Archives for August 2021

Her Dentist is Missing it on This Infection

Posted on August 27, 2021 by Annmarie Worthington.

I had a root canal treatment a few years back. Last month my cheek started to ache near the spot that I had the root canal treatment. I called my dentist and he did some x-rays. It seems that the spot has re-infected. He did another root canal treatment and gave me some Penicillin. Ten days later, and I actually felt worse. He suggested that I give it some more time because some people take longer than others to heal. It’s been another week and I feel my cheek swelling up. How long should I expect it to take before I start to feel better? Is it reasonable to ask for a different antibiotic? I don’t think this one was working.

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

Woman holding her cheek in pain and in need of an emergency dentist

Your dentist is making two mistakes here. the first thing I want you to do is to call a root canal specialist. You have a dental emergency on your hands here. Let’s start with the antibiotic. Penicillin is not the best choice for a dental infection. These types of infections really need a stronger antibiotic in order to give your body the backup to heal. I would have suggested he provide you with Clyndimyacin. When you call the specialist, tell him or her what is going on and ask them to prescribe a more appropriate antibiotic.

The second mistake is not paying attention to your symptoms. When a root canal treatment is done, they can fail even when the dentist does everything right. That leads to a re-treatment. The problem is the chances of success go down significantly with each proceeding treatment. If it failed the first time, there is a greater chance it will fail the second time and even a larger chance of the third time. You have all the indications of the second treatment failing and he just wasn’t putting two and two together.

My hope is that your tooth can be saved by getting to a root canal specialist quickly. If it can’t, the next step is a tooth extraction. When that happens, you need to give serious thought to your tooth replacement. You don’t want to leave the space open. The adjacent teeth will begin to shift or tip into the empty space. This will throw off your bite and could lead to more serious issues such as TMJ disorder. The way to prevent this is to replace the tooth as soon as possible. If you’re looking for the best tooth replacement, I would recommend a dental implant. There are other options though which your dentist can go over with you should that become necessary.

First step, call that specialist right away.

This blog is brought to you by San Antonio Dentist Dr. Tostado.
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Titanium Versus Zirconia Implants

Posted on August 8, 2021 by Annmarie Worthington.

I have two dental implants already. Both of them are titanium. I recently read an article in a natural news magazine that said it could cause neurological problems. I now need a new dental implant. Will a zirconia implant cause the same type of problems or be a better option for me? If it is a better option for me, should I remove my old implants to trade them out for the zirconia implants?

Adrianne

Dear Adrianne,

Zirconia Versus Titanium Implants

I am curious if this magazine backed up their insinuation with actual studies that they’ve documented and referenced so you can check them? My guess is they did not. I have seen no studies that showed there were any biological ill effects with titanium. In opposition to that, there are decades of evidence showing titanium is very biocompatible. It’s been used as a prosthetic in many parts of the body with no ill effects. Because of that, I am comfortable with titanium. However, that does not mean you cannot get a zirconia implant.

If that is what you want, you will have to do a little searching to find a dentist who is offering them. The reason for that is they are fairly new, especially compared to their titanium compatriots. There is less data on their longevity. That does not mean they are less long-lasting, just that we do not have the data to back it up yet. You will have a better chance of finding a dentist who will work with them by looking for a holistic dentist who also has significant dental implant training.

As to whether you should remove and replace your other two dental implants, I would say don’t do that. Here’s why. When you remove your implants, it is going to take your bone with it. This will require that you have an additional procedure done, known as bone grafting. This is not only an additional expense and surgery but also an unnecessary risk. Right now, you have two successful dental implants. If you remove them, you take the chance their replacements will fail.

This blog is brought to you by San Antonio Dentist Dr. Tostado.

My Dentures Will Not Stay In

Posted on August 4, 2021 by Annmarie Worthington.

I have been in dentures for close to sixteen years. Lately, they just won’t stay in. Have they just been overstretched over the years? Is there a way to get them back to their original shape or do I have to replace them?

Greg

Dear Greg,

Implant overdentures

Your dentures have not stretched. Instead, your jawbone has shrunk. The amount of time that you have been wearing your dentures is about the amount of time necessary for facial collapse to set in. When your teeth were removed, your body immediately began resorbing the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere. It does this because it realizes you don’t have teeth any more and it is trying to be as efficient with your body’s resources as possible.

The only way to fix this is a two-step procedure. First, you will need to have some bone grafting done. This is a procedure that builds back up the bone structure in your jawbone. Once that is done, You will have a choice. Option one is to just get new dentures made. While your cheapest option, bear in mind that you will start the same cycle of bone resorption again and will be back in the same position you are today in around the same amount of time.

A better option, if you can afford it, is to have six to eight dental implants placed and then anchor a new denture to them. This is known as implant supported dentures. Not only will this protect you from facial collapse, but you will find your quality of life goes up dramatically as well.

This blog is brought to you by San Antonio Dentist Dr. Tostado.