Archives for November 2021

Antibiotics for an Infected Tooth

Posted on November 17, 2021 by Annmarie Worthington.

I need some advice. I went to my dentist with a nasty toothache. I’ve been on antibiotics that he provided for me. I was getting better, but now everything has swelled up again and I’m hurting. Do I just need a refill of these antibiotics or should I ask for a different kind? I guess you need to know what type I’ve been on. He gave me something called clindamycin.

Greg

Dear Greg,

Man holding his jaw in pain

I am a little concerned there has been a breakdown in communication here. Antibiotics alone are not enough to rid you of a tooth infection. Dental infections are different than other infections because once the pulp inside dies, there is no longer blood flow that can get the medicine to the infected tissue. The only way to truly rid yourself of a tooth infection is by having a dentist remove the infected pulp.

There are two ways to do that. Ideally, you would want to save your tooth, which can be done with a root canal treatment. If that is not possible, then the tooth has to be extracted and then replaced.

It sounds like the antibiotic started to hold off your infection and then flared back up when you ran out. This is why your dentist should have scheduled you for a follow-up treatment. You now have a dental emergency and need to be seen as soon as possible. I would call your dentist in the morning and have him fit you in. As for the antibiotic, that was the right one to use leading up to your appointment, they just didn’t communicate that you’d need to come in before you finished your prescription.

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

Serious TMJ Issue

Posted on November 10, 2021 by Annmarie Worthington.

I need some advice. About nine years ago, I had dental crowns placed on all my teeth because of a teeth grinding habit that wore down my natural teeth. Now those are ground down too. I’m not sure the crowns were placed correctly because my gums have hurt and had problems since they were placed. Recent developments, though, have me more miserable. My jaw is slanted and aches all day. It clicks every time I move it or chew. I went to see a dentist who called himself a TMJ Dentist, not realizing that was not a real specialty. He put me in an orthotic device for two years. Now my lower jaw is more forward that my upper arch of teeth and I am in constant pain. Where do I go from here?

Jennine

Dear Jennine,

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

You were on the right track going to a TMJ Dentist, but as you learned it is not a recognized specialty so any dentist can call themselves a TMJ Dentist. It does require some extra training and understanding of bites and dental crowns. Currently, you are dealing with a serious case of TMJ Disorder and will need to start over on treatment. Look for someone who has done post-doctoral training. That second dentist left you in an orthotic way too long and threw off your bite. I think he should take some responsibility for your re-treatment.

Crowning all your teeth, as your original dentist did, is called a full-mouth reconstruction and is quite an advanced procedure. I would want a prosthodontist to do that. They have specialized training in dental crowns. I’m curious about the fact that you were able to grind down the dental crowns as well. Did your dentist provide you with a mouth guard? This should have protected your teeth from any nighttime grinding, which is when most people grind their teeth.

All in all, it sounds like you’ve had very poor care from your dentists. I want you to make sure you ask about credentials and also look at reviews before moving forward with another dentist.

I am sorry this has happened to you.

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

Dental Tourism Horror Story from Mexico

Posted on November 1, 2021 by Annmarie Worthington.

I had a broken tooth that needed a crown. I tried to save money by going to Mexico for the dental work, but this has ended up a disaster. When I got there, they told me I needed four dental crowns. I believed them and went forward with the work. Less than a week later, one of the crowns fell off. I went back and they told me it was because I need a root canal treatment. I did ask why they didn’t tell me about the root canal to begin with and they said because they don’t always work and they were trying to save me money and see if it would work itself out. So, I agreed to the root canal treatment. Fast forward less than another week and my tooth is seriously sensitive to hot, cold, and touch. I called their office and they said I’d need to come in. At this point, I’ve done two trips to Mexico and have ended up worse, so I called a local dentist who does free second opinions. He says the tooth is cracked and I need to extract it and get a dental implant. My question is this. Seeing as the dentist in Mexico misdiagnosed this, should he do the extraction and implant and credit me for the work already done?

Drew

Dear Drew,

Dental Tourism is Risky

You certainly have had a rough go of it. I’m going to file this in one of my many dental tourism horror stories. Every once in a while we hear of a good experience from someone who traveled to Mexico to get their work done at a lower cost, but most of the time something goes wrong.

Here are the things I am concerned about with the dentist from Mexico:

How do you know you actually needed four dental crowns? Did you have decay? A tooth infection? It doesn’t sound like it so I think you were taken advantage of there.
A crown doesn’t fall off because you need a root canal treatment. A crown falls off because the dentist did it wrong.
Did you really need the root canal treatment? If the tooth was infected, yes. But then, they’d have needed to do it the first time.
The root canal treatment wasn’t done properly. The root canal is intended to remove all the infected pulp in your tooth so you would have no feeling in that tooth afterward. The fact that you were having pain tells me they did not do the root canal properly.

As to this local dentist. Even if the tooth is cracked that does not automatically mean it has to be extracted. I would want to get another opinion on that before moving forward.

Let’s say you do need the dental implant. That is a much more advanced procedure than any your dentist from Mexico has done thus far, and these easier procedures have been a disaster. Please, don’t go to them for a dental implant, which requires surgery. You need to bite the bullet and see an experienced dentist here in the states.

As to whether you can recoup your money from the original dentist, that depends entirely on the laws in Mexico. You could first ask for a refund and see what happens.

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