root canal treatment Archives | Poplar Crossing Dental

Store Bought Filling Material

Posted on December 9, 2022 by writeradmin.

I have a cavity that is having trouble and causing me pain. I don’t have money for a dentist right now, but did see that my pharmacy has some store bought filling material. Would it be enough for me to fill the cavity with that material? I’m plain broke right now.

Drew

Dear Drew,

The temporary filling material is designed to only fill the whole for a few days while you wait to get into the dentist’s office. If you wait longer than that, you are harboring bacteria and will end up with a massive dental infection. If you go to the dentist early, like now, it may only be a simple filling that you need to have cleaned out.

A lot of pain will indicate that there is a dental infection. This will mean more than cleaning out the decay. It will mean a root canal treatment, which also cleans out the infected pulp.

I know you are in a bit of a bind, financially. However, the longer you wait the worse (and more expensive) this will get. In general, dentists are compassionate and went into their field because they wanted a career that would allow them to help people. If you don’t have money and have a dental emergency, I am positive you will find a dentist who is willing to work with you financially.

I would start by looking for an affordable dentist. They are usually more apt to have payment plans. Whatever you do, please do not put this off. Speak directly to the dentist if the front desk isn’t willing to work with you. They have to follow the general procedure. However, the dentist has more wiggle room.

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

Problems with a Root Canal

Posted on August 31, 2022 by writeradmin.

My husband was in an accident that landed him in the E.R. He also had some fractured teeth. The dentist wanted to wait a couple of weeks before seeing him. Over that period of time, the tooth changed color. The dentist said she felt dried blood, but my husband was in no pain so she just fitted him for a temporary crown which was completed within 3 weeks. It was after this that the problems really started.

A few weeks later, he ended up in serious enough pain to have an emergency root canal treatment started along with a 5 day treatment of amoxicillin. At first, there was a bit of pain relief, but then by the time she finished the root canal treatment a week later, he was in pain again. She said to give it time. Two weeks later, his pain had increased. We went back and she decided to root canal the tooth next to it. I was uncomfortable with that as his pain wasn’t in that tooth, but she said she was out of ideas and this was worth trying. He’s still in massive pain and I don’t know what to do for him. Should we have the tooth extracted? Can it still be saved?

Rebecca

Dear Rebecca,

Your husband sure has been put through the wringer here. I am glad you are trying to advocate for him. There are a few things that went wrong here. I wish your dentist would have root canaled your husband’s tooth when she first saw the discoloration. That was an obvious sign that he needed one and doing it before an infection sets in gives it the best chance. Instead, she waited until there was pain and infection.

On the topic of infection, I don’t understand why she just gave him 5 days of an antibiotic if the root canal wasn’t closed until a week later. It is the standard operating procedure to have enough antibiotics to last until after the tooth is closed. Otherwise, the infection has nowhere to drain and there is a greatly increased chance of the infection flaring up again. Her choice of antibiotic is questionable too.

Your dentist has done so much wrong here, including a second root canal treatment that was at best, an honest attempt in ignorance. My recommendation is that you get him to an endodontist as soon as possible. Tell them what has happened and they may get him scheduled for an emergency dental appointment. They may prescribe him some clindamycin first in order to get this infection under control and then see him. Either way, make sure they at the very least get him out of pain in the interim.

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

Can Crest Whitestrips Cause a Need for a Root Canal Treatment?

Posted on July 8, 2022 by writeradmin.

I have been using Crest Whitestrips. It was going fine, but then I started having some tooth pain. I went to my dentist and he gave me a cold test that I failed. He feels I need a root canal treatment. He also said I have a cavity which is making me wonder if that could be the cause of needing the root canal treatment. Either way, I have stopped whitening and now I need to get this extra work done. To be honest, the whitestrips weren’t helping that much anyway. I still have the brown spots on my teeth that I was hoping they would fix.

Lindsey

Dear Lindsey,

So, it is probably a combination of both of those issues. If your tooth was weak from decalcification, which is a precursor to decay, the whitening strips could have entered through that area and led to affecting the pulp of your tooth. A cold test is definitely an indication of needing a root canal treatment. However, the white strips have such a weak ingredient that I would be surprised if that is what caused the need for your root canal, though anything is possible.

There is a reason the Crest Whitestrips were not working on your brown spots and it is not just because of how weak their whitening ingredient is. It’s because teeth whitening will whiten teeth evenly, so it would actually make the brown spots more evident, even if you had professional teeth whitening done.

The solution to brown spots on your teeth, depending on the amount and depth of color will either be dental bonding for small spots, or porcelain veneers for more severe discoloration, such as you’d get with tetracycline stains.

Get your root canal treatment done, then go to a cosmetic dentist for a consultation on your brown spots.

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

My Dentist Wants to Pull My Tooth

Posted on June 30, 2022 by writeradmin.

I have a tooth that has a dental crown already but has been hurting again. My dentist gave my antibiotics, but they didn’t help. After doing an x-ray he said there isn’t a canal and therefore there is no way for him to do a root canal treatment and he’ll have to pull the tooth. I’m not too keen on this idea. Do I have any options?

Mazie

Dear Mazie,

Your dentist seems a bit confused about dental infections. First, the antibiotic can only do so much. If it is not doing anything, that is a sign that the problem is NOT a tooth infection, but something else. He needs to start investigating other causes of the pain. He’s trying to solve a problem when he does not know what the problem is. That’s like shooting an arrow in the dark when you don’t even have a target there.

If the antibiotic was helping, that does indicate there is an infection there. Even if it was helping and then got worse. Just because your dentist cannot see a canal does not mean there is not one there. Some of those canals can be very difficult to see.

My suggestion is you get a second opinion before you go any further with this. I’d actually have an endodontist look at it for you. One tip here, when getting a second opinion, don’t tell them who looked at your tooth or what their diagnosis was. Tell them you just want their unbiased opinion. This will keep them from just parroting a colleague.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.
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How Long Can You Put Off Getting a Root Canal Treatment?

Posted on June 12, 2022 by writeradmin.

If I know I have a tooth infection and need a root canal treatment, is it a dental emergency or can I wait? If so, how long can I go before I have to get it?

Jannie

Dear Jannie,

I can only give you general guidelines here. It would be impossible for me to say with anything definitive without examining you. That being said, if the tooth is hurting at all. Even if it was recently hurting but is pausing at the moment, I would get it treated as soon as possible. A live infection will spread. I would consider that an urgent dental situation and get it taken care of as soon as possible. Your jaw is quite close to your brain, heart, and lungs. If it reaches one of those it can end up turning life-threatening quite quickly.

If it is not hurting and hasn’t in a while, then you are probably okay to wait, but if it begins to hurt again, that will mean the infection has become active again. Some people go for years with a tooth that needed a root canal treatment and do fine. Others, need to get it repaired rather quickly.

I tend to err on the side of caution. You want to get it done sooner so you don’t have to worry about it any longer or have it hanging over your head.

It is completely up to you. There is not a right or wrong way to handle it if you do not have an active infection.

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

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.