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Archives for April 2019

Wisdom Tooth Touching Nerve

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I have an impacted wisdom tooth. I keep getting food caught in it. I want to get it removed, but when my dentist did an x-ray he said it is touching a nerve. Is is still okay for me to have this removed?

Lisa

Dear Lisa,

illustration of four impacted wisdom teeth

I’m glad you wrote. Did your dentist mention a CT scan? This would be important in that case, allowing your dentist to have a 3-Dimensional image so he can know the exact placement of everything.

An experienced oral surgeon can do this without severing the nerve. There is never a guarantee there won’t be some damage, even in the ideal cases. Your surgeon can give you a percentage of the risk after he sees the scan results. They won’t underestimate the risk, so you can feel pretty confident with what they say.

The key will be to not put pressure on the nerve as he is removing the tooth.

It will be important to get this wisdom tooth extracted if at all possible. If it is trapping food, you are at a greater risk for bacteria thriving leading to decay. It’s possible you could end up with a dental emergency.

Then you won’t have as much choice as to who removes the infected tooth. Even today, people still die from tooth infections. The reason for that is people underestimate how quickly these infections can spread.

Add to that how close your jaw is to your heart and brain, you can see how these can turn life threatening rapidly.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Pain with Composite Filling

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I think I’ve asked my dentist to do something he wasn’t ready for. I needed a filling and really wanted a white filling. He reluctantly agreed. I will admit I pressured him. Here’s what is going on. When I clench my teeth, everything is fine. But, when I bite something crunchy I get this zing of pain. My dentist has no idea what’s going on. Have you heard of this?

Acelyn

Dear Acelyn,

Amalgam and Mercury-free white fillings

This seems to be an issue with dentists inexperienced with composite fillings. For some reason, it is more common with small fillings where the filling is bonded to the dentin.

There is a solution for it, though it will mean the filling will have to be re-done. Hopefully, you have a dentist who is open to learning. Though, it does worry me that your dentist isn’t caught up on updated advancements in dental fillings.

With these fillings, it is helpful to have a glass isomer base under the filling to protect the dentist. This will keep you from feeling that zing with certain foods.

Some dentists are okay learning from patients and others are offended. If you find yours falls in the offended category, I’ll suggest you see a dentist who is well-versed in composite bonding. Do a quick internet search for a mercury-free dentist. They place white fillings exclusively and will know exactly what to do.

You May Want a New Dentist

One thing which is important with any medical profession is continuing education. You want your dentist to be up to date on the latest research as well as the new treatment options.

There have been significant developments in crown and dental implant options in recent years as well, making use of zirconia instead of metal based options. This is great for people with metal sensitivities. Again, though, if your dentist doesn’t keep up, he’ll never know.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Our office follows all of the infection-control guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the dental setting, including updates for combatting the spread of the coronavirus. We are confident that you are safe with us.