/2008 |
Q: My front 2 teeth on upper jaw are going inwards. It was normal few years ago but now they are not. ...
A: Well, the pressure caused by erupting wisdom teeth is not particularly noticeable. You could maybe ...
|
| Tender jaw and neck muscles | 5/21/2008 |
Q: Rodriguez. I'm wondering if this sensation is normal. I was recently checked by a dentist, who ...
A: Hmm, it now sounds like you clench your teeth. This is done unconsciously, specially at nighttime ...
|
| Filling troubles | 5/21/2008 |
Q: I've just had a new dentist fill tooth #12 with a composite filling for the second time. It still ...
A: Rebuilding the proximal contact, that is, the place where a tooth is in contact with its neighbor ...
|
| Crown | 5/21/2008 |
Q: My dentist told me i need a crown. The tooth (upper molar) has had a filling but he says it is ...
A: For the basics on the concept on dental prosthetics, check this link ...
|
| Wisdom Tooth and crown Questions | 5/15/2008 |
Q: I have a cavity in my Wisdom tooth, and 2 different dentists say to extract it as it is large. Can I ...
A: Regarding the wisdom tooth, if the cavity is not invasive, and the pulp is healthy, I see no problem ...
|
| Jaw pain after filling | 5/14/2008 |
Q: I had a "dark" spot on a molar which my dentist said looked questionable. This same molar had worn ...
A: Ok, first of all, your tongue can feel the filling because before it there was a hole. It's just ...
|
| Dental Bridge Temporary | 5/8/2008 |
Q: Do all temp Bridges appear so FAKE LOOKING it looks so BAD and FAKE that I am almost tempted to go ...
A: Well, I'll answer your question with a short story from my University days. When I was coursing ...
|
| Tooth Extraction | 5/6/2008 |
Q: First of of all thank you for offering this service! My upper-left 1st molar had a cavity when I was ...
A: Primitive man more than losing teeth, ground them down a lot quicker, because the food was tougher ...
|
| 6 MONTH CHECK-UP | 5/3/2008 |
Q: I was wondering would you please tell me: why whenever I have to go to the dentist for my six month ...
A: You tell me. Do you think that every time you go there, you will suffer pain or something? Does this ...
|
| Permanent numbness | 5/3/2008 |
Q: In mid-March, I had a tooth extracted. It was #28. I was numbed in my jaw and around the tooth. ...
A: It is possible that the there was a little bit of nerve damage during the extraction. By 28 you mean ...
|
| Capping | 5/1/2008 |
Q: both of my teeth that is one down from my wisdom teeth are both half broken from the inside, my ...
A: If the damage goes below the gumline, then fixing it is going to be very hard or maybe impossible if ...
|
| Bridge-functional but not cosmetic | 5/1/2008 |
Q: I just had a bridge as well as several crowns on the upper teeth. The pontic is the bicuspid tooth, ...
A: That is a tough question. Aesthetics are obviously very subjective, so your opinion may completely ...
|
| Fillings | 4/22/2008 |
Q: I went to a new dentist today to have a crown put on teeth that recently had root canal performed. ...
A: Hmm, I'm not totally sure if the Ketac-Silver is completely opaque to x-rays, so if it is, it'll be ...
|
| Fillings | 4/21/2008 |
Q: I went to a new dentist today to have a crown put on teeth that recently had root canal performed. ...
A: Well, I looked it up, and yes, this product exists. It is more of a cement type and not amalgam type ...
|
| Extraction/temporary bridge | 4/21/2008 |
Q: I had a back molar extracted on Friday, and a temporary bridge fitted immediately afterwards. 48 ...
A: I stress that the wound should not have anything over it until it has fully healed. A quick solution ...
|
| What is the average lifespan of a dental implant? | 4/21/2008 |
Q: How long does a dental implant usually last (assuming it was a successful implant)? When it has to ...
A: In dentistry, as in medicine, nothing can be fully guaranteed. The human body is so complex and no ...
|
| Fillings | 4/19/2008 |
Q: I went to a new dentist today to have a crown put on teeth that recently had root canal performed. ...
A: I have never been aware of other materials that are silvery and are not Mercury amalgams. To calm ...
|
| 12 yr old second molar pain | 4/8/2008 |
Q: My 12 yr old son is having serious pain with his second molar. The gum is swelling and it hurts so ...
A: Well, it is a complicated situation. The most important thing right now is that the roots are firmly ...
|
| MY SON'S MILK TEETH | 4/8/2008 |
Q: My 7 year old son's milk teeth fell about 2 years ago and have not grown back? When are his adult ...
A: Lower incisors usually erupt before their upper counterparts. The lateral incisors erupt after the ...
|
| teeth | 4/7/2008 |
Q: I have a question regarding my teeth... I am 18 years old but i have noticed my teeth (especially ...
A: This is all perfectly normal. First of all, enamel is the outer layer of teeth and it is ...
|
| 12 yr old second molar pain | 4/6/2008 |
Q: My 12 yr old son is having serious pain with his second molar. The gum is swelling and it hurts so ...
A: June is too far away. Cavities in children move a whole lot faster than in adults because the teeth ...
|
| Oral Surgery / Swollen Lymph Nodes | 4/3/2008 |
Q: "I believe I contacted you once before about this issue, I suppose you get lots of questions so I ...
A: Almost all oral surgeries cause some degree of infection, reaction that'll alter the lymph nodes in ...
|
| husband in pain | 4/1/2008 |
Q: Dr. Rodriguez I am writing to explain a very bad situation, My husband has an impacted wisdom tooth ...
A: Well the worst thing that could potentially (though very rarely) happen is that the infection gets ...
|
| Contamination by saliva | 3/30/2008 |
Q: Hola! I recently had a temporary crown fitted on a problematical lower molar (suspected fracture). ...
A: No creo que el haber humedecido el tallado con saliva justo antes de la cementación de una corona ...
|
| Crown with filling underneath | 3/27/2008 |
Q: My son has to have a crown put on a molar. A root canal has not been deemed necessary. The dentist ...
A: Chances are that what I told you before still applies. The dentist probably chose words you were ...
|
| root canal and crown---leary | 3/26/2008 |
Q: I have become very leary after my last visit to the dentist. I went in to get a crown and midway ...
A: X-rays are not magical so they often don't show you minute and very important details that your ...
|
| quad-helix | 3/13/2008 |
Q: My son and I have been advised that he has a cross bite and should have a quad-helix, he just turned ...
A: As with everything, you are entitled to a second opinion. In principle, a 7 year-old has already ...
|
| crown and gum problems | 3/12/2008 |
Q: my two front teeth are crowns and are 4 years old, around two years ago the gum in between became ...
A: This recession is due to periodontal disease and could be caused by many conditions, though the most ...
|
| tooth 31 pain | 3/11/2008 |
Q: I had tooth 31 crowned at the office of a general dentist. When he thought I needed a root canal he ...
A: The preparation of the molar for the crown was probably what caused the trauma to your pulp. That is ...
|
| Sprite Zero | 3/11/2008 |
Q: Sprite zero is a 0 calories soda. Is it bad for the teeth? It contains carbonated water, citric ...
A: In MY opinion, what's really bad about sodas is not the sugar in them but the acids added to them to ...
|
| teeth | 3/10/2008 |
Q: how strong are a humans teeth?
A: Teeth are just about the strongest thing in the human body, though the more correct adjective would ...
|
| tooth glue | 3/7/2008 |
Q: I have a front tooth that fell out. It falls out every few years. The last time my dentist gave me ...
A: No dentist will fix another dentist's work for free. Have a female friend (female because they have ...
|
| bad metalic taste in mouth for 1 month | 2/29/2008 |
Q: I have a terrible metal taste in my mouth. I stopped all medications thinking it might be that. ...
A: The most common causes are medications (specially some antibiotics) which can give you the foul ...
|
| removal of dental post | 2/29/2008 |
Q: i had a dental post that bent in an accident, can i have it removed and replaced or will i just have ...
A: If the root where the post was placed didn't break, then there may be some therapeutic alternatives ...
|
| Herpes type 1 | 2/28/2008 |
Q: Hopefully you can answer this question?! I was dx with herpes type 1. I have sores on my lips & ...
A: Herpes treatment is usually very long, so after only three days of treatment it is very unlikely ...
|
| bleeding gums | 2/27/2008 |
Q: My gums are bleeding while i brush every day. For a month I have started to brush every morning and ...
A: You are probably not doing it correctly. Check out these animations: ...
|
| dental abscess | 2/22/2008 |
Q: two days later I developed what I believed was a soar throat. I figured it was a viral infection so ...
A: First of all, the new x-ray will not show any recent decay, since bone loss due to infection will ...
|
| hardness on the gum | 2/21/2008 |
Q: 3 weeks ago i removed 3 teeth from lower front row of my mouth. I was also given antibiotics for an ...
A: It's probably some part of the contour of the alveolar crest (the area of bone in the jaw where ...
|
| Wisdom Tooth Extraction | 2/21/2008 |
Q: 2 weeks ago, I had my bottom 2 wisdom teeth removed. I was told I risked facial paralysis if i ...
A: Ok, first of all, you shouldn't have squirted anything inside the socket. Rinsing with an antiseptic ...
|
| Root canal inflamed!! | 2/16/2008 |
Q: I had a root canal done on a molar 4 day ago, a day after the root canal was done, it got very ...
A: Teeth are hollow (i.e. the root canal) and have an opening at the tip of the root -the apex- (where ...
|
| Crown | 2/15/2008 |
Q: I am having crowns put on my 2 front teeth because one of the teeth broke(healthy-no decay or ...
A: Well, if you wanted a prosthetic repositioning of your teeth, then the procedure is the correct one. ...
|
| Root canal vs extraction | 2/15/2008 |
Q: Dr. Rodriguez, My right front tooth (#8) may need a root canal at some point.(I smashed it against ...
A: Sounds like chronic pulpitis. In principle, if the margins of the filling are not decayed or open, ...
|
| Cavity | 2/15/2008 |
Q: I've had a cavity for quite some time now and a small lump appeared inside of the cavity I thought ...
A: If the cavity was a deep and very rotten one, then this could have been a pulpal polyp (if the lump, ...
|
| gum ulcers | 2/14/2008 |
Q: due to ill fitting dentures i am having pain in the gums and lower palate. I cannot replace the ...
A: Rinsing with warm saltwater some 3 times a day can help, and reduce as much as possible the use of ...
|
| Root canal vs extraction | 2/13/2008 |
Q: Dr. Rodriguez, My right front tooth (#8) may need a root canal at some point.(I smashed it against ...
A: Extraction of a tooth should always be used as a last resort, when the stability of it can not be ...
|
| Vertical Tooth Cracks | 2/13/2008 |
Q: Rodriguez, First, is it your practice to show and highlight x-ray pictures with your clients, so ...
A: Lengthwise-cracked roots are a direct indication for extraction. Transverse cracks may be remedied ...
|
| Molar pain/Wisdom tooth related? | 2/4/2008 |
Q: I really wasn't sure if I should ask a regular dentist of a oral surgeon so here goes. I had severe ...
A: The risk that the molars in proximity are being affected is minimal. It is possible that the ...
|
| root canal | 1/31/2008 |
Q: IS THERE ANY LOGICAL REASON, WHY A DENTIST CAN NOT DO A ROOT CANAL, WITHOUT HAVING TO PUT A CROWN ...
A: This requires a lot of precision. Once you remove a crown and do the endodontic work, it is very ...
|
| existing bay molars | 1/28/2008 |
Q: I am 37 years old. I wore braces for 18 months to correct the overlapping of my baby molars. Now two ...
A: Well, if the baby teeth you still have in place (a very anomalous condition at your age) have their ...
|
| purple gums | 1/27/2008 |
Q: I chipped my two front teeth and bit a chunk of my lip out when i fell ice skating 2 nights ...
A: The purple color is due to bruising (subdermal hemorrhage), like when you have blunt trauma ...
|
| Swollen Jaw - Infected? | 1/26/2008 |
Q: Three weeks ago i had 4 impacted wisdom teeth removed. I did all the post procedure stuff. ...
A: You have an abscess that is undoubtedly related to the extractions. I would suggest that you touch ...
|
| gum swelling | 1/25/2008 |
Q: I recently had a crown replaced and now a couple of months later, my gum has a bump over the tooth ...
A: It is some sort of cyst. You should have this checked as soon as you can because some cysts may ...
|
| Tooth Pain, Jaw Pain. | 1/22/2008 |
Q: So here is how the story goes that will lead to the followingWhat could possibly be the cause of my ...
A: Ok, given that I don't have x-rays to look at, I believe two things may be happening. First, it ...
|
| Metal caps for Childrens teeth | 1/12/2008 |
Q: My daughter recently had a metal cap placed on her back left molar in the bottom jaw. I would like ...
A: Cap for children are made from stainless steel. It obviously is of no risk, otherwise the wouldn't ...
|
| (Urgent!!)About side-effect of novocaine shot on the gum tissue. | 12/9/2007 |
Q: I just had deep-cleaning for left hand side of my teeth done last Tuesday, 4 days ago. The ...
A: It is very unlikely that you experienced nerve damage because anesthesia for scraping is usually ...
|
| Getting a new fill up | 12/3/2007 |
Q: Im getting my old fill up from a root canal removed in order to get a new fill up because some of it ...
A: Performing root canal on a tooth is explicitly to kill it, so tooth that has been properly worked on ...
|
| filling - "shock" feeling | 11/30/2007 |
Q: Dr. Rodriguez, I had a filling in lower right (4th tooth form the center). The dentist said is was ...
A: If the filling is a metal one, and you have another metallic filling on the opposing upper tooth, ...
|
| Swelling | 11/29/2007 |
Q: I went to the dentist on Tuesday to have some fillings placed. Some cavities were deep, and they ...
A: You have a contusion on your gum. Just like when you bump your head and a lump forms, it doesn't go ...
|
| gum rtraction | 11/25/2007 |
Q: what is the treatment to gum retraction
A: Depends on the cause of gum retraction. It could basically be due to traumatic brushing (improper ...
|
| lumineers | 11/16/2007 |
Q: My teeth have started to decay in the last 6 yrs of my life. I'm 20. Its not awful, but its not a ...
A: I had never heard of this product before, so I looked it up once I read your question and it looks ...
|
| Wisdom Teeth Removal | 11/7/2007 |
Q: My dentist wants to pull all 4 of my wisdom teeth. She already pulled 2 (one top left, one bottom ...
A: Wisdom teeth, due to their position so far back in the mouth, are very hard to work on, so most ...
|
| periodontal deep cleaning | 11/7/2007 |
Q: My dentist says that: 1. after I get the deep cleaning, I can't go back to regular cleanings, and ...
A: This is not necessarily so. If you are able to get such good hygiene that your periodontal condition ...
|
| Wisdom Teeth Removal | 11/5/2007 |
Q: My dentist wants to pull all 4 of my wisdom teeth. She already pulled 2 (one top left, one bottom ...
A: Evidently then, the extractions (at least in theory and not clinically) were uncalled for, save for ...
|
| Wisdom Teeth Removal | 11/4/2007 |
Q: My dentist wants to pull all 4 of my wisdom teeth. She already pulled 2 (one top left, one bottom ...
A: If your wisdom teeth were fully erupted and weren't impacted, and you had enough space (due to the ...
|
| Excessive Pain after Temporary Crowns | 11/2/2007 |
Q: Any help would be greatly appreciated: A week and a half ago I had a 2 temporary crowns put on my 2 ...
A: Well, every dentist has their own way of doing things. My way's basically "if it ain't broke, don't ...
|
| wisdom teeth | 10/30/2007 |
Q: I went to a new dentist recently. My old one never made an issue of it...but the new dentist pointed ...
A: When a dentist follows your condition over long periods of time, he/she may choose to just ...
|
| My teeth are breaking apart | 10/29/2007 |
Q: I am 28 years old and have very good dental hygiene. I brush my teeth twice a day and floss once a ...
A: If you are not eating very hard foods, which is making your teeth break off, it is possible that you ...
|
| my tooth | 10/16/2007 |
Q: I went to the denist monday he tried to fill my tooth but when he kept numbing it it did not get ...
A: Why are you having it pulled??? The tooth did not get numbed on it's inside (the pulp) because there ...
|
| Don't some people keep their wisdom teeth? | 10/12/2007 |
Q: I’m 55, female. I’ve had excellent teeth all my life, only a two fillings on one side of mouth. ...
A: That is correct, some people have enough room in their jaws for all 4 molars. I myself have them all ...
|
| saliva | 9/27/2007 |
Q: Rodriquez, I have a rather odd problem. During and after ortho tx, the saliva ducts in my cheeks ...
A: I've never heard of a similar case before, so you might want to check with a maxillofacial surgeon. ...
|
| Fillings and pregnancy | 9/25/2007 |
Q: I had a pretty deep cavity in tooth #18, I had it filled with the traditional metal filling (think ...
A: Sometimes, after a cavity is filled, some sensitivity may result. This can either subside after some ...
|
| Does a dentist ever admit a mistake | 9/24/2007 |
Q: Had a very very small filling put in my tooth. This was the second filling I have had in my life ...
A: Unfortunately, it is very much a reality that a dentist can hurt a healthy tooth so much that it'll ...
|
| lump in mouth | 9/22/2007 |
Q: I have recently found a lump on my lower jaw behind my right fang it is just between the floor of ...
A: It could be a mucocele or some cyst of a minor salivary gland. It is like when pores on your skin ...
|
| uvula | 9/20/2007 |
Q: i got my lower right middle molar extracted and everything is fine and all except the fact that my ...
A: An allergy is a possibility. Have you eaten anything you are not supposed to lately? Also, the uvula ...
|
| Color of Dentures | 9/19/2007 |
Q: I have the whitest dentures one can have but they still do not have the whiteness of porcelain ...
A: First of all, the teeth that are usually placed on dentures are made of plastic and they can not be ...
|
| problem | 9/18/2007 |
Q: i had root canal about two months ago during the procedure the doc went through the apex of the ...
A: The sinus membrane, a type of mucosa that covers the sinus cavities, can be perforated during these ...
|
| tongue pain | 9/16/2007 |
Q: My 15 year old daugter had her wisdom teeth out in June, it is now September and she is still having ...
A: It is possibly that one or both of the following may be occurring: 1- the soft tissue that still ...
|
| TMJ and breast massage??? | 9/15/2007 |
Q: Is there any therapeutic or rationale for a general dentist to massage, touch or palpate the chest ...
A: There is no relation whatsoever with the anatomical parts of breasts and the temporo-mandibular ...
|
| wisdom tooth pulled, root still in | 9/13/2007 |
Q: I had my wisdom tooth pulled, but the root is still in, is there any harm in that.
A: This happens often in dental offices. Normally, the part that's left in is assimilated into the bone ...
|
| abcess after root canal | 9/11/2007 |
Q: I had a question. I recently had a root canal done on a molar, i believe it was molar, # 19. The ...
A: When instruments break inside canals, the debris that they were supposed to remove stays locked in ...
|
| A bump | 9/5/2007 |
Q: I just noticed today that I have a bump with a little white head on my lower gum all the way at the ...
A: If it doesn't hurt at all and it is firm to the touch, the it is probably a bony protrusion of your ...
|
| Dead tooth. | 9/4/2007 |
Q: Over the last two months or so i have started to notice that one of my top front teeth is ...
A: Well, all would point to one situation, save for the fact that it is happening rather fast: dental ...
|
| determine cause of damage to tooth | 9/1/2007 |
Q: Can a tooth that has been drilled away down to the gum line be more susceptible to decay? The tooth ...
A: Nothing is never certain in dentistry because the conditions inside each mouth are totally different ...
|
| Deep Clean Absolutely Necessary? | 8/31/2007 |
Q: I live in Chicago in the U.S. and I went to a dentist that said that I have a "5" as opposed to the ...
A: You need it because you already are suffering from periodontal disease, with pockets terribly deep ...
|
| Infected wisdom tooth | 8/31/2007 |
Q: I had a wisdom tooth which became infected overnight. I called my dentist who immediately made me an ...
A: Scraping the insides of the extracted tooth's socket serves to stimulate blood flow to the area, so ...
|
| childrens dentistry | 8/29/2007 |
Q: My granddaughter is 4 and had he dental check-up yesterday. She was found to have 5 cavity, The ...
A: These cavities may become more serious ones if they are not fixed early, something which may lead to ...
|
| root canal | 8/28/2007 |
Q: I have a front tooth that has been filed down for placement of a crown. The tooth has no decay or ...
A: Though not the most conservative procedure, most dentists opt for this treatment, even if the tooth ...
|
| #15 extraction! | 8/28/2007 |
Q: i don't have my wisdom teeth and i will need a crown on #15, but to get it, i will first need to see ...
A: Well, it is not the usual procedure, but some might do the extraction, hoping that the wisdom tooth ...
|
| 2 year old dental problems | 8/28/2007 |
Q: I have a two year old who has very cranky...she will cry as if someone or something is hurting her ...
A: Baby tooth eruption is completely finished usually just before children turn 3. The canine teeth do ...
|
| Crest Whitestrips and Invisaligns | 8/27/2007 |
Q: I am curretnly using Invisaligns to straighten out my teeth. I have "Buttons" on two of my teeth. ...
A: I strongly advise you to not use any bleaching products until after the orthodontic devices have ...
|
| Root Canal Infection | 8/27/2007 |
Q: I have had a couple of root canals in the past couple of years. This last week, my new dentist told ...
A: This was all a reaction to the infection that was localized and suddenly spread to neighboring ...
|
| Unknown Scent! | 8/26/2007 |
Q: "Hello... I have been keeping up with my oral cleanings. In the past it was detected that I had ...
A: The tonsils are the two meaty pillars at the back of your mouth to each side of the uvula (the ...
|
| 23 year old male with baby teeth in lower jaw | 8/25/2007 |
Q: I am A 23 year old man who visit the dentist once in his life , this is caused by fear. I have all ...
A: Your situation is a very unusual one. All baby teeth are lost by the age of 10-11 approximately. ...
|
| Unknown Scent! | 8/22/2007 |
Q: "Hello... I have been keeping up with my oral cleanings. In the past it was detected that I had ...
A: Halitosis can have other causes that are not mouth-related. These can be respiratory or digestive. ...
|
| My son's cavities | 8/21/2007 |
Q: Rodriguez, I have a bunch of questions about my son's previous dental appointments and his last ...
A: Regarding the records from the previous dentist, it is difficult to say if these can be obtained ...
|
| novacaine-sinus infection connection | 8/21/2007 |
Q: CAN NOVOCAINE CAUSE A SINUS INFECTION? I JUST GOT OVER A SINUS INFECTION WITH ANTIBIOTICS. I HAD ...
A: Anesthetic solutions are sterile so they can not cause an infection. Nonetheless, it may be possible ...
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| Primary second molar extraction | 8/15/2007 |
Q: I have a six year old daughter who unfortunately has a fear of dental treatment. Six months ago she ...
A: If what you've told me is correct (the damaged teeth are baby molars, and the age of the child is ...
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| baby's first tooth | 8/12/2007 |
Q: I have a 6 month old baby who has been showing signs of teething for approx the last 6 weeks ...
A: As you point out, the lower centrals are the first to come out. If a canine or lateral is starting ...
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| root canal | 8/9/2007 |
Q: Doctor i had a root canal done on my lower wisdom tooth(the last molar on that side) ,55 days ...
A: You seem to be very well informed. It is a fact that procedures on these teeth are more troublesome ...
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| Inlays | 8/9/2007 |
Q: I wonder if you can help with my question. I went to the dentist about 8 months ago with toothache ...
A: This issue here is one of the great conundrums of the business side of dentistry: should the patient ...
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| 3 month old's first tooth | 7/26/2007 |
Q: It alomst looks out of place-could it be an extra tooth? Is it at all normal to cut a tooth so far ...
A: As you so correctly point out, both the position and the age are very very unusual. First teeth to ...
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| Whether or not to extract tooth. | 7/21/2007 |
Q: That it has cracks in it like a hot cross bun and would break apart if i had a root canal done on ...
A: I'm sorry, but I don't understand. Did you go to a periodontist (gum specialist) or to an ...
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| Dental Advice | 7/6/2007 |
Q: I was wondering if you would be kind enough to give me some dental advice. I quite often have ...
A: Weak enamel, high oral acidity (maybe you're not salivating properly) and/or improper (too intense) ...
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| Dental Fillings Questions | 7/3/2007 |
Q: I have a few questions about dental fillings. 1. What is your thoughts on if "silver fillings" ...
A: Answered in the same order: 1. They have been around for something like a hundred years and their ...
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| large molar cavity | 7/3/2007 |
Q: I have a 1.75 dark discoloration on the lower part of my face by my lower jaw. The dental work was ...
A: It is possible that this was a subdermal contusion from the anesthesia needle prick, which was ...
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| mouth rinses to prevent cavities and diet soft drinks | 6/30/2007 |
Q: Which mouthwashes do you recommend to prevent decay and do art. flavored diet soft drinks promote ...
A: I did not know these issues but have looked up on them after your comment. The concentrations of ...
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| mouth rinses to prevent cavities and diet soft drinks | 6/29/2007 |
Q: Which mouthwashes do you recommend to prevent decay and do art. flavored diet soft drinks promote ...
A: Mouthwash with a potent disinfectant (like triclosan) and an adequate dose of fluoride are the best. ...
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| Root Canal of wisdom tooth | 6/26/2007 |
Q: I did root canal of wisdom tooth a month back after root canal also i was experiencing pain in that ...
A: Since wisdom teeth are so far back in the mouth, most dentist prefer to extract it instead of doing ...
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| abscess possibly progressing? | 6/25/2007 |
Q: .. My husband has an abcsess, finally went to the dentist Thursday who gave him PCN and Lortab. ...
A: PCN is an antibiotic that has a narrow spectrum of effectiveness so it is possible that it is not ...
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| whitening | 6/7/2007 |
Q: My finance has brown stains on his front two teeth from well water. I know well water stains are ...
A: The stains will be particularly tricky to remove, more so if your fiancee grew up drinking this type ...
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| sore gums | 6/5/2007 |
Q: My gums have been hurting for about a week now, they seem inflamed and the soreness seems to move ...
A: Hormonal changes due to the menstrual cycle can affect oral mucosa, as can other illnesses that ...
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| Jaw Pain | 6/4/2007 |
Q: On and off for the past few years I have been getting random sharp pains in my right jaw near my ...
A: It is possible that you have a mild case of TMJ arthritis, that hurts only occasionally when you ...
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| ¿Baces de nuevo? | 6/1/2007 |
Q: Saludo, Hace alrededor de 10 años use braces pero al parecer despues de tanto tiempo mis dientes se ...
A: Una vez han llegado los dientes a la posicion deseada, se pueden utilizar los llamados retenedores ...
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| root canal | 5/31/2007 |
Q: I went to open a root canal that was infected hopping I would get another root canal in its place, ...
A: Though I am not terribly familiar with the procedure, a fluid root canal obturation might work for ...
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| Infected Molar | 5/29/2007 |
Q: I visited a dentist 2 weeks ago, ending in an unhappy experience. First he started reeling off all ...
A: Antibiotic treatment before extracting very infected teeth is a procedure that is usually done to ...
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| my 3 year old his tooth !!! | 5/29/2007 |
Q: my 3 year year old lost his tooth today , he was having a fit and began to grind down on his teeth ...
A: Sorry for pointing it out, but that was some fit. I've NEVER heard of anything similar to this. A ...
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| Post Root Canal Numb Lip & Chin | 5/26/2007 |
Q: After several days of increasing discomfort and pain I called my dentist early yesterday morning. He ...
A: Well, what your dentist is fearing is that there is damage to the mandibular dentary nerve. The ...
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| extraction of child's molar | 5/23/2007 |
Q: My 6 year old son has been told that he needs to have top molar removed by GA - I am keen to avoid ...
A: General anaesthesia for this procedure is, in my opinion, overdoing it. Maybe some mild dose of ...
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| Nightguard | 5/7/2007 |
Q: what are the properties of a well-made nightguard? Should all of the teeth on the opposing jaw touch ...
A: Nightguards should, in principle, have all teeth in contact, with the possible exception of only the ...
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| tooth movement | 4/17/2007 |
Q: In the last three months I've noticed my front-upper-right tooth has moved forward. I have no ...
A: The "pus bubble" as you call it (more correctly, an abscess) was almost certainly due to a chronic ...
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| Dentist Anesthesia | 4/17/2007 |
Q: How long should my mouth feel numb after getting a cavity filled? i got it filled at about 4:30 and ...
A: It all depends on the patient, the amount of anesthetic used and the type of anesthetic. Abnormal ...
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| Perio scaling and irrigation | 4/16/2007 |
Q: I went to a new dentist that my insurance chose for me b/c my former dentist stopped accepting my ...
A: Ok, when you have a regular dentist, he/she can track your condition during a longer period of time. ...
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| problem with dental school | 4/16/2007 |
Q: I started dental prosthetics work on my upper jaw at the dental school over a year and a half now ...
A: It is possible that you will not get your refund since you probably signed a disclaimer before ...
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| Weird Temporary Crown | 4/14/2007 |
Q: I had a temporary crown placed on my farthest back upper left molar last week in anticipation of ...
A: It is possible that it is a gumline separator string. This is inserted into your gum to push it ...
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| Never ending tooth ache. | 4/14/2007 |
Q: I went to the dentist 2 weeks ago and had a small cavity filled on one of my upper left teeth. Now ...
A: A mouthguard (I assume you mean the sports type) is an excellent idea! And the softer it is, the ...
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| infection after tooth extraction | 4/11/2007 |
Q: I have had something weird happen and need some advice. I had a lower left molar extracted about 2 ...
A: Even though the superficial wound may have healed, the tissue beneath it has not had any time to ...
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| Bump on gums after shots at the dentist | 4/4/2007 |
Q: The other day I had a toothache on the lower left side of my mouth. I went to a new dentist and he ...
A: This dentist probably had to inject you several times because it is likely that the nerve he wanted ...
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| pulling teeth | 4/3/2007 |
Q: I recently had a tooth pulled, however I feel that one of the roots in still imbedded. The area ...
A: Though it is possible that a root broke and was left in (something that shouldn't've happened, and ...
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| tooth on bridge | 4/2/2007 |
Q: I recently got a bridge for 2 back teeth and the tooth next to my 2 front teeth. The smaller tooth ...
A: Unfortunately, fixing a tooth on a bridge is near impossible. Most of the time, the whole bridge has ...
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| Pain in tooth/ear | 4/1/2007 |
Q: I have a lot of pain in my upper jaw/teeth.It just started yesterday.But it hurts REALLY bad.Now the ...
A: Sounds like a sinus problem. The way to confirm it is to look down and if your face hurts, then ...
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| Bit tongue, cracked crown | 3/31/2007 |
Q: I had a temporary crown put on on Wednesday and tonight the side of the crown cracked. While I was ...
A: First, it will have not affect on your cold. Now, the coloring will probably be due to a misplaced ...
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| cavities... | 3/30/2007 |
Q: i had a filling in a cavity towards the back end of my mouth, on the side of a molar, i noticed when ...
A: If it was a amalgam (silver) filling, it is possible that it is just staining the surrounding ...
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| Enamel | 3/27/2007 |
Q: How strong is your enamel? When I go for a cleaning they use metal tools and scrape at my teeth, ...
A: Enamel in itself is not strong, but hard. That means that it is a material which is difficult to ...
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| Gums Status | 3/19/2007 |
Q: how are you? I had a question regarding an extraction I just had done a week ago. I had tooth #18 ...
A: Normally, the healing process of an extraction site ends up being very compact and non-obtrusive. ...
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| gingivitis <---spell check | 2/19/2007 |
Q: for several months now ive been battling gingivitis and up to about a 2 weeks ago it was getting ...
A: My first impression is that the symptoms are not related, so go to your physician or a ...
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| White lines | 2/14/2007 |
Q: When I am sick, I always get white lines on one of my front teeth, and sometimes when I have an ...
A: Well, the only thing that I can think of that can discolor teeth during brief and specific periods ...
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| front tooth problem | 2/9/2007 |
Q: Also, Dr. Rodriquez, my son's dentist says he needs a root canal on a tooth right next to his upper ...
A: When a tooth is suffering from any sort of constant chronic trauma (cavities, thermal trauma, etc.) ...
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| Tooth brushes | 2/5/2007 |
Q: I'm confused as to which is best: manual brushing or electric tooth brush.
A: Manual brushing with proper technique can be many times more effective than incorrectly using an ...
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| Gum care | 2/4/2007 |
Q: Lately, when I'm brushing my teeth, my gums on one side of my mouth become irritated and bleed. I ...
A: Bleeding is a sign of gingivitis, which is cause not by aggressive brushing but by incorrect ...
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| oral cyst | 2/2/2007 |
Q: my dentist was removing my lower wisdom tooth which was fully impacted, when he cam across a cyst ...
A: Well, other is a particular kind of cyst, the apical cyst, which evolves a the tips of the roots of ...
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| pain in wisdom tooth after filling | 1/31/2007 |
Q: yesterday i had 2 fillings done,on bottom left side one was my wisdom tooth,never had pain before,i ...
A: Sometimes, when cavities are drilled, the nerve suffers due to thermal trauma by caused by the ...
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| Novocaine | 1/25/2007 |
Q: Is there anything I can do?Hi- I come from a family of dentists. I have gone to my father, my uncle ...
A: Nothing that I know of, though I've seen in the past on TV of an experimental procedure here ...
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| Novocaine | 1/25/2007 |
Q: I come from a family of dentists. I have gone to my father, my uncle and various friends of both ...
A: No two human beings are alike, but nonetheless, there are standard locations where a particular ...
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| White spots and discolored gums | 1/23/2007 |
Q: I am a 33 year old female - My gums look a nice pink color except for the gums in front of my bottom ...
A: Well, the only think that I can think of, in case you don't have gingivitis of any degree, is that ...
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| Dentadura durante lactancia | 1/18/2007 |
Q: Estimado Miguel, Tengo un bebe de 11 meses quien hasta el momento sigue lactando. Hace 3 meses he ...
A: He oido mucho acerca de las perdidas dentarias durante el embarazo (mi propia madre dice que perdio ...
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| #18 Molar Cracked -- Requires RCT? | 1/16/2007 |
Q: I didn't realize the pulp could rot out entirely within 4 weeks, and without having any pain or ...
A: Your molar could have been silently decaying for a much longer time, due to a cavity, which was why ...
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| Right jaw pain | 1/16/2007 |
Q: I had 3 filling put in my bottom back teeth about 3 months ago and has felt pain in my lower gum and ...
A: First of all, you can not tell if a filling is too high by using x-rays. What is done in these cases ...
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| #18 Molar Cracked -- Requires RCT? | 1/16/2007 |
Q: My #18 molar has been cracked for about 4 weeks. The crack appears to be around the inner rear ...
A: Not only do I agree that the rct might is needed, but more so, I think the molar might need ...
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| Slow healing molar extraction | 1/10/2007 |
Q: A week ago i had a rear upper molar removed ,I then got a dry socket .I have been back 4 times for ...
A: Well, it sounds as if it has infected considerably. I would ask your doctor to perform a drug ...
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| cracked tooth | 1/9/2007 |
Q: yes i was eating popcorn yesterday and got a kernel stuck on my back bottom tooth i used a needle to ...
A: Similar cases come to mind when fillings get dislodged or broken, though also (if you suffered a lot ...
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| pain associated after a filling | 12/22/2006 |
Q: I went in for my 6 month check up. A old filling I had was loose or something - was not bothering ...
A: Well, before I begin, bear in mind that if you are a sinus sufferer, then this might be the cause ...
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| Pain after filling while drinking | 12/21/2006 |
Q: When I have a drink especially a cold one I get this sensation that the drink is going into the hole ...
A: A filling will never behave as real dental tissue would. That includes it's thermal properties. Some ...
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| drug interactions with local dental anesthesia | 12/19/2006 |
Q: I had a very strange rxn to local dental anesthesia recently. I went in to have a tooth prepared ...
A: The side effects you mentioned are known and rather common for this drug. Nonetheless, remember that ...
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| hard hit to teeth | 12/13/2006 |
Q: About 24 hours ago I hit one of my front, upper teeth really hard down on the back of the head of a ...
A: The tissue that holds the tooth in place, the periodontal ligament, has suffered acute trauma, and ...
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| Deep Cleaning | 12/10/2006 |
Q: I was told that I need Deep Cleaning on my teeth. I am currently taking coumadin and was wondering ...
A: You must not subject yourself to any type of dental procedure without the guidelines and consent of ...
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| Tooth Extraction for my 3 yr old | 12/3/2006 |
Q: Our 3 yr old baby girl has been advised to go for teeth extraction for the front three teeth of the ...
A: Ok,I'll address these issues point by point: 1- First, it would be sedation, and not general ...
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| pain/ blue line on tooth | 11/30/2006 |
Q: I have had some on and off pain for about three days. Tonight I woke up with shooting pains, and I ...
A: Well, you probably got the crown fitted onto a living tooth, so the time now has come when your ...
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| I bit my tongue | 11/27/2006 |
Q: I inadvertently bit the right side of my tongue yesterday and it hurts when I eat on my right side. ...
A: Any pain killer that you've used before will be good (preferably something that is also ...
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| bridge | 11/25/2006 |
Q: If two teeth are missing side by side what can you do beside a partial plateI have a bridge that ...
A: Implants, or, if only you want to replace one of the teeth, a cantilever bridge can be fitted, that ...
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| jaw/tooth pain | 11/20/2006 |
Q: I recently went to the dentist for a pain in my lower back molar on the left side. It hurts when I ...
A: Well, referred pain is something that can happen. This means that you may feel pain somewhere other ...
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| Swallowed Crown(s) | 11/17/2006 |
Q: I have a friend who has possibly swallowed a crown that is actually 2 crowns together. (last 2 ...
A: If the teeth have had root canal work done on them, then there's not much to worry about. On the ...
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| crown problem | 11/15/2006 |
Q: Since the last question, I called the dentist office and told them the problem too. My dentist said ...
A: The possibility of a root canal procedure is there. When the tooth was ground down to fit the crown, ...
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| crown problem | 11/15/2006 |
Q: 7 days ago I had a back tooth with pain. The dentist showed me where there were cracks and advised ...
A: My first guess would be that the crown is not fitting correctly with the other teeth, meaning that ...
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| Dead Tooth | 11/9/2006 |
Q: I have recently noticed that my left loved molar has gone like a funny shape and black on top (from ...
A: The simplest case for this would be that your third molars (the last ones to the rear, also know as ...
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| behind my wisdom tooth | 11/8/2006 |
Q: ok i just got a wisdom tooth on one side, and i think one is coming in on the other side. behind the ...
A: That lump you say is the mass of gum tissue that is being pushed outwards by the emerging molar. ...
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| bridge | 11/5/2006 |
Q: WOuld still appreciate response to initial question Thankse3mlyRecently had tooth extracted and ...
A: Since you lost #20, crowns on 19 and 21 will be removed so these teeth can be used as the base for ...
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| My 2.5 year old has a cavity | 11/3/2006 |
Q: I took my son to the dentist for the first time and was told that he has four bad molars...very ...
A: Factors external to teeth, such as diet, hygiene and tooth positioning (cramming), play a role in ...
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| Dentist Fear | 10/9/2006 |
Q: I have had a bad experience at a dentist office when I was young, they didn't use enough pain ...
A: Well, there are several anesthetics that are used in dentistry, but the most commonly used one is ...
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| Question about Cavities and Filings | 10/8/2006 |
Q: I have a question about cavities. I have never gotten a single cavity in my life until my last visit ...
A: Depending on the age of the patient, some cavities need not be filled. For example, if a 30 year-old ...
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| Broken tooth | 9/29/2006 |
Q: Last week my husband went to have his regular cleaning and everything looked fine except one tooth. ...
A: Well, the process I would follow is (if there is no obvious crack to the pulp chamber or conduits of ...
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| Tooth Pain | 9/24/2006 |
Q: Last week I went to see my dentist for some pain I was having on my lower right side. I have 2 ...
A: Pain from upper teeth can in rare ocassions be perceived as originating from lower teeth, this is ...
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| dry socket | 9/21/2006 |
Q: I RECENTLY HAD A TOOTH EXTRACTED I WAS IN A LOT OF PAIN.MY DENTIST DIAGNOSED A DRY SOCKET,AND PUT A ...
A: I´m sorry, but I am not familiar with the terminology "dry socket". If you had an extraction and you ...
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| tooth trauma | 9/20/2006 |
Q: i was involve in an accident and landed on my face. one of my lateral incisors was chipped and also ...
A: You very propably have an under-gumline partial fracture on you central incisor. If this is the ...
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| silver fillings | 9/19/2006 |
Q: i am female and 43yrs i have 8 silver fillings (which i presume are mercury) - some from teenage ...
A: To my knowledge, mercury leaching is extremely minuscule, and less so after so many years have ...
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| Decay under amalgam filling | 9/19/2006 |
Q: But shouldn't there be some indication of the decayed tissue with unobstructed Xrays ? I can clearly ...
A: Cavities aren't the cause for the pulpitis. It was the trauma caused by the strees of the drill, the ...
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| Decay under amalgam filling | 9/19/2006 |
Q: What I thought would be a routine replacement of a small 30 year old occlusal filling turned into a ...
A: I was very predictable. I go by the saying (as I've said in many previous posts) that in dentistry ...
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| Gum root planing | 9/17/2006 |
Q: my dentist says i need deep root cleaning. most of my pockets were 2mm to 4mm i had a couple that ...
A: Regular dental cleaning usually only helps with gingivitis, since it doesn't reach deep down in to ...
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| Stain removing | 9/16/2006 |
Q: I have stain in soem teeths, since earlier i didn't brush properly. Now I am brushing 2 times ...
A: Dental stains are not superficial, and are thus very complicated to remove mechanically. The use of ...
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| Unrelenting pain | 9/15/2006 |
Q: . do you have any ideas why my upper left jaw above the ist and second bicuspid swells and aches ...
A: There is a possibility that you are experiencing the aftermath of a minor sinus perforation. Extra ...
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| Root canal question | 9/14/2006 |
Q: It is because there isn't enough tooth left, so he said he would have to build up the bone so the ...
A: If you are older than 40-45 years of age, then I would recommend the extraction also, since bone ...
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| Dental Anesthetic | 9/7/2006 |
Q: Rodriguez, This question may be a little long as I feel I must give you a little background info ...
A: First of all, I'm truly sorry about all the grievances you have endured. Your fear of dentists is ...
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| Late teething? | 9/7/2006 |
Q: My baby girl is almost 16 months old (born May 25, 2005) and has not one tooth at all. She is ...
A: The first baby teeth should come at the age between 6-8 months (lower front teeth). This condition ...
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| Sore tongue | 9/6/2006 |
Q: Hallo, I've been having a sore tongue for the past 5 days or so. It's sore at the tip and a few ...
A: I can't think of anything related to your surgery that might be causing the soreness, other than ...
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| Broken tooth | 9/5/2006 |
Q: I know you must get asked this all the time but I broke a large part of my rear molar today and ...
A: The darker color you see is very probably the color of dentin, which is yellowish (unlike enamel, ...
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| impacted wisdom tooth | 9/3/2006 |
Q: One of my bottom wisdom teeth came in fine, but over the last couple of days, my other one has ...
A: It is possible that you have a bad case of acute pericoronitis. This happens when the hood of soft ...
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| Apples | 9/1/2006 |
Q: For as long as I remember my teeth have been very sensitive to eating apples. Even if the apple had ...
A: Most fruit, if not all, are acidic. Apples are no exception, though not as acidic as citrus fruits, ...
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| grades of teeth | 9/1/2006 |
Q: I once had a dentist comment that my teeth were almost grade 3. What does this mean?
A: The grades he/she was reffering to was the occlusion type. This is the way your upper and lower jaw ...
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| Lost Filling in front tooth | 8/30/2006 |
Q: I lost the filling in one of my front side tooth after biting into a hard green apple (filing about ...
A: Teeth turn grayish in color after root canal has been performed, due to the dentin (the layer that ...
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| my gum is dicolored | 8/29/2006 |
Q: My gumI just noticed that my gum is discolored on the tooth I had a root canal on I am very ...
A: Ok, here's what probably going on: You got a crown (cap) fitted on the tooth on which you got root ...
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| dentist | 8/23/2006 |
Q: Is there any powder type of material that a person can use in the mouth while flossing to provide ...
A: There are, to the extent of my knowledge, no abrasives in the market similar to what you ask. The ...
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| Weak Gums | 8/17/2006 |
Q: For past 2 months or so a certain section of my upper gums have been very very sensetive and ...
A: I myself have this condition from time to time, mainly in upper molars, on the cheek side. To be ...
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| Tooth Cracks? | 8/15/2006 |
Q: I cant seem to understand why my teeth have cracks in them? They are getting more noticeable and I ...
A: Tooth enamel is like a diamond: difficult to scratch (hard) but easy to break (brittle). Enamel ...
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| Filling | 8/11/2006 |
Q: I have had a filling for about 6 months with no problems. I was chewing gum the other day and ...
A: You should ensist that they see you sooner, since the filling failed in too short a time span. Your ...
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| Side Cavities | 8/10/2006 |
Q: Is it important for children to receive fillings for cavities on the side of their teeth? I've heard ...
A: Though uncommon, molars can get cavities on their lateral grooves (called vestibular and lingual ...
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| Freezing | 8/10/2006 |
Q: I have 3 fillings to be done on the bottom right hand side. When I went to have them filled, after ...
A: Ok, the problem surely is that your lower dentary nerve is in an unusual anatomical position and ...
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| Hitting a nerve with tooth filling | 8/9/2006 |
Q: I recently had digital x-rays of my entire mouth which came out clean – nothing to be found. Upon an ...
A: If the pain is not related to temperature changes (i.e. cold or hot foods), then the pain is surely ...
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| Wisdom Tooth Extraction Healing | 8/8/2006 |
Q: I had my #17 toothe removed 2 weeks ago and I recently have been having trouble with food getting ...
A: Sockets for teeth as large as molars usually remain partially open for at least a month, so you ...
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| skin grafts | 8/4/2006 |
Q: My dentist feels the skin on the roots of my bottom teeth is too thin, and unless I have a skin ...
A: Tissue grafts are, in my experience, of very relative usefulness. If a graft is succesfully ...
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| dental anesthetics cause itching | 7/30/2006 |
Q: I don't think I'm allergic to latex. I've been to several dentists appointments and never noticed ...
A: Well, shots with epinephrine are anti-allergic since the epi cuts allergic reactions. I'm afraid ...
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| TMD or TMJ | 7/28/2006 |
Q: I recently had seen a new dentist , he suggested that I have eight 20 year old silver fillings ...
A: OK, it's not the first time I've said this, but in dentistry it is pretty effective to abide by the ...
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| dental anesthetics cause itching | 7/28/2006 |
Q: I had a filling done yesterday and i've been having a lot of itching, is that a side effect that ...
A: Itching can probably be related to a minor lesion of a nerve by the needle prick, or the pressing of ...
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| Fillings/Cavities | 7/14/2006 |
Q: I am researching new dental plans and my main concern is that I have sufficient coverage for ...
A: A sedative filling is a temporary filling made with materials that help lessen painful sensations on ...
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| Gum Disease | 7/11/2006 |
Q: A few months ago I had another abscess. My regular dentist of 4 years was not available so I saw his ...
A: I´m sorry to tell you that keeping teeth with so much bone loss is extremely difficult. Making bone ...
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| Teeth/Gum Pain? | 7/9/2006 |
Q: I was just at the dentist last month and had a deep scaling and cleaning in 4 visits..She said my ...
A: The numbness on your chin and odd feeling in the teeth you mentioned fits with some sort of ...
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| crowns | 7/7/2006 |
Q: I wanted to know whats better a small stub of tooth in both edges and not tooth in the middle but ...
A: In dentistry, in my experience, it's always best to go by the saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix ...
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| general dentistry | 7/5/2006 |
Q: i have this dentist who is about 60 years old. she seems to take a long time for filings and bonding ...
A: Regarding the procedure duration, if you are in no hurry, and, as you said, the restorations being ...
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| FREAKED OUT | 7/5/2006 |
Q: I took my son to the Dentist today, he saw the hygeinest (sp?) and the Dentist, I watched carefully ...
A: There is as much risk, infectious-wise, from the un-masked assistant as there is from talking to a ...
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| dental shots without epinephrine | 7/1/2006 |
Q: I need to have dental work done that i have put off for 10 years because the shots with the ...
A: A properly placed lidocaine shot (with epinephrine) has minimal dispersion by blood flow of the epi ...
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| Flossing | 6/27/2006 |
Q: I understand the need to floss between teeth and practice this procedure faithfully. Is there a need ...
A: If you have enough room to navigate your toothbrush's head to completely clean the proximal faces ...
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| Scaling and Root Planing | 6/26/2006 |
Q: I am a 42 yr.old female. I have not been to a dentist for a cleaning in approximately 15 years. I ...
A: 42 years is quite young to be a full-denture user. I beg that you reconsider trying to save as many ...
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| lo | 6/23/2006 |
Q: I recently saw a dentist who took it upon himself to grind down enamel on the back face of two teeth ...
A: Enamel will not regenerate. It sligthly remineralizes on it´s surface (by means of saliva or topical ...
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| fillings | 6/21/2006 |
Q: I have a very strange problem that my dentist does not seem alarmed about, but I am! I have had 3 ...
A: Well, it is rather odd. How old were these fillings? The only plausible relation between your ...
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| tounge | 6/19/2006 |
Q: I have a question about the tounge. Out of the blue Saturday night, the underside of my tounge ...
A: The most probable cause for this would be traumatic, i.e., hurting your tounge while eating hard ...
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| Porcelain Crown for back tooth? | 6/16/2006 |
Q: Rodrigues, My crown just broke while I was eating a candy. It cracked in half, and I need to ...
A: Well, all-porcellain crowns are more suitable for front teeth to better exploit the material's ...
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| Broken tooth from root canal | 6/11/2006 |
Q: got a root canal done on a molar (bottom right) about 8 years ago. Afterwards I was left with some ...
A: Well, since that tooth is already dead, there's no risk of it dying again, right? Just be really ...
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| sensitive tooth | 6/10/2006 |
Q: If a 35 year old man has a certain tooth that is sensitive to cold food, i.e., ice water or ice ...
A: Well, there are many probable causes to the pain. First thing to do would be to check the tooth ...
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| Tooth Extraction | 6/9/2006 |
Q: About a year ago, I was eating almonds and almost half of my tooth broke off. (bottom left 3 from ...
A: Extractions sholud not be made when there is localized infection and swelling. The proper way to ...
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| t | 6/8/2006 |
Q: Do you have any recommendations on how to treat sensitive teeth? I chipped a tooth slightly years ...
A: I would agree with your dentist. Prosthetic work on sensitive teeth has a higher chance of posterior ...
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| Replacing a gold crown | 6/5/2006 |
Q: I am currently looking at replacing a gold crown that has perferated. I have two questions. One, ...
A: Regarding the best type of crown, what I can tell you is which works better for most people: ...
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| root canal advice | 5/29/2006 |
Q: About 6 years ago I had to have a root canal on one of my molars on the top left side. Things went ...
A: Molars are pretty complicated teeth, structurally speaking. Upper molars are supposed to have only 3 ...
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| Very strange sensation in tooth | 5/26/2006 |
Q: I was eating something two days ago and started having a very uncomfortable sensation in one of my ...
A: Well, as I was reading along, I really didn´t have a clue to what you were experiencing. I thought ...
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