I’m a Bad Boy

Q: When it comes to teeth, I’m a bad boy. I think it stems from the fact that I have a tremendous gag reflex. I mean, when a dentist gets his mirror or other tools past my front teeth, I lose my lunch. Really, I can’t have anybody put something in my mouth. Funny thing, it doesn’t affect my eating but if I start getting into my mouth with a toothbrush and touch my tongue, look out baby, I can heave lunch farther than an Olympian can put the shot. You can see where I’m going with this – I’m not a rigorous teeth brusher and flosser so it’s not surprising that decay has followed me around like a pick pocket in Paris. The problem is that I don’t like going to the dentist because it’s always bad news. Having said that, I’m being a bit disingenuous because thirty years ago I found a dentist that could put me to sleep and do any dentistry; it’s always a big bill. I’ve had it all: root canals, crowns, bridges, implants, you name it. And now the confession – I haven’t seen the dentist for a number of years and about three weeks ago I was eating and busted a big bridge on the lower right side. It had held up for about twenty-five years so for me, that’s good – but what to do now? The bridge was hooked to my lower wisdom tooth and then went clear up to my eye tooth where it was secured by two teeth there. Well, it broke to the gum line because of decay. Even though I don’t have pain, I’ve got nothing to chew on. And I’ve got a bridge just like it on the other side. I can chew alright but the right side feels like a big hole. I saw the dentist and he said the wisdom tooth and one of the front retaining teeth had to come out. What’s the best solution? The doc said my bone wasn’t good between the wisdom and the front retaining teeth. Last thing, I’m cheap.

A: Your choices are really only two, given that anything foreign in your mouth nauseates you. You can fix the right side to a certain extent by using a front tooth or two and the eye tooth as anchors. The bicuspid behind the eye tooth can be removed and an implant placed. Once it has healed, a bridge can be placed to give you function. The bridge will be shorter but functional. The second solution is to have your lower teeth out, place implants, and have teeth placed the very same day. In the end, decay is no longer a problem. This will give you superb chewing ability. As far as cheap goes, it usually amounts to putting some of your disposable funds into yourself. Keep yourself healthy – first rule of life.

If we can help, we’d like to. Call 778-410-2080 for a consultation or visit us today.

Based on actual patient cases

© Calvin Ross Crapo

Victoria Implant Centre 778-410-2080

www.VictoriaImplantCentre.com

What A Headache

Q: I have excellent health, at least I did until about eighteen months ago. I saw a dentist for some dental work and had two crowns done then another dentist and he did three more crowns. They were to hold together teeth breaking down. I thought after having them done that I could now forget my teeth as everything was fixed. However, I began noticing something that became constant after the crowns had been placed. I began having headaches and jaw ache. That’s the only way I can describe it. I went back to the second dentist and he said it looked like I needed all my crowns on the back teeth redone- they weren’t sitting quite right is what I made of it. I went to the first dentist and he said something similar after I told him what the second dentist said. This was perplexing and frustrating. Finally, I saw a third dentist who took all kinds of records and molds after I told him my plight. He had me come back with my husband and told us that the posterior tooth could be an instigation of my problem- but the muscular pain in my jaw as he put it was because my front teeth did not mesh properly and the back teeth were forced to do that work of the front teeth. I didn’t know anything about that but I’ve got TMJ and I don’t know how to get rid of it. Is it my front or back teeth?

A: It is possible for work done on posterior teeth, whether crowns or fillings to upset the established balance one’s joints and muscles are accustomed to. This may even happen if the bite feels fine when the dentist asks you to bite together to ensure comfort. There are many reasons for this but for simplicity’s sake it seems that our muscles and joints can detect very fine differences when teeth are modified and this can be “the mole hill that becomes a mountain.” TMJ symptoms fall into two large categories. The first category is the joint itself the second deals with the muscles surrounding the joint. From your description, it sounds like your situation falls into the muscle category. This category is the easiest to treat but tooth relationships make the whole difference. The front teeth are the steering mechanism of the whole chewing apparatus. When significant dental work is done in adults it is imperative that the front teeth are guiding all the chewing and grinding movements. Front teeth are built to cut, rip and tear, posterior teeth are not. When back teeth are asked, by new dental work, to carry the function of the front teeth the whole chewing mechanism can be thrown off and produce the symptoms you describe. In comprehensive dental restoration/reconstruction everything starts with the front teeth.

If we can help, we’d like to. Call 778-410-2080 for a consultation or visit us today. Based on actual patient cases © Calvin Ross Crapo Victoria Implant Centre 778-410-2080 www.VictoriaImplantCentre.com