Lexington Cosmetic Dentist Archives - Page 2 of 7

Craigslist to Get Dental Sedation?

Posted on August 31, 2018 by writeradmin.

I’m in need of a tooth extraction which has weird roots. My dentist thinks it would be much better for me if I used something called oral conscious sedation. I’m kind of a baby with stuff like this anyway so I do like the idea of sedation. However, he said I need someone to take me to and from the appointment or there’s no deal. Please don’t think I’m pathetic for having to ask this. It’s hard enough asking it. I don’t live near family and I haven’t lived in this area long enough to really make any friends. I know some people, but not well enough to ask them to take me to and from a dental appointment, especially when I’ll be “loopy” as my dentist calls it. I can call an Uber but my dentist said they’ll have to wait there through my appointment. I don’t think I can get an Uber driver to do that. They may not be allowed to anyway. So, I’m thinking my best bet is to hire a “friend” on Craigslist. They’ll know up front they’re driving me to a dentist appointment, pretending they know me, and then driving me back. Do you think that will work? Is there something I need to be aware of that I’m not?

Helen

Dear Helen,

You’re not being pathetic. When you’re new in an area you don’t automatically have a support group. While I am going to discourage your Craigslist idea. After I explain why I’ll give you some recommended options. Just like with Uber, you won’t know the person who will be serving you.

Sedation dentistry is wonderful in giving you a pain-free and stress-free appointment but, you’ll be loopy. So loopy you’ll likely need someone to stay with you throughout the day. Are you sure you’d trust a stranger to be your caregiver all day? In your private home? In my opinion, it’s just too dangerous. You don’t know who the person really is.

Instead, I’m going to suggest you try a couple of things. First, I don’t know if you’re a member of a faith. If you attend church, even if you haven’t made any friends yet, usually they’re willing to help. You could speak to your priest, rabbi, or bishop and explain the situation. I’m sure he’d know a trustworthy woman in his congregation he’d trust to care for you that day. Even if you’re not a member, many congregations would be more than willing to help in your situation.

Another option is community services. Sometimes there are health charities that could provide a one-day caregiver for you. Some will even do it for free. These workers are screened and had background checks run on them before they’re hired, so it would be safer than Craigslist.

If neither of those options is available to you, check with your insurance to see if they’d cover medical assistance for the day.

The only thing I wouldn’t do is avoid getting the procedure done. If you leave an infected tooth, which needs to be extracted, you’ll not only end up with a dental emergency but could very well end up with a life-threatening infection.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

Knocked out Permanent Tooth

Posted on August 17, 2018 by writeradmin.

So…let’s say I’m a clutz and I knocked out a permanent tooth. I’ve already called my dentist and am on my way to try and save it. But, if he can’t, what do I do? I’d rather ask a cosmetic dentist because that seems like a cosmetic issue to me.

Tanya

Dear Tanya,

Knocked out a tooth? See an emergency denitst.

Wait? Are you saying you don’t want to look like a hockey player with a bad dental plan? I can’t imagine why not.

First, let me congratulate you on going to your dentist immediately. Time is of the essence when it comes to saving a permanent tooth which has been knocked out. Ideally, you’ll want to get to the emergency dentist within thirty minutes. Plus, be sure to keep the tooth moist and only hold it by the crown. Never mess with the root.

If the Emergency Dentist Can’t Save Your Tooth

The absolute best replacement would be to get a dental implant. It uses a prosthetic root to stand in for the lost tooth root and then has a porcelain crown attached to it to mimic the lost tooth. They’re permanent and function just like your natural teeth. You can eat what you want and brush as you normally would.

However, it is an advanced procedure which requires some post-doctoral training on the part of the dentist. So, be certain to ask them about their training and experience.

I also want to congratulate you for realizing you’ll need an experienced cosmetic dentist to give you a beautiful result. If you’re talking about replacing a single front tooth, then it’s even more imperative. Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you.

Ideally, you’d want to see an AACD accredited dentist. Those dentists who’ve reached accreditation level are the top cosmetic dentists in the world. They can recreate your tooth exactly.

If you desire, they can even custom design a complete smile makeover for you with porcelain veneers to match your new tooth. These can recreate anything you’d like to about your smile. They can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth all in one fell swoop.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

Porcelain Veneers and Teeth Grinding

Posted on July 26, 2018 by writeradmin.

I told my dentist I was ready to get porcelain veneers. I’ve been saving up for years. Now that I have enough, he tells me I’m not a good candidate because I grind my teeth. He said that’s bad for porcelain veneers and I should get crowns instead. I’m really disappointed. Is there any way around this? I don’t think crowns will be as pretty.

Karyn

Dear Karyn,

There are a few problems with what your dentist told you. Let’s address your teeth grinding first. It appears as if your dentist knows you grind your teeth but has taken no steps to protect you from the consequences. It’s not likely you could stop it on your own. Most people do it in their sleep and have zero knowledge of even doing it.

You’re in need of a mouth guard. The same damage he was saying would happen to your porcelain veneers is currently happening to your natural teeth. For that matter, it will also destroy the dental crowns, just like anything else.

Why Your Dentist is Saying No to Your Porcelain Veneers

My guess is your dentist doesn’t feel qualified to place porcelain veneers. He likely hasn’t done much (if any) of his continued education in cosmetic procedures. I wouldn’t recommend you do any form of a smile makeover with him, especially not porcelain crowns. First, you’d be grinding down healthy tooth structure. Second, he’ll probably do a horrible job. You’d have functional crowns but your smile won’t be the gorgeous smile you’re hoping for.

Even worse, what he’s suggesting is a full mouth reconstruction. it takes some advanced knowledge of how your bite fits together. If he doesn’t get it right, and he probably won’t, he could mess your bite up so horribly that you’re in pain for years with TMJ Disorder. You’d have to live with jaw pain, migraines, and sometimes you might not even be able to eat.

Finding the Right Dentist to Place Your Porcelain Veneers

What you need is to find an AACD accredited dentist. That’s different than membership. Those who reach accreditation have to pass stringent oral and written exams as well as demonstrate their artistry on a large number of cases they’ve personally performed. It’s not an easy achievement. They’re among the best cosmetic dentists in the country. They will give you an absolutely gorgeous smile. In fact, most of them have a beautiful smile guarantee.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold.

Dental Implant Disaster Leads to Dentist Jailed

Posted on July 11, 2018 by writeradmin.

I’m wondering how I can protect myself from a similar situation that I read in the news about a dentist jailed after giving a woman distastrous dental implants. I’ve been considering getting dental implants and now I’m having second thoughts. Is there a way to avoid getting a dentist like this?

Lucy

Dear Lucy,

I understand your concern. Truthfully, the news can be a frightening place sometimes. You’re probably talking about the Mansueto Case, a dentist practicing after he lost his license. He received four years in jail. To put your mind at ease, this was a very rare case and there were some major red flags. Though a victim is never to be blamed and this man must have been very charming and convincing, there are some awareness issues that could have prevented this.

Red Flag #1: Patients Came to His Home

A professional dentist doesn’t invite people to his home for their dental work. Even consultations would be done at the office.

Red Flag #2: He Took Patients Out of the Country

Somehow he convinced his patients to go over the border with him for treatment. In this case, it was Tijuana. My guess is he told them he could save them a ton of money doing it outside of U.S. borders because of all our regulations and high-end products. That is true. You can get cheaper dental care elsewhere and there is a whole dental tourism industry going on right now. But, the results are often disastrous, as was this case.

Mexico is one example. There are no sanitizing guidelines for dentists. It’s up to them to decide what procedures, if any, they take to sanitize their equipment between patients. We’ve heard of patients coming back from there with massive infections and cheap implanted teeth that just snap in half in a few months. Often, patients have zero recourse because it was all done out of the country.

Staying Safe with Dental Implants

Check your dentists credentials.

First, if you’re not familiar with the dentist, there is a website, put out by Illinois, to check a dentist’s licensing and whether there’s been any action taken against them, regardless of the state you’re in. Your state may have one as well, specific to local dentists.

Look for a “specialist”

I put specialist in quotations because there isn’t a recognized specialty in implantology. Instead, dentists have to put forth extra effort post-graduate to get the additional training and practice to become an expert in dental implants. Do not hesitate to ask them what training they have in dental implants, as well as the number of cases they’ve done and their success rate. That should be somewhere around 98%. If they balk at answering any of those questions, I’d move on.

Look at their implant cases

They should have a smile gallery of sorts which shows the cosmetic results of the procedures they’ve done. The last thing you want is a successful dental implant surgery with ugly implant crowns at the top. They need to be a skilled cosmetic dentist as well. For instance, Dr. Arnold is an accredited fellow with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. This means he’s one of the top cosmetic dentists in the world.

Trust your gut

If something seems off to you, go with that. Always follow your instincts when you are dealing with these type of situations.

I hope this helps put your mind at ease. This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold. Dr. Arnold offers online consultations for people who want to explore their treatment options before scheduling an appointment.

Can I Charge a Band for My Dental Emergency?

Posted on June 29, 2018 by writeradmin.

I was at a concert venue. The band started throwing things into the audience. Someone tried to catch it and elbowed me in the mouth. My mouth bled but I thought everything was fine. Today, the tooth feels a bit loose. It’s it’s probably a dental emergency but I don’t have much money. Can I charge the band for the appointment?

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

Pain Is a Sign of a Dental Emergency

I’m very sorry for the injury to your mouth. Yes, it will require an emergency dental appointment. Whenever there’s a traumatic injury to teeth, your dentist needs to make sure there’s no damage to the pulp, even if there are no visible signs of a problem. If it turns out that there was damage, a root canal treatment is usually done.

However, you’re experiencing signs of your tooth coming loose. You’ll want to have a dentist splint the tooth in some way to keep it stabilized while the ligaments heal. If you mess with it the ligaments can snap, which will lead to losing the tooth and needing an expensive tooth replacement option. That’s definitely NOT what you want.

Who Pays for Emergency Dental Appointments?

When it comes to who pays for your appointment, that’s less clear-cut. I’m not a lawyer, but it doesn’t sound to me like the band is the one responsible for your injury. More likely it was the person catching the item. However, even that could very likely have been a total accident.

If you know who the person is you can let them know what happened to your tooth and ask if they’d be willing to pay for the needed treatment. If they don’t agree and you feel strongly they’re responsible, you could take them to small claims court.

The dentist can only charge the person receiving the treatment unless someone agrees to absorb the charges. However, most dentists are compassionate, especially in the case of emergencies. If you’re worried about covering the costs, I’m sure they’d be willing to work out a payment plan for you.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold. Check out his smile gallery.

Porcelain Veneers Don’t Blend and Gums are Bleeding

Posted on June 14, 2018 by writeradmin.

I take good care of my teeth but I wasn’t born with a beautiful smile. I’d been saving up for YEARS to get porcelain veneers. I was thrilled when I could finally get them. My dentist gave me four across my front teeth. I do like them. They are much prettier than my natural teeth, but believe it or not that’s one of the two problems I’m having. I have a crazy wide smile. Now when I smile, I have these four gorgeous teeth and then the rest of my teeth which look like unloved stepchildren compared to my veneered teeth. Should he have made the veneers to blend in somehow with the other teeth? The second problem is my gums have started bleeding. I’m a fanatic about brushing and flossing. I even use a waterpick. Yet, when I went in for my last checkup, they said I’m developing gum disease. How can that happen if I’m taking care of my teeth the same way as I always have?

Carlee

Dear Carlee,

I can tell you the overarching problem here. The dentist who did your porcelain veneers isn’t very skilled. First, let’s start with the number of veneers he did. For narrow smiles, we’ll do six to eight porcelain. For wide smiles, like yours, you’d need two to four more. They’re not supposed to blend with your teeth, they’re supposed to improve them. He’s essentially given you two smiles—the pretty front teeth and the untreated rest. You’re going to feel self-conscious every time you smile with this makeover.

Additionally, he’s damaging your smile. That’s related to the second problem you mentioned. If you’re diligently brushing and flossing, including going the extra mile of using a water pick, there’s absolutely no reason you should be developing gum disease.

The more likely cause is he didn’t place the porcelain veneers flush against your teeth, the way he should. You’ve probably got what’s known as “bulky margains”, meaning your dentist left a mini shelf at the top. This allows particles of food and other bacteria causing enemies to get trapped there, leading to both decay and gum disease.

My suggestion is you ask for a refund and go to an expert cosmetic dentist to have this re-done properly.

Choosing a Cosmetic Dentist for Porcelain Veneers

There are different levels of skill and artistry in the cosmetic industry, just like there is in any artistic field. Now, you could draw up a list of cosmetic dentists in your area, review their credentials, and examine the results of cases they’ve done to determine who can give you a truly gorgeous smile, but that could take months of research.

Fortunately, knowing the dilemma patients face finding great cosmetic dentists, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) began an accreditation program. Here the candidates for accreditation will have to pass stringent oral and written exams, as well as demonstrate their artistry in a large number of varied cosmetic cases they’ve personally created. Essentially, they do all the work I mentioned above plus some. All you have to do is go to their website and search for accredited cosmetic dentists in your area.

Whoever you choose, make sure they have a beautiful smile guarantee so you’ll not end up in the same position you are in now.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold. Check out his smile gallery.

Three Surgeries…No Dental Implant

Posted on May 26, 2018 by writeradmin.

I lost a tooth and planned on getting a dental implant. My dentist has done the procedure many times with great success so I felt fairly confident. When he attempted the first surgery he realized I didn’t have enough bone structure. He told me I’d need some bone grafting done for it to be successful. I went ahead and had the bone grafting procedure done. Then we tried again for procedure number three. Yet, when he went in again the bone was still too thin. He said it seems like I may be a better candidate for a dental bridge. Is it the dentist failing or am I not a candidate?

Daphne

Dear Daphne,

As you see from the image above, your implant needs the surrounding bone to secure it. That’s why your dentist emphasized the need for the bone grafting. Truthfully, you probably could have had your dental implant if you’d had a dentist more experienced. You still can. Bear in mind, there is not a recognized specialty in implantology. Before we go into what type of dentist to look for, I want to address your current dentist.

I don’t want you to feel too negatively about it. It sounds to me like he has a lot of experience in placing dental implants, but is new to the bone grafting procedure. That’s okay. Every dentist is new at a procedure at some point. And you have a dentist who is consistently improving his knowledge and skill base. That’s a great quality in a medical practitioner.

You also have a dentist with integrity. Some dentists would have placed the dental implant following the bone grafting procedure even though it wasn’t ideal. Then, when your implant failed a few years down the road you’d have no idea why. His integrity prevented that.

Finding an Expert Dental Implant Provider

If you’re tired of dealing with this, a dental bridge is a perfectly acceptable solution to replacing a single tooth. However, if you have your heart set on getting an implant it is still possible. In your case, because you already know you need bone grafting, you will need to find a dentist not just skilled in placing implant, but also very practiced and successful in grafting.

Start by checking out their post-graduate implant training and any awards and fellowships they have in their field. Don’t hesitate to ask about their success rate in both implants and grafting. No truly experienced dentist would be offended by your questions. You don’t just let anyone perform surgery on you.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold.

Will Dentures Make My Smile Ugly?

Posted on May 14, 2018 by writeradmin.

My husband and I never went to the dentist. I don’t know why. It was just something we let slip in our early years of marriage and never got a clue that it would be important. My gums started bleeding. My husband suggested I see a dentist. I was a little embarrassed telling them I hadn’t been in many years. They were very nice, even though I’m sure they had to be judging me a bit. They said they can try to save my teeth but the gum disease is very advanced. They told me I’d need to come often for treatments to heal my gums. I asked what would happen if they couldn’t save them. They told me about both dental implants and dentures and something in between called implant dentures. Dentures were by far the cheapest. I told the dentist I think I’d prefer the dentures. He said they would cause me to have an ugly smile. Is that true? How?

Maycie

Dear Maycie,

I’m very sorry. This must be a distressing time for you. I can’t be positive what your dentist meant by an ugly smile, but I can think of two possibilities. One is cosmetic. The other medical. We’ll start with the cosmetic.

Dentures Can Be Beautiful

Depending on skill of the cosmetic dentist, your dentures can be made to look as stunning as a celebrity’s smile. You’ll want to make sure the dentist who does them has the right training and artistry. If at all possible look for a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited cosmetic dentists have passed both oral and written examinations on their technical knowledge. Additionally, they’ve had to demonstrate their artistry with a series of cases they’ve done themselves. So, if he’s saying you can’t get a beautiful smile with dentures. What he’s actually saying is you can’t get a beautiful smile which he does with dentures.

Dentures Carry the Risk of Facial Collapse

When your teeth are removed, your body begins to reabsorb the minerals in your jawbone. After about ten or more years you don’t have enough of a jawbone left to retain your dentures. This condition is known as “Facial Collapse”. Even if you tried to build a new denture, it wouldn’t stay. This is what often gives older people the crushed in look on their mouth and jaw. It’s also why they have trouble keeping their dentures in their mouth.

Either of those could be what he meant by an “ugly smile”.

Yes, dentures are the least expensive. but depending on your age they could be devastating to your jaw and health. Once you can’t wear a denture anymore it will be quite challenging to eat. The best solution is to get dental implants. They’re expensive, but you could start with as few as two implants which attach to your dentures and get more as you’re able. It’s better than nothing. Obviously, the more implants you have, the better for your jaw.

This blog is brought to you by Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

Is there Insurance Which Covers Dental Sedation?

Posted on April 21, 2018 by writeradmin.

My best friend and I both hate going to the dentist, but recently she’s started using dental sedation and said it changed her life. It sounds like something which could really help me. The thing is, my dental insurance doesn’t seem to cover sedation. My friend has a slightly more giving budget than I do. Is there a dental insurance which covers sedations?

Carolyn

Dear Carolyn,

While dentists realize how important dental sedation is for patients to get the needed dental care available to them. Unfortunately, most insurance companies still don’t realize it would actually help their business along with their customers if they offered at least some coverage on the procedure. I will say there are a few who offer such coverage, but so far, they are likely to be cost prohibitive for you. But, I don’t know your budget, so it may be worth looking into.

Based on what you said above, it sounds like sedation may be just the thing for you. Some patients, with severe anxiety, use it for everything from cleanings and checkups to more intensive procedures such as getting a dental crown or a tooth extraction. Now, instead of anxiety at the dentist they use it as naptime. It’s a simple pill and your life seems a whole lot better.

Worried You Can’t Afford Dental Sedation?

If you’re concerned that sedation is out of your budget, all you need is an understanding dentist. Most dentists who offer sedation are compassionate and understand both the physical and financial anxiety that comes with dental care. They’ll work within your limits. There are two ways to do that:

Timed/Phased Treatment

One way to do that is to space out your treatments so you can get the care you need on your budget’s timetable. There’s a benefit to sedation even in this. You can get more work done in one sitting because you’re so relaxed. That means fewer visits for you.

Care Credit

Another option is Care Credit. It’s medical credit, allowing you to get whatever treatment you want and pay it out a little bit at a time. It’s different than consumer credit in that you can pick your terms. Depending on your credit, you can even get 0% interest. There’s also no fee for early pay off if your financial circumstances change.

This seems to be most useful for cost intensive procedures such as dental implants. The good thing about regular dental care is that it helps prevent needing the more expensive procedures. It can’t prevent them 100% but it gives you a much better chance.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold.

I Think the Dentist Misdiagnosed Me

Posted on April 7, 2018 by writeradmin.

I had a cavity which I already knew about. My old dentist told me about it but I decided I didn’t like her. She wasn’t very compassionate and I grew tired of her pressure tactics. So, I decided to switch dentists. I kept meaning to take care of it but other things would get in the way. Then my tooth seemed to suddenly get worse. I went to an emergency dentist. I did call ahead of time and let them know what was wrong. For some reason, I thought that meant they’d leave time to fix it. But, when I got there, he seemed in a huge rush. I realize it was the end of the day, but I did give them a heads up for what I needed. He knocked the teeth around a bit and told me the wrong tooth needed a filling. When I reminded him it was the tooth next to it he just peeked and said, “Yeah. That one too.” He then told me to come back tomorrow for the fillings, but I was in so much pain I refused to leave. He sighed but did give me the fillings. I left thinking things would get better, but they didn’t. I’m still in pain. Did he misdiagnose me?

Caitlyn.

Dear Caitlyn,

I’m sorry you’re in so much pain. There are few pains as distracting as tooth pain. You’re right that he did seem rushed and it concerns me that he missed one of the cavities in his examination. You didn’t hint that he did any x-rays. That should be a standard part of the examination. If he took x-rays, a tooth infection should have been pretty obvious. I’d be surprised if he missed that. However, if he was so rushed that he skipped the x-ray then he could very likely have missed an infection.

If that’s the case, you’ll need further treatment. Fillings aren’t enough to take care of the infection if there is one. A dentist has to physically go in to remove the infected pulp.

If he did do x-rays and there wasn’t an infection, it could be that he rushed your dental fillings. When a dental filling isn’t done correctly it could cause pain.

Before You End Up with a Second Dental Emergency…

I think it’s important you get a second opinion. If there’s an infection lingering underneath your dental fillings, it will spread. Before you know it, you’ll be in even more pain and needing another emergency dentist.

Most people don’t realize this. It sounds ridiculous in 2018 but people still die from tooth infections. The reason for that is the proximity of your jaw to your heart and brain. Tooth infections spread. If they happen to make it to your heart or brain, things can get life-threatening very quickly. In your place, I’d be rather proactive about this.

You’re looking for a new dentist anyway. It’s obvious your first emergency dentist wasn’t a good option for you, so getting your second opinion serves a dual purpose: taking care of the pain your in while giving you an opportunity to evaluate another dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold.

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