Annmarie Worthington

Can I Get a Refund for a Failed Dental Implant?

November 30, 2024 by writeradmin

I had a tooth which was bothering me. My dentist said that it could not be saved and suggested we extract it right then. He gave me a Novocain shot that hurt a crazy amount and caused a burning in my mouth. Plus, it still hurt to remove the tooth. The medicine he gave me to numb my teeth did not work for long. The burning continued and I kept going back to find a solution. He eventually said it was thrush and gave me a prescription. That didn’t help and no matter how many times I went back he said that I should just keep taking the medicine he gave me. Next, he suggested a get a dental implant for the missing tooth, which I did under anesthesia. While I was on a family vacation the dental crown fell off for the implant. I went to see a dentist on our vacation to get it fixed. He said my dental implant was loose and needed to come out. I was devastated, but what could I do? He took it out the next day, which officially made it the worst vacation I’ve ever had. I’m scheduled to get a dental bridge from my husband’s dentist because I don’t trust my dentist any more. Is it possible for me to get a refund from my dentist for the failed dental implant?

Mary

Dear Mary,

I have very little confidence in your dentist myself. First he had the thrush misdiagnosis. Obviously, if the medicine didn’t help then that means it wasn’t thrush. My guess is that you’re dealing with burning mouth syndrome. We’ll go over that in a minute. Then, there was the crown falling off. Keeping a dental crown on is not that hard if it is properly bonded. In fact, most dentists go their entire careers without having a crown fall off.

I have some doubts about the dentist you saw on vacation. You didn’t mention that the dental implant was loose or that there was any pain or fever with it. This makes me wonder if the crown really did need to come out. It would be hard to prove either way now that it is out. However, I would get all the diagnostics from him, including any x-rays. He is ethically bound to provide those for you.

I would start by asking your dentist for a refund, letting him know what you went through on your vacation. If he says no, then you could threaten a lawsuit or to leave a bad review. Bad reviews are free and will impact his business. To get anywhere with a lawsuit, you will need expert testimony. Have a dental implant expert look over the diagnostics the vacation dentist did. If he can give you testimony that the implant failed because of something your dentist did then you have a decent chance at your refund. If he can’t, then I would ask for a partial refund because the bad thrush diagnosis and the failed dental crown are easily proved.

Burning Mouth Syndrome

The most common cause of burning mouth syndrome is a traumatic dental appointment, which you definitely had. As you are probably switching dentists anyway, and I would suggest that you do, I’d like to suggest that you look for a sedation dentist. They can give you a medication that will completely relax you for your dental appointment. In fact, depending on the type of medication you get, you will be able to sleep through the appoint if you choose to.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.

Dentist Can’t Find the Problem

November 14, 2024 by writeradmin

I had an emergency root canal while on a trip in France with my university before I fell and damaged one of my front teeth. The other front tooth was fine. When I returned home, my dentist checked everything out and placed a dental crown over the root canal saying that everything looked good. Fast forward about a year later, and the crowned tooth became sensitive. I went in to see my dentist. He did x-rays and messed about with it but could not find anything wrong with it, so he sent me to an endodontist. The endodontist said the pressure is probably coming from the next tooth because it looks like I’ve been clenching my teeth. Neither of them of them have done anything for the tooth and, even though it has stopped hurting, I am worried there is a real problem. Otherwise why would it be absolutely fine for a year and then start hurting?

Amelia

Dear Amelia,

If they did a proper root canal treatment on you then that tooth should not have any pain because the nerve was removed. Sometimes, when a root canal is done on a back tooth, there could be a hidden canal that gets missed, but front teeth are very easy so this should not be an issue. Plus, you had two dentists, on separate continents, look at the root canal when you first got it done, both of them said it looked fine. Because of that, I don’t think the root canaled tooth is the problem.

Bear in mind that I have not examined you. That being said, I actually think it is the tooth beside the one with the dental crown that is the problem. When you damaged your front tooth, the adjacent tooth likely experienced trauma as well. It is not unusual for an injured tooth to not show symptoms at first. Some can take a couple of years.

Not having the problem show up on the x-ray does not surprise me. It will not show up until the inflammation progresses to an infection that starts to spill out of the tooth. You don’t have a dental emergency at the moment. But, if it starts hurting again or you develop a pimple on your gums, then that means the adjacent tooth will need a root canal treatment as well.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.
Auburn AL, College Dentists

Are There Porcelain Veneer Emergencies?

October 31, 2024 by writeradmin

My daughter had porcelain veneers done before leaving for college. About a month ago she fell and chipped one of them. We went to see her dentist while she was home for a quick break. That dentist “fixed it” by trimming down both teeth to the same size. Now the teeth have a blue tinge to them. Did she do something the damage the teeth? Are the veneers in danger of falling off?

Pamela

Dear Pamela,

You didn’t say where the color change is. However, It sounds like the bonding between the tooth and the veneer is failing. While it is possible that it will fall off, unless she has an expert cosmetic dentist nearby that can replace the porcelain veneers, she is better off allowing the veneers to fall off on their own.

I don’t think the dentist did anything by trimming them. The problem was probably there from the beginning and is just now showing up. The bluish color is from things getting caught between the tooth and the veneer.

When it falls off, most dentists would not consider it a dental emergency. That being said, a true cosmetic dentist does understand the urgency of an aesthetic emergency.

So, how will she find one of those dentists? She will want someone who has had both post-doctoral training and a track record of artistry in creating beautiful smiles. Take a look at Dr. Murphree’s bio to get an idea of what you are looking for.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.

Pain from Teeth Bleaching

October 17, 2024 by writeradmin

I have been whitening my teeth at home. It was going okay until about a week ago. That’s when I felt a zing of pain. The pain happened right where I had some dental bonding done to repair a chip. Is it possible that the whitening is damaging the bonding? Will it fall off? Is there a way for me to whiten my teeth with bonding?

Loretta

Dear Loretta,

There is no evidence that teeth whitening can damage the bonding on your teeth. If the bonding weakened, the repair would just fall off. My guess is that your chip repair has a small part that is exposed. This is likely what is causing the zing that you are feeling. It is possible you had a small piece of your repair that was damaged at some point and now the area is a bit sensitive.

My recommendation is that you temporarily stop your teeth whitening procedure until you can have your dentist look at this. I’m going under the assumption you are having your bleaching done under the care of a dentist. Even if you are not, this will need to be looked at.

The damaged portion to your dental bonding needs to be repaired. That will protect is from other problems as well. Then, once the sensitive portion is appropriately covered, you can resume your bleaching again. Your dentist won’t necessarily need to redo the repair. He or she may just need to coat it with something that will protect it from sensitivity.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.

Dentist Placed Dental Implant With Bone Problems

September 30, 2024 by writeradmin

I have a problem. I went to get a dental implant placed, but after the surgery the dentist told me he realized during the procedure that there was not enough bone to keep this working so now he thinks I should take it out and get a dental bridge. First, should he have put the implant in there knowing I would need to take it out? Should I have to pay for the additional surgery to get it out? Is there any way I can still get a dental implant or am I stuck with a dental bridge?

Chuck

Dear Chuck,

Let’s get these questions in order. No, he absolutely should not have placed your dental implant once he realized there wasn’t enough bone to support it. For that matter, how did he not know ahead of time the state of the bone structure? What type of diagnostics did he do before throwing you into surgery?

Not only should you not have to pay for the surgery to remove the dental implant, you should not have to pay for the implant surgery either. Not the way he handled it.

Can you still get a dental implant? Yes, but not with this dentist. Before the implant is possible, you will need some bone grafting done. This will build up the bone you need. Had your dentist done the adequate diagnostics he would have known this ahead of time and you could have gotten the needed work done.

I’m sorry that this happened to you. Look for a dentist with post-doctoral training in dental implants. For instance, Drs. Murphree and Yount both have extensive training at the Dawson Academy.

Don’t let a dentist tell you they studied implants in dental school. That is not enough. I would also ask them what their success rate is. It should be a minimum of 95%. Get your refund and go to someone else.

I am very sorry this happened to you.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.
Click here to learn about dental implant failure.

Trauma to This Tooth Was Handled Badly

September 14, 2024 by writeradmin

My husband had an accident at a game and had a concussion and trauma to his teeth. After the ER, we went to see the dentist who wanted to wait two weeks until his tooth was treated. During that time period his tooth had turned dark. He was no longer in pain. When the dentist went in she felt dried blood and said he’d need a dental crown. The temporary crown was started and then the procedure completed within a few weeks.

Fast forward a couple of months and he was in tremendous pain. We went back to the dentist and she said it looks like he may need a root canal treatment. She started that procedure and gave him five days worth of amoxicillin. The pain went away for a day or so, but then came back. By the time she finished up the root canal treatment about seven days later, he was in massive pain again. The root canal was done and he was still miserable. She told him to give it time. He was in agony for a couple of days and then I insisted they see him. Next, they root canaled the tooth next to the injured one saying that it was probably the problem. I don’t think it was because he is STILL in pain. What do we do?

Martha

Dear Martha,

I am so sorry this has happened to you! I’m going to be honest that your dentist has been pretty negligent, borderline incompetent in this whole thing. When she first saw that there was dried blood she should have known that the tooth needed a root canal treatment. What did she think was going on with the tooth?

Next, when she did realize that the tooth needed a root canal treatment, she only gave your husband 5 days worth of antibiotics, but as I understand you the procedure itself wasn’t completed for seven days. That means the infection would not be dealt with before the antibiotics were used up. Antibiotics do not solve a tooth infection. They only hold it at bay. As soon as the antibiotics are done, the infection comes straight back, even stronger. This is why your husband had a bit of relief when the antibiotics were first started.

The fact that it only lasted about a day is because she also gave the wrong antibiotic. Amoxicillin would not be a recommended antibiotic for a tooth infection. Then, she closed your tooth up with the infection still in it.

Finally, rather than admit her mistake, she tries to just say it is another tooth that is the problem, and root canals what is likely a perfectly healthy tooth.

My suggestion is that you see an endodontist. This is a root canal specialist. Explain to them that you have a dental emergency and they should fit you in fairly quickly. Just tell them the series of events that you told me.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.
Click here for an Auburn, AL College Dentist.

Is It Possible to Get Dental Implants After Dentures?

August 31, 2024 by writeradmin

Hey, Can you help me? I’ve been wearing dentures for ten years and I really hate them. Is it too late for me to get dental implants?

Sandra

Dear Sandra,

Yes, I can help you. Technically, it is never too late to get dental implants. However, because of the length of time that you have been in dentures, it is very likely that the beginning of facial collapse has started.

When your teeth were first removed, your body recognized that and began to resorb the minerals in your body in order to use them elsewhere. The reason for this is our bodies are amazingly efficient at preserving the resources we have. The downside to this is that the loss of the minerals means your jawbone is slowly shrinking. After ten years, you may have noticed that your dentures are slipping more than normal. In a few more years you’ll start having trouble keeping them in. This is facial collapse. I hope your dentist warned you about this before giving you dentures.

The good news is that there is a solution to facial collapse. What you will need is to have a bone grafting procedure done. This will build back up the bone structure that you’ve lost. Once that has healed, then you can start the dental implant procedure. Because this puts implants in your jawbone, it signals to your body that you still have teeth. As a result, it leaves the bone intact and you never have to worry about facial collapse again. You’ll need to give the implants time to integrate with the bone. This process is known as osseointegration. Once that is done, you can have dentures anchored to them. This is known as implant supported dentures, sometimes called implant overdentures.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.

Do I Wait to Have Wisdom Teeth Extracted?

August 15, 2024 by writeradmin

I am 26 years old and have impacted wisdom teeth. All four teeth are impacted but only two of them are bothering me. I’m having them extracted and am wondering about a couple of things. First, should I have all of them extracted at the same time or just the ones that are bothering me? Second, one of them has a root that goes past a nerve. The dentist suggested that we can either try extracting the whole root or leave part of the root so that we don’t go near the nerve. Is one better than another?

Kaylie

Dear Kaylie,

I am going to recommend you get all of the impacted wisdom teeth extracted at once. While the other two wisdom teeth are not bothering you now, they are impacted which means they are very likely to bother you in the future. What you don’t want is to wait until they do and then you have a dental emergency on your hands. There’s a very good reason to all of them now.

At the moment, you are at a good age for these extractions because the bone is still relatively pliable and you don’t have as much cementum built up on the roots of your teeth. Once you hit 30, your chances of complications double from a wisdom tooth extraction. They’ll double again about every five years after that. You are much safer getting them out now.

As for the root by the nerve, It is okay to leave the root, but tell him not to leave the whole root. Instead, he should just leave the tip. This way there is less chance your body will see it as a foreign object that needs to destroyed.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.
Click here to learn about sedation dentistry.

Down to Just Two Upper Teeth

July 31, 2024 by writeradmin

I am about to have three more teeth pulled which will put me down to just my two front teeth on my upper arch. I have almost all of my bottom teeth and they are healthy. Currently, I’m wearing two partial dentures up top, but I find them remarkably uncomfortable. I’ve talked to a couple of dentists and am getting mixed opinions on whether or not to extract my teeth and get full dentures for the top or to save those last two upper teeth. Right now, I’m so miserable with the partials that I take them out to eat and am pretty much just chewing on the front teeth. Do you have a tie breaking opinion?

Cath

Dear Cath,

I want you to bear in mind that I have not examined you. Everything I tell you is based just on my understanding of what you’ve written. In most cases, having your natural teeth is the goal and I would say to save every tooth possible. That being said, yours is a unique circumstance.

If you are just eating on those front teeth, the stresses on them will wear them out fairly quickly, even if they are healthy. Plus, your natural teeth are going to be much harder on your lower teeth than a well made denture.

Because you are talking about your upper teeth, you are in a much better position. With your lower teeth you would have to worry about bone resorption. This is because lower dentures rest on the ridge of your jawbone. The longer you are in dentures, the more bone resorption shrinks that bone. After ten to fifteen years, you would no longer have enough of your jawbone left to even retain your dentures. Dentists call this facial collapse.

The way to prevent that is by placing dental implants into your jawbone and securing the dentures to the implants. These implant retained dentures, sometimes referred to as implant overdentures, will preserve your jawbone.

Your upper teeth are held in by suction, and the bone resorption is not really an issue. In this particular case, I would say you are better off extracting those last two upper teeth and getting a full upper denture. You’ll be much more comfortable. I highly recommend you make every effort possible to save your lower teeth, though.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.

Why Does Novocain Not Work For Me?

July 19, 2024 by writeradmin

I don’t know if you have encountered someone with my situation before but I need some help. I realized I’ve been avoiding the dentist for the last year. The last few times I’ve been to the dentist I have had trouble getting numb. It started after an emergency appointment when I was in an accident and I need the dentist to move my tooth into place and splint it. Ever since then, Novocain just has not kept me numb for very long. Did the damage to my tooth do something that caused this? My dentist is at a loss.

Greta

Dear Greta,

I’m sorry this has happened to you. The good news is that there is a solution. Based on your description, it sounds like the accident led to you having a very traumatic dental appointment. When there is trauma at the dentist, it is very easy to be afraid at the next appointment.

Many dentists do not realize that there is a connection between dental anxiety and the ability to get numb. As your anxiety goes up, so does your metabolism. This has the effect of burning off your numbing medication so it loses its effectiveness. In your case, that is making it wear off more quickly than it used to.

The solution to this is to have a relaxant before your appointment. I would see a sedation dentist that offers this service. My suggestion is always to use the lowest form of sedation necessary. This is to interfere with your day as little as possible. We offer nitrous oxide. This is administered by a nose piece and you simply lay back and breathe. This relaxes you and give you a floaty feeling, which allows your numbing medication to be effective.

One of the biggest benefits of this method is that once your procedure is over, your dentist will switch the gas from nitrous to oxygen. Within just a few minutes you will be back to normal and able to get on with your day.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Yount and Murphree.
Click here to learn how we cater to patients with dental anxiety.