root canal treatment Archives | Poplar Crossing Dental

Can a Broken Tooth Get Infected?

Posted on February 3, 2022 by writeradmin.

Several years ago, while I was in college, I broke my molar. As a poor college student, I didn’t have any money so I just left it. Because it wasn’t bothering me, I didn’t think it would be a big deal. Now, I’m having pain from the hole down to my chin. It is not a constant pain, but when it comes, it is pretty severe and it makes it hard for me to work. Is it possible that a broken tooth can get infected if I leave it like this?

Laurence

Dear Laurence,

I hate to break it to you, but you already have an infected tooth. That is what the pain you’re experiencing is telling you. You need to get this checked out. Tooth infections are considered dental emergencies. If left untreated, they can turn into life threatening emergencies. Generally, there are two ways to deal with a tooth infection. The first is with a root canal treatment. This is the ideal because it allows you to keep your natural tooth. However, if left untreated for too long, it will be too late for a root canal treatment. At that point, your only course of action is to extract and replace the tooth.

As you can see, each proceeding level of treatment gets more expensive. You didn’t mention why this tooth broke to begin with. If you are not certain know yourself, then that probably means that it had a cavity that was left untreated. As it spread and weakened the tooth, it broke. Dentistry is more affordable if you take care of things quickly.

A simple filling is cheaper than letting the decay grow to where you need a crown. A crown is cheaper than needing to add a root canal treatment to it. A root canal is cheaper than an extraction and tooth replacement.

Let’s say you are looking at a worst case scenario and the tooth has to be extracted. In that case, it will be important to replace the tooth. The best tooth replacement is a dental implant. That will be the closest to having a healthy, natural tooth in your mouth again.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Getting a Refund from a Dentist who Messed UP

Posted on December 28, 2021 by writeradmin.

I had a dental crown put on a front tooth that had stuck out a bit since childhood. The only reason for the crown was to make that tooth look “normal”. After the crown was placed I had sensitivity to cold and hot. My dentist told me this was normal when first getting a dental crown. Fast forward a few weeks and I was in so much pain I ended up in the ER with a swollen face. They told me it was a dental issue. So, I got an emergency appointment with another dentist who could fit me in faster and they told me that I have a massive infection because the dental crown has something called an open margin. I missed a few days of work because of the pain, plus the cost of the ER, and now I have to pay for a root canal treatment and a new dental crown. I am only halfway through paying for the first dental crown. I called them and told them what happened and asked for my money back. They replied by saying once the crown is in my mouth it is my responsibility. How was I supposed to know about an open margin and what it was supposed to do? I stopped paying on the crown and now they are suing me for the balance! What do I do? Should I file a countersuit?

Kelly

Dear Kelly,

You have been through so much here. I am so sorry. It sounds like your dentist is not someone who is going to be voted “Best Dentist” any time soon. As for a countersuit, it is not always financially feasible to file a suit because of the amount of money you get as oppossed to the legal fees. However, there are ways to pressure a dentist.

You’ve already done the most important thing, which is getting a second opinion from another dentist who has determined your dentist messed up. That will help with every thing else I am going to say. Bear in mind that I have not examined you. However, based on what you described, your dentist did not meet that standard of care that he should have. One thing he is supposed to do after placing a dental crown is to check the margins to make sure there is no risk of decay due to the margins being open.

I would tell your dentist if he does not retract his suit and give you a refund that you will be contacting the dental board about his negligence. If that doesn’t work, you can have the second dentist contact him and say what in essence is, “Dude, you messed up. Own it and refund the money.” Sometimes pressure from a peer works better than from a patient because they want to keep a good reputation among their peers. A third option is telling him you will be writing a review about the poor care you’ve had. Finally, you can have an attorney write a threatening letter. That may sober him up.

I hope he has the integrity to make things right, or at least the fear of your threats.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Pain with Teeth Whitening

Posted on August 15, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have been whitening my teeth for a few weeks using an over-the-counter kit. Everything was going just fine, then recently, I started getting this sting of pain. It is a zap that hurts for a few seconds and then goes away. I noticed that it is always the spot where I have some dental bonding done for a chipped tooth. Is it possible the teeth whitening is breaking the bonding seal and that is why I am having the pain? If so, what do I do? If not, can you think of what can be the cause of my problem?

Angie

Dear Angie,

Teeth whitening is not known to cause any weakining of dental bonding, so I don’t think that is the cause. When bonding is weakened then the repair would just fall off. The more likely issue is that there is a weak, exposed spot where the dental bonding is.

My suggestion is you schedule an appointment with your dentist. He or she can analyze the area and touch up any exposed area with some more bonding. Until then, you can temporarily stop your teeth whitening. Using an over the counter whitening can be okay, depending on what kit you are using, but it is always better to whiten under the care of a dentist.

I am not saying this as someone trying to drum up business, especially because you have a dentist already. It is to protect you. There have been reported cases of someone needing a root canal treatment because of Crest Whitestrips and it is not even a very strong whitening. You don’t want to need an emergency dental appointment because of cheap teeth whitening.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Root Canal as a Result of Teeth Whitening

Posted on July 3, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have a tooth that has given me problems for a while after an accident. It was pushed back a bit and an oral surgeon repaired it. It’s been a bit darker than my other teeth and I wanted to do something about that. He suggested I use Crest Whitestrips, which I did. A few days after I started, that tooth began to hurt every time I whitened. I stopped whitening thinking I just needed to give the tooth a break and then pick it back up later. That didn’t help either. Now the tooth is sensitive to hot and cold even though I haven’t used the product for a week. I went back to see my dentist and he suggested I need a root canal treatment. I asked him to make sure and had him run some tests. It turns out he was right and I do need a root canal treatment. Have you heard of this happening with teeth whitening before?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

To be honest, I have only heard of one other case where a root canal treatment resulted from using Crest Whitestrips. The case was very similar to yours. Both times it surprised me because Crest Whitestrips are very mild. However, your tooth was already traumatized so maybe this just threw it over the edge. I am glad you are getting the root canal treatment you needed. It is no fun being in pain.

I will say that teeth whitening was not the right solution for your situation. Even if Crest Whitestrips were stronger this would not change the color disparity. When you whiten your teeth, the bleach works across all the teeth evenly. This means the darker tooth would still be darker.

Instead, you would have needed either dental bonding or a porcelain veneer to be placed on the traumatized tooth. I would not let your current dentist do it, though. Teeth whitening is the simplest cosmetic dentistry procedure there is. If he did not understand the basic tenents of getting that to work, then he certainly cannot do an advanced cosmetic procedure, such as porcelain veneers.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Bleaching Teeth With Clorox

Posted on June 24, 2021 by writeradmin.

I want to whiten my teeth fast for a special event I have coming up. I tried rinsing my teeth with peroxide every day, which is what I believe dentists use, but that didn’t work. Would Clorox bleach work better?

Karla

Dear Karla,

Let’s first talk about why the peroxide didn’t work. There are two factors missing from your peroxide regiment that made it unsuccessful. The first is the strength of the peroxide. The over-the-counter peroxide you get is a 3% peroxide concentration. The gel that dentists use contains between 25 – 33% peroxide. This is a much more effective way to whiten your teeth.

You can’t actually purchase that strength because of federal regulations. They want to protect patients from harming themselves because there are a few things that can go wrong at that strength without a dentist to keep an eye on things. A second issue that caused it to be ineffective is the length of time. In order for the whitening to take effect, the peroxide has to be on your teeth a minimum of 20 minutes for it to seep in. I don’t know anyone who could swish peroxide on their teeth for that long.

This is why dentists use bleaching trays, such as the one pictured above. The trays keep the teeth whitening gel on your teeth for the length of time you desire. They also protect your gums and the remainder of your mouth from being affected by the gel.

This leads me to your question about Clorox. This product is a base. It can destroy/burn living tissue. To illustrate this, many dentists use household bleach during root canal treatments. Its active ingredient is sodium hypochlorite which dentists use to eat away the debris left over and clean out the tooth.

My suggestion if you want fast teeth whitening is to go see a dentist who offers Zoom Whitening. This will whiten your teeth in just one appointment, while keeping your gums safe.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Dentist Can’t Get Me Numb

Posted on April 30, 2021 by writeradmin.

I need some help pretty desperately. I am in so much pain and living on prescription painkillers at the moment. I need a root canal on a lateral incisor but my dentist can’t get me numb. He tried a cream and several shots. When there was no way to get me numb, he returned my fee and wrote me this prescription I’ve been living on, but I can’t live like this forever. Have you seen this happen before?

Casey

Dear Casey,

I am so sorry for what you are going through. Yes, I can definitely help you. Not many dentists are aware of this, but there is a connection between the ability to get numb and dental anxiety. The higher the anxiety, the more difficult it is to get numb. Given your experience, it will probably be even harder for you to get numb the next time. Fortunately, there is a solution.

You will need to have your procedures, such as your root canal treatment, done by a sedation dentist. This is not a specialty, but simply dentists who are accustomed to working with patients who have experienced dental trauma in the past and offer sedation options in order to help them have some positive experiences at the dentist as well as to help them to get caught up on their dental work in an anxiety-free and pain-free way.

Sometimes, it is just a simple matter of having a relaxant in your body, such as nitrous oxide, to help your metabolism and adrenaline calm down, which in turn enables the numbing medication to do its job.

I know you’ve had a horrible experience, but try not to put off looking for a sedation dentist. Hopefully, your dentist prescribed you an antibiotic along with the pain meds. If he didn’t call him up and ask for one immediately. This will not cure your infection, but it will slow it down while you are locating the dentist who can provide the services you need. Tooth infections are considered dental emergencies because they will spread to other parts of your body if left untreated.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Is the Dentist Trying to Scare Me?

Posted on January 2, 2021 by writeradmin.

I saved up money for a while to go to the dentist. It was everything I had. When I got there, the dentist said that I had a tooth infection he needed to deal with. When I told him I didn’t have the money for that, he essentially said if I didn’t take care of it, the infection would spread to my brain and kill me. Is this true or is he just trying to scare me?

Ruby T.

Dear Ruby,

While it is possible for a tooth infection to spread to your brain, before you panic I’d like to evaluate some other information first. If this tooth had just started hurting you have some time. If it has been hurting for a while and that is what spurred you on to the dentist it might be spreading a bit.

Let’s say this dentist is correct and this infection is advanced. You will need to get it treated as soon as possible. Dental infections are typically considered a dental emergency. While it is true that a tooth infection can spread to your brain, your heart and lungs are also close to your jaw. All of these can turn life-threatening.

Most dentists are compassionate and would be willing to work with a patient in your circumstances on payment. Call around. Don’t let finances or pride keep you from seeking necessary help.

Sometimes, the doubts our “gut” gives us is a good indicator we don’t trust the information we are being given. If you are having doubts about the severity of this infection or even if there is an infection, you could call around to see if there is a dentist who gives free second opinions. Not many do, but some will, especially if you explain the situation.

The Solution to a Tooth Infection

Unlike other bacterial infections that can just be treated with an antibiotic, tooth infections require the infected tissue be removed. This is typically done with either a root canal treatment or a tooth extraction. Of the two, the root canal is the better treatment option because it preserves natural tooth structure.

If the tooth cannot be saved and you need it extracted, you will also need a tooth replacement. The best replacement is a dental implant, but they are not cheap. The least expensive is a dental flipper. However, it is meant to be a temporary replacement until you can save up for a more permanent solution.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Thoughts on Premium Home Whitening Kit

Posted on November 25, 2020 by writeradmin.

I saw a suggestion on one of my feeds for me to purchase a Premium Home Whitening Kit. I liked the idea of whitening my teeth at home for less than my dentist charges for his Zoom machine. Plus, I can do it in private. Do you know if this kit works?

Mazie

Dear Mazie,

I’m glad you wrote about this. There are some good things and some concerning things about this product. Let’s start with the good. The ingredient they use for their whitening agent is legitimate and will work. The light, however, is bogus. It won’t be powerful enough to do anything. Bottom line, it will whiten your teeth. So, if that is the case, what are my concerns?

The Whitening Trays

If you were to do at-home whitening through your dentist, the trays given to you would be custom-fitted to your bite. That means there will be no leakage. Why does that matter? Glad you asked! The trays that come with the Premium kit are generic and will not keep the gel in well. This means some gel with get out and some saliva will get in.

This not only weakens the effectiveness, which will drive your cost up purchasing more gel to attain the level of whitening you want, but it also puts your gums at risk. There is a post on mynewsmile.com about a woman who ended up needing a root canal treatment because of an over-the-counter whitening kit. If she’d been under the care of a professional, this would never have happened.

The Cost

While the cost is lower than some dentists, it is actually higher than others. The quote your dentist gave you, as you mentioned, was for the in-office Zoom Whitening. This is more expensive than take-home whitening, though it has the benefit of completely whitening your teeth in just one appointment. But, did you know that your dentist very likely does take-home whitening as well? Which would be less expensive.

In your place, I would tell your dentist that you have an offer for Premium Whitening at this price, but you’d prefer to get your teeth whitened under his care. Ask for him to do take-home and to come closer to their price. My guess is he will. If he doesn’t, there are plenty of other dentists who offer teeth whitening.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Can a Tooth Infection Spread to a Salivary Gland?

Posted on September 15, 2020 by writeradmin.

My daughter has had two root canal treatments, since then she has also had infected salivary glands, twice in eight months. Is it possible for a root canal to re-infect and spread to the salivary gland?

Patricia

Dear Patricia,

A root canal treatment can fail. When that happens, they need to be re-treated though the chances of success with a retreatment run about 50-75% of the time. This can happen through no fault of the dentist. Some of the canals can be nearly impossible to find.

If the tooth were still infected, then getting an x-ray should reveal that. If it is infected, it is theoretically possible that it could spread to a salivary gland. However, I would look for other causes as well. Even if there is root canal failure, it is not an automatic answer about her salivary gland infections.

When a Root Canal Treatment Keeps Failing

In some cases, a root canal just never works. This can be because a patient has an infected canal that turns on a 90-degree angle, which makes it impossible for the file to get to all the infected tissue. This infection will continue to spread and turn into a dental emergency.

To protect your daughter from it turning into a life-threatening emergency, you would need to have her tooth extracted. The biggest problem that follows that is the expense of having to replace the tooth.

You didn’t mention her age. If she’s an adult, then a dental implant would be the ideal solution. However, if she’s still in her teen years, her jaw is still developing. In that case, I would just get a dental flipper. This is a temporary tooth replacement that is much less expensive. It should last her until she is old enough to get a dental implant.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

How Long Do I Need to Wait After a Crown Before Getting a Root Canal?

Posted on August 17, 2020 by ectree.

Hi,

In late April, an endodontist did a root canal treatment on one of my bottom right molars. I had delayed the appointment, but the pain and inflammation were so bad that I couldn’t wait for COVID-19 restrictions to relax. The first appointment was okay, but the endodontist scheduled a second appointment because she thought there might be a fourth canal in the tooth that she didn’t clean. She found the fourth canal and spent what felt like an hour digging in it. It was so uncomfortable. She also found a crack in the fourth canal. After the procedure, I had pain and swelling for four days, but most of it is better.

I’m concerned because sometimes I feel dull pain at the bottom of the tooth near my jaw, along with a dull ache that radiates to my ear. It feels like a dull headache. I take ibuprofen every 6 hours. Is the dull pain normal? I’ve returned to a soft diet because I’m afraid that there is still infection, and I’ll need an extraction and a dental implant.

My next appointment is in two weeks to get a crown on the tooth. Should I postpone it, or is the pain normal? I had a Zoom meeting with my dentist, and he had me come to the office for an x-ray, but he didn’t see anything abnormal. My dentist said that it might be a good idea to delay the appointment another week or so for the crown, but he still seemed somewhat hesitant to disagree with the endodontist’s recommendation. Is it okay to get the crown, or should I wait?

Thank you,

Dahlia from Augusta, GA

Dahlia,

Diagram of the three components on a dental implants.

A cracked root can lead to extraction and a dental implant

Your dentist’s advice to wait for the crown was good. But it may take more than a month to determine if the tooth is healthy enough to survive.

Reasons to Wait Before Getting a Dental Crown

A cracked canal might not heal – Root canal treatment isn’t always successful. A crack in the canal increases the risk of losing the tooth. In that case, your endodontist would recommend a dental implant instead of placing a crown on a tooth that can’t be saved.
It takes time for an infection to become evident – Some dental schools teach dentist to wait six months after root canal treatment before crowning a tooth. But a dentist doesn’t always wait that long because each patient’s case is different. Waiting to place the crown allows time for problems to surface. For example, a tooth infection is seen on an x-ray after it’s settled in. Before that, a dentist might recognize any subtle signs of infection on the x-ray.
An endodontist can re-evaluate your case – You can schedule an appointment with your endodontist or ask your dentist to send her the x-ray. Describe your symptoms, tell her about your concerns, and ask her to review your x-ray.

After your endodontist takes a second look at the tooth roots, they’ll give you a recommendation. You’ll have to decide if you want to wait for the crown or receive it as scheduled.

This post is sponsored by Hoffman Estates dental implant provider, Dr. William Becker, of Poplar Crossing Dental.