Archive for the ‘Experts Answers’ Category

Is it necessary to make an opening in my permanent dental crown in order to perform a root canal?

Thursday, January 17th, 2013
Q.
Hello I recently had a permanent crown fitted after having a temporary crown for 18 months whilst I was wearing braces, towards the end of my brace wearing this tooth was sensitive to cold and sweet things and had a smell coming from it when I was flossing. I told my dentist this before he was putting on permanent crown but he said all was ok and put permanent crown on which was a emax crown and very expensive! since then (4 weeks) the tooth is still sensitive and if I eat on it with hardish food its triggers toothache, he is reluctant to give me root canal and is sure it will settle in time but i am having episodes of a dull toothache and just dont know what to do, he also wants to drill through my new crown if I decide to get the root canal, I would appreciate your thoughts of this situation as I am losing trust in my dentist
A.
Unfortunately this does occur sometimes with teeth. Teeth can be unpredictable. Your doctor is trying to be conservative and wants to give the tooth a chance to see if it will get better. Continue to discuss with your doctor what is happening. If you do need a root canal it is common to make a small opening in the crown to treat it. Once complete the doctor can seal the oeping closed without complication and the Emax crown will be fine. Dr. Lemongello
dr lerner & dr lemongello

Dr Lerner & Dr Lemongello

Lerner & Lemongello
5602 PGA Blvd, Suite 201, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida FL 33418
Web: www.lernerlemongello.com Tel: (561) 627 9000

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Is it possible to remove my remaining teeth and get a full set of dentures implanted?

Friday, January 11th, 2013
Q.
I only have 5 teeth in the upper mouth and six teeth in the bottom. I have partial dentures in both upper and lower jaw. The dentures do not fit very well. It is hard trying to keep them in place. Is it possibe to have all my teeth removed and have a full set of dentures implanted? If this can be done, how long would it take and how much would it cost? It is geting very diffulcult to eat, and my mouth is quite painful. Is there any kind of help that I can get do to solve this problem. I am getting very desperate. Please advise me on what to do. Thank you.
A.
There are a number of options. If your remaining teeth are healty you can save them and have implants placed where you are missing teeth. Depending on your budget you could have teeth made and no longer need the partial. If expense is an issue, you could have a partial made to connect to the implants to hold them in. You could also have all your teeth removed and dentures held by implants. Usually this type of treatment will take 3-6 months depending on the number of implants and healing. The cost will vary based on what you choose. Consult with a dentist on what option is best for you and associated cost. Dr. Lemongello
dr lerner & dr lemongello

Dr Lerner & Dr Lemongello

Lerner & Lemongello
5602 PGA Blvd, Suite 201, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida FL 33418
Web: www.lernerlemongello.com Tel: (561) 627 9000

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My root canalled tooth is causing me pain but the dentist can find no sign of infection. How should I proceed?

Wednesday, December 19th, 2012
Q.
Hello. I had a root canal done some time ago and just recently that tooth acted up again. The real discomfort was really in the upper gum area above the tooth. I found the tenderness when I was washing my cheek area and felt pain and pressure. The dentist took xrays and could find NO signs of infection or problems. He sent me to a specialist dentist who re- opned the root canal and cleaned more. I have been on clindamycin and now amoxicillin for about 3 weeks to 1 month and the tenderness and pain is still felt in the lower cheek area. I am now going to see an oral surgeon. I am not sure why they see no infection to this date- will the oral surgeon be able to help me?? What do you think is going on and how should I proceed. Thanks so much for your help with this matter. I truly appreciate it.
A.
Root canals can become re-infected and require re-treatment. If you were developing symptoms re-treatment is the first step. This type of re-infection is very difficult and sometimes not possible to detect for many months on an x-ray. Once that is complete, if you are still having symptoms and no apparent infection is present there could be a fracture in the tooth that is undetectable. See the oral surgeon and see if they can determine the problem. I suspect the tooth has a fracture that cannot be identified. If the symptoms persist you may need the tooth removed and a dental implant placed to replace the tooth. Dr. Lemongello
dr lerner & dr lemongello

Dr Lerner & Dr Lemongello

Lerner & Lemongello
5602 PGA Blvd, Suite 201, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida FL 33418
Web: www.lernerlemongello.com Tel: (561) 627 9000

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What treatment would you recommend for my teeth that are stained and badly damaged?

Wednesday, December 19th, 2012
Q.
Hi doctor Lerner and doctor Lemongello, I have been a heavy smoker and a heavy coffee drinker, and I drink black coffee at that, for years! I have a really bad habit of grinding my teeth together. My teeth have severely suffered for this neglect and unfortunately are terribly discoloured , stained and badly damaged. with chips and cracks. I do brush and I always make sure that that I do it twice a day and floss between meals. But its not enough. I’ve tried so many whitening toothpastes but nothing is nearly as effective as it needs to be. So I want to know what your expert opinion would suggest and what treatments you would recommend for a patient in my condition?
Thank you and I look forward to hearing your advice and response
A.
The condition you describe is one that whitening products will not improve. Even if they did make your teeth whiter that would not address the wear, damage and chipping. My impression is you need some form of restorative dentistry to repair the wear, damage and chipping as well as improve your bite . This may involve crowns, veneer, or combination of both. You will have to treat enough teeth to correct any bite problems and will need to commit to wearing a night guard to protect your teeth from additional destruction. You can find examples of this type of treatment by visiting our website www.lernerlemongello.com. Dr. Lemongello
dr lerner & dr lemongello

Dr Lerner & Dr Lemongello

Lerner & Lemongello
5602 PGA Blvd, Suite 201, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida FL 33418
Web: www.lernerlemongello.com Tel: (561) 627 9000

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I am worried food will get trapped under my new dental bridge. Can you advise?

Monday, December 10th, 2012
Q.
I had a bridge replaced by a dentist who did not discuss with me what material he would use. To my shocked eyes he used porcelain for he front & back capped teeth but for the tooth missing he used porcelain on the front and then gold mixed with other precious metals for the bottom and back side of the tooth. I’m told by him that the tooth would be stronger. Now I assumed he was replacing the 3 teeth involved with porcelain which is what I had before. One of the caps had a cavity so therefore the whole bridge had to be replaced. The location is in the back on the upper left hand side. Now on the cheek side my gums have pulled away from the tooth and I gave a food trap there now. He says my gums pulls away from metal. However I didn’t have this problem with the bridge he replaced. What would your suggestion be? I’m not happy with having a place where food can now be trapped. I’m concerned about decay and after spending nearly $3,000 with him I’m not happy..
A.
The bridge will be strong with the metal and as long as you can’t see it the metal should not be an issue. The space that has developed or was there when the bridge was made could be an issue as you discussed. Catching food will only lead to further problems. The bridge may have to be replaced again to close the space where the food is catching. I would discuss this situation with the edntist and find a resolution. Dr. Lemongello
dr lerner & dr lemongello

Dr Lerner & Dr Lemongello

Lerner & Lemongello
5602 PGA Blvd, Suite 201, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida FL 33418
Web: www.lernerlemongello.com Tel: (561) 627 9000

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Will the forces of the Inman aligner cause any damage to my teeth?

Thursday, December 6th, 2012
Q.
I hope you are having a good day, and that you can help me. I have been looking into the Inman aligner and am a little bit nervous about the actual forces being used on my teeth. Pushing and pulling seem quite extreme; can it cause any lasting damage? My problem involves gaps between my teeth and I guess would need a bit of force to restore my smile but I just wanted to make sure that I wasn’t letting myself get into any future damage. I am in excellent oral health and have a thorough daily routine for maintaining the health of teeth, so I wouldn’t worry about that affecting my teeth Thank you very much for your time and any help you can give.
A.
The forces generated by the Inman aligner or any other form of orthodontic appliances will not create force that will harm your teeth and will be safe for use by a certifed professional dental practitioner. Dr. Lemongello
dr lerner & dr lemongello

Dr Lerner & Dr Lemongello

Lerner & Lemongello
5602 PGA Blvd, Suite 201, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida FL 33418
Web: www.lernerlemongello.com Tel: (561) 627 9000

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Can I get my broken tooth taken out and replaced by implants and also get dental braces?

Monday, November 26th, 2012
Q.
Hello there. I have broken, crooked teeth and I was looking into having the broken teeth taken out and after that having dental implants and then braces to straighten out my crooked teeth if possible. Do you think this would be something that I could possibly undergo for treatment? My teeth are broken due to an accident, where I fell on my face and doesn’t have anything to do with gum disease or tooth decay or anything like that like I’m sure is the case with many other cases. Do you think I would be good to have these two treatments together? Thank you for your time and advice
A.
Thank you for your question. Implants are a great solution to replace your broken teeth if they cannot be saved and braces are good to straighten your teeth as well. Both of these treatments can be performed at the same time. Consult with a dentist to discuss how to get started. Dr. Lemongello
dr lerner & dr lemongello

Dr Lerner & Dr Lemongello

Lerner & Lemongello
5602 PGA Blvd, Suite 201, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida FL 33418
Web: www.lernerlemongello.com Tel: (561) 627 9000

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I would like to replace my missing teeth with dental implants. What cost can I expect to pay?

Thursday, November 22nd, 2012
Q.
i would like replace all of my teeth with dental implants as I am missing several teeth but I need to know if this will be a good route to go down. ALso please keep in mind that I am on a fixed income and budget and this will obviously affect my suitability for treatment. What would it normally cost to get dental implants? How would I be able to find out the specific price for my case as I know it’s not a set price for everyone? Hope you can help.
A.
The cost to replace your teeth with implants will vary greatly based on your health and what you would like to accomplish. This type of treatment can range from placing a few implants to hold dentures or a full compliment of teeth with 16 to 20 implants. Based on this, treatment cost will vary from a few thousand to a significantly larger amount. Consult with a dentist to decide your best option. Dr. Lemongello
dr lerner & dr lemongello

Dr Lerner & Dr Lemongello

Lerner & Lemongello
5602 PGA Blvd, Suite 201, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida FL 33418
Web: www.lernerlemongello.com Tel: (561) 627 9000

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I’m getting new dentures because the last set were terrible. Will this time be better?

Friday, November 2nd, 2012
Q.
Hi; Suffice it to say, due to perodontal disease, I had all of my remaining teeth extracted between 9-3-12 and 9-6-12. I opted for dentures to start with and see how that went. The uppers impressions were taken the first ’round’, after all of the loose front teeth were pulled. 9-6 the rest were extracted. The dental impression of my bottoms and resulting dentures were worse then the top, they never fit, I wore them about 7 hrs. in over a month of time. I couldn’t wear them even if they threaten my life! After a new dental assistant was assigned to me, after month of trying to fit them, they finally got to see that they were made irregular! After a half dozen visits later! Now they are making me new dentures, and they’re going through all of the motions that they didn’t the first time around and I have at least 2 more visits to get the new ones right! Is this common and normal procedure? I’m a little peeved that they didn’t do what they are doing now in the first place!
A.
The experience with your denture fitting is normal. The first set of dentures were and “immediate” set Impressions are made while some teeth still remain and an immediate denture is made with the best prediction as to how the jaw will heal. This set often needs additional modification after healing occurs. Sometimes it doesn’t need much modification. An immediate denture is made in 2 appointments. If there are problems with the immediate set than another set is made. This time the jaw is healed and there are no teeth in the way or in the wrong place so impressions are made and a series of steps and appointments occur to insure the best fit. This is the process you are experiencing now and the dentures will have their best fit. The lower denture will always fit poorly now matter how “perfect” it is made. That is a consequence of bone and your tongue always moving around to dislodge the denture. Dr. Lemongello
dr lerner & dr lemongello

Dr Lerner & Dr Lemongello

Lerner & Lemongello
5602 PGA Blvd, Suite 201, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida FL 33418
Web: www.lernerlemongello.com Tel: (561) 627 9000

View My Profile Dr Lerner & Dr Lemongello


How can I treat the gaps in my teeth?

Friday, October 19th, 2012
Q.
Hello Doctors,
I have two gaps in my upper teeth and have been told that I have a number of options in order to get rid of them. I could have braces to move my teeth so the gaps close but I would rather not have braces, or veneers or bonding. The gaps are about half a centimetre long and I was wondering what advice you would be able to give me about treating the gaps. I would like something as hassle free as possible where I don’t have to have lots of dental appointments and something that will last a good few years and will not interrupt my daily routine. Any help or advice that you may have would be very much appreciated. Thanks
A.
The 3 options presented to you, braces, veneers and bonding are all good options. Braces may be the ideal treatmenmt but will take time. Veneers or bonding can be achieved in a very short time. Both veneers and bond will involve placing either porcelain or composite on your teeth. Porcelain will last longer than composite. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of treatment with your dentist to decide which option is best for you. Dr. Lemongello
dr lerner & dr lemongello

Dr Lerner & Dr Lemongello

Lerner & Lemongello
5602 PGA Blvd, Suite 201, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida FL 33418
Web: www.lernerlemongello.com Tel: (561) 627 9000

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