Answers

So, you had a core build up...and a Crown, right? I would say that you need to go back to your dentist to get you out of pain. It is very possible that the nerve in your tooth has had enough and needs to be treated. You may need root canal therapy, or a root canal. Please see them as soon as possible. And if you are getting a new crown, you want to do this before they place the new crown on your tooth. LDH

Also, orajel will not help and Tylenol will only be temporary relief. The source of the pain will not be removed until you see your dentist and possibly and Endodontist for further treatment. LDH

Contact a dentist right away. Even if the abscess isn\'t bothering you it still needs to be treated. If it is left alone, it can potentially cause more problems with your entire body as well as the teeth around it.

Also, know that when you have an abscess, the infection is \"eating away\" at the bone around that tooth. You are losing bone when you have an abscess. And, if not treated, it can lead to losing bone around the teeth beside it as well. A root canal is needed and antibiotic as well. Please see your dentist immediately or go to the Find-a-Dentist search on this site. LDH

It is never too late to see your dentist. If you have no damage to a tooth or teeth then it is never too late to save them with preventative measure. If you have teeth that are damaged to the point of no restoration then the tooth/teeth can be removed and replaced by bridges, implants, partial dentures or dentures. Many think they need serious work and it isn\'t always as bad as it seems. The most important thing is that you get to a dentist, find out what needs to be done, talk to them about finances and a good game plan on how to do it, which is priority over this or that and just GET STARTED. Even if it takes 2 years to complete everything, just get started. If something just needs a filling now....then eventually it will need a root canal and crown and the price difference in in the thousands not just hundreds. So, you can save yourself a lot of money by getting a thorough exam done as soon as possible. Hope this helps. LDH

You could have many many problems and not know it. You can have decay/cavities that you don\'t feel because the decay hasn\'t reached the nerve yet...or the nerve in the tooth has died and is a source of infection. You could have moderate to severe gum disease and definitely not know it. If you are a smoker, you will not bleed much therefore won\'t be able to see that one sign that many others do see. Please get to a dentist as soon as possible. LDH

Well, it really just depends on how long it takes for your teeth to drift so close together that they can no longer do a bridge. Teeth begin to move immediately. This is a slow process yet all the sudden it is too small of a space to fit a bridge. I wouldn\'t wait any long than 1 year if it was my teeth. LDH

Veneers would certainly be beautiful! Veneers are more aggressive in regards to removing tooth structure and could be more expensive depending on how many you are needing to correct your smile. The risk for veneer can be simply that they would need to be replaced over the years due to color changes in teeth or recession of the gums. Also, being mindful that drinking red wine and/or coffee regularly can cause staining. You would also want to be careful biting directly into an apple or anything hard. On the other hand, orthodontics can be a longer procedure and appearance of brackets and wires can be a hinderance to this type of treatment. Also, with orthodontics, know that the lateral incisors are more prone to revert back to their original position before treatment if one is not compliant with wearing retainers after treatment. Your concern for the root being twisted is not a risk when doing veneers and crowns so this should not be a concern for you when considering that type of treatment. The main concern with any treatment is that your bite is correct and teeth are not hitting end to end in the anterior and you can bite into food correctly. Hope this helps with your treatment decisions. Dentist in Indianapolis

Generally, everyone must see the dentist at least 2 times per year for your exam, cleaning and radiographs/x-rays. However, some people may need to go see their dentist up to 4 times per year. LDH

In most cases a smokers can use whitening products just fine. They might not receive the best results, however, a small change in color could be noticed. You may have to touch up more often than a non-smoker. FYI, sensitivity can occur in teeth and/or gums when whitening and if stopped for a day or two, it will subside. If you have any other problems a dentist should be consulted. LDH

I found out that there is a Dr. Baddell in Plymouth that does discounted dental work. My cousin told me that...you might want to check him out. Still doing more research to find more.

I am in the process of looking up this information in your area. I was told by a dentist in your area to contact a place called Compassion Care Clinic in Rochester to see if they know of anyone that can help. I haven\'t contacted them myself yet. There are clinics out there but how close they are to Rochester, I\'m not sure yet. Try that clinic and I am still searching. Thank You! In the meantime, brush 2 times a day and floss floss floss and use mouthwash. ProHealth products have the ability to stain. Use Listerine daily or Scope or whichever you prefer. But, floss floss floss. LDH

No. You are not too old for braces. Contact an orthodontist for a consultation every case is different! ~LDH

Yes, it is very possible to have an abscess at the tip of only one root of a single tooth, especially if there is a 10mm pocket. If you were told you have a periodontal abscess and you have a 10mm pocket, yes it is necessary to have the tooth taken out or go see a Periodontist to see if there is something they can do to save the tooth. Saving the tooth is the best option, always. They may be able to do a surgical procedure to save it, however many times a perio abscess does not have a good prognosis. Unfortunately most dental problems are asymptomatic and therefore the general public has a hard time believing they have a problem because they don\'t \"feel\" anything. Even a cavity sometimes cannot be felt until it reaches the nerve and is at its most expensive cost with a root canal and crown. It is good that there is no mobility on your tooth, maybe a surgical procedure can be done to save it. I would suggest going to a Periodontist that specializes in those problems and get a couple opinions if necessary. LDH

If you do not have any insurance it just depends on the surfaces involved or how big it is. Anywhere between $100-$250 would be a good guess for you at this time. LDH

Could you be more specific with your question...what color? Is it bluish black in color? Red? I am assuming that this is bluish black in color and if so then do the teeth next to that area have silver fillings? If these teeth have silver fillings and the area is bluish black in color then it is called an \"amalgam stain\" and it is fine. Amalgam is the name of that type of filling and this is common. Please clarify and repost your zip code correctly as I can notify a dentist in your area for your convenience. Thanks! LDH

You are very likely grinding or clenching your teeth at night while you sleep. Your jaw then feels really tired and sore when you wake up. You would need to see a dentist to have an evaluation and most likely create a nightguard for you to wear at night. This will protect your teeth from cracking and breaking. However, it will not stop you from grinding or clenching. LDH

No, it is not possible to floss too much. However, it is possible that in frequent flossing you can be too hard on your gums. As long as you are not pushing the floss down on your gums and causing them to bleed then you should be fine. Flossing should not hurt if you are doing it correctly. Wrap the floss around the tooth, \"huggin\" \"c-shape\" and go up and down that tooth under the gum line. Come out from under the gum and wrap the floss around the adjacent tooth and floss. Be sure to ask your dental hygienist the next time you see him/her to be sure you are flossing correctly. LDH

Thank you for your question. It is important for you to do what you are doing to prevent decay. Sounds like you are doing a lot of the right things to prevent problems. You could also use a Rx strength fluoride called Prevident. You can get that from your dentist. Unfortunately some people are more prone to decay. See your dentist regularly so they can catch decay while it is small and therefore have smaller fillings, saving tooth structure. LDH

The amount of pain individuals feel varies from person to person. You might be overly sensitive or not sensitive at all, therefore it is hard to say whether they \"hurt\" or not. A \"cracked tooth\" doesn\'t necessarily need a root canal and a crown unless a dentist examined the tooth and recommended the proceedures. Crowns are sometimes necessary after root canals; it depends on why you need a root canal, how much decay is on the tooth, and things of that nature. ~LDH

Yes it is bad. It can cause your gums to receed away from your teeth and the root will be exposed and cause sensitivity. Please use a soft toothbrush. LDH

Hello! Generally when someone has popping, and many people do, without pain...you can call this normal. I would not worry about this popping unless your jaw is locking up or causing discomfort. Honestly, I wouldn\\\'t even call it TMD. However, at your next dentist appointment I do recommend you mention it to your dentist. LDH

Having not been to the dentist in years is not lucky. You could potentially have lots of things wrong and not know it. Gum disease can have a very slow progression without having uncomfortable symptoms; tooth decay can also be like that. While the fluoride in drinking water can help against decay; the diet of the typical American can erase all the good it can do. We eat too many refined sugars and junk. Eat right and visit the dentist to keep your mouth and body healthy.

I personally like to have them use Captek under my ceramic crowns. Captek is Gold. I do this for a couple reasons...sometimes silver metal can cause a silver stain on the gums. Second, gold is a noble metal and it looks nicer if it is going to show up along the gumline. I usually do a porcelain butt margin as well so you don\'t see the metal. LDH

Hello, thank you for your question. Yes, unfortunately corporations do go through staff frequently. You would think they would do things differently, however, sometimes the Dentist decides to move on to their own practice, or truthfully, they are not producing enough and they have a better fit for that office. I know the frustration first hand. You can always seek a private practice if you would like, however there are pros and cons as with any decision. Quacks? No! I wouldn\'t agree with that at all. Unfortunately corporation dentistry is high turnover. Your options are to ask about the dentist there currently. Ask the Dentist his/herself, they will be glad to tell you about themselves. See if it is a good match for you. If you don\'t think so you can find a private practice dentist that is secure in his/her own location. Please come back if you have more questions and leave your email address and you can be contacted by a dental professional if you would like. You personal information is hidden from public view.

The better whitening system is a professional one that you get from your dental office. Over the counter whitening systems are limited to their strength as well as they usually just get the front 6 teeth white and not the rest the teeth in your smile line. Most \\\"take home\\\" whitening systems you get from a dental office will whiten your teeth very well. There are also \\\"in-office\\\" whitening systems at your dental office such as Britesmile and Zoom and these work very well, also. In most offices, you get the custom trays and whitening gel \\\"take home system\\\" with your \\\"in-office\\\" whitening package. There is only one whitening system that I have seen that does not work very well and that is the new \\\"in-office\\\" system that does not use a light, which is not widely popular anyway. I am confident that if you go to any dental office and ask for their whitening options, you will get the great results. LDH

It it possible you are experiencing an infection in the nerve of the tooth. When it swells this normally indicates that your body is trying to release pus and other products produced from the infection. You should see a dentist as soon as you possibly can. If the tooth can be saved, you will need to have a root canal to remove the infected nerve then the tooth will need to be rebuilt (core build-up) and then a crown placed over the build-up (cap). Depending upon the extent of the decay/infection the tooth may be non-restorable (beyond repairing) and would then need to be extracted (taken out). You would then need to replace the missing tooth and have several options for this condition. LDH