Auburn AL Dentist Archives | Dental Care at Flint's Crossing

My Dentist is Pressuring Me to Do Work- What Do I Do?

December 20, 2020 by Athena Smiles

I don’t want to name names, but I see a local dentist in Auburn and have done so for quite some time. I’ve always been good about keeping up with my cleanings and never have outstanding work. Actually, most of the time, he’ll do my fillings the same day they’re diagnosed and I’m good for another six months.

Then, last February, he told me I needed to have a crown done on one of my molars. I have a big silver filling on that tooth and it’s starting to go. He said he thought there was decay there and the crown was the only fix.

Well, then COVID happened, and you know what that means. The office was closed for some time, and then on top of everything else, I lost my job and my dental insurance. Thankfully, I got a new job in October (with new insurance!), but I’m still recovering financially and I haven’t been in a position to schedule the crown work. I’m a couple months off my cleaning schedule too.

They called me when they opened back up and I got my reminders about my cleaning. Then they started calling and I explained to them what I was dealing with and thought they’d give me some breathing room. However, a couple weeks ago, I started getting letters too. The latest talked about how important it was to complete my treatment and basically said I’d be foolish to let my insurance benefits go to waste by not using them before the year is up.

I already felt terrible, but now I feel even worse. I don’t know if I can even go back for my cleaning. Should I bother trying to talk to them again or should I just move on?

Sincerely,

COVID Stinks

Dear C.S.,

Yikes! Sounds like you’ve had quite the year. Glad to hear things are looking up for you now. Let’s break apart what’s happening and what your options are.

Most of Your Contacts Were Probably Automated

These days, dental offices rely heavily on automation. Your recall reminders and even notes to use your benefits before the year rolls over were probably computer-generated or, at the very least, kicked off with a couple of clicks. That may sound impersonal, but on the bright side, there wasn’t anybody looking over your chart and passing judgment. They use these tools to make sure nobody falls through the cracks and to make sure the team can focus on the patients in the office receiving care rather than licking hundreds of envelopes.

You Can Still Tell Them You Feel Pressured

The reality is, most dental offices don’t staff writers or marketing teams. The person who penned your note was probably the same person who greets you warmly with a smile when you walk through the door and asks you about your kids and hobbies. They’re probably not an expert in what words to use or how many times they should try reaching out to someone. They’re just someone who cares about whether you’re having your needs met. All the same, if you took the notices the way you did, chances are others did too. It’s totally ok to tell them that, so they can refine their process and language.

Don’t Let Finances Stand in the Way of Vital Treatment

That said, there is a whole lot of people in situations like you are now. If the office hasn’t discussed financial arrangements with you, you may want to find someone who makes providing affordable dental treatment a priority. That’s not to say you should accept cheap dental care, but rather, seek someone out who will give you options and either accepts payment plans or Care Credit. That way, you can move forward without that crown looming over you.

This blog is sponsored by Dr. Raymond Bolt, an Auburn, AL family dentist.

My Dentist Forced Me into Unnecessary Implant Surgery

November 20, 2020 by Athena Smiles

I’m at a total loss for what to say here. I had a tooth extracted a while back and my dentist has been after me to have an implant placed for as long as I’ve been seeing him. I finally saved up enough to do the procedure and was assured everything would be fine. However, when I came out of surgery, he told me that my bone may be inadequate to support the implant.

He gave me some explanation about how it had been too long since I’d lost the tooth and the bone had thinned out… more or less shifting the blame on me for not starting the work sooner.

As a “courtesy to me” he went ahead and placed the implant, but he says it will probably fail because I waited too long. He wants to remove it and do a bridge. But, he says the final decision is mine.

I’m not sure what to do here. I’m already out a couple thousand dollars on this implant. I’m tempted to go ahead with it since I’ve already invested so much. At the same time, I don’t want to seem like I’m questioning his judgment. Maybe I should be doing the bridge. What’s the best course of action here?

Sincerely,

Greg

Dear Greg,

You should be questioning his judgment. If that’s what he told you, you absolutely should be questioning everything coming out of his mouth.

The Lack of Bone is Not Your Fault

What he said about how bone diminishes the longer a tooth is missing—that much is true. It’s referred to as resorption. When the bone isn’t needed to hold a tooth in, the body breaks it down and reroutes it to places that need the nutrients being held in the bone. The thing is, assessing the bone level before surgery is his job. If he couldn’t tell whether there was adequate bone from an x-ray, he should have been ordering additional scans. For him to put it on you like it’s your fault that he did a procedure without visibility—that’s simply wrong. He didn’t do his job.

He Shouldn’t Have Placed the Implant

When he realized the procedure couldn’t be completed properly, he should have stopped and gone over the options with you. It sounds like you might have been sedated, so he just went ahead with it anyway. That was not the appropriate course of action.

You Have Options Beyond a Bridge

If there isn’t adequate bone to hold this dental implant, sadly, it will have to go. However, that doesn’t mean you’re not a candidate for an implant. It usually just means that you’ll need additional procedures, such as bone grafting, to build the area up enough to be able to support the implant.

Visit a Different Dentist

Have a consultation with a new local dentist to see what your options are. It may go without saying, but if the new dentist feels the implant you have is not going to be stable as well, it would be unreasonable for the dentist to keep the fee for it. Best of luck to you.

This blog is sponsored by Dr. Raymond Bolt, an Auburn, Alabama dentist dedicated to quality care.

A Crown Done by My Local Dentist Falls Off Once Per Month!

October 12, 2020 by Athena Smiles

I saw a local dentist about three months ago because one of my molars broke. It was one of those watch-and-see deals. My former dentist said the amalgam filling I had there was old and would probably cause problems for me at some point, so I wasn’t overly surprised when it went. However, I had fallen out of routine with him and I was honestly a little embarrassed, so I booked the exam for that tooth with someone new.

In any case, it’s been a mess since the very beginning. The temporary crown they fitted me with came off just about every day until they gave up on it and told me to leave it off and “baby it” until my permanent one was ready. When I got this one, it was wrong from the beginning too. It NEVER felt right. I told them that and they said I just needed time to get used to it. It also didn’t match my other teeth. It’s a very bright white. I pointed that out as well and the dentist told me he could have the lab remake it but that it would be at cost. Well, since it’s a back tooth nobody but me is going to see, I decided to let that part be.

But, about three weeks after it was “permanently” cemented, it came off. I wasn’t even doing anything. It literally fell off while I was sitting at my desk at work. I went back and they put it on. AGAIN, it didn’t feel right and AGAIN, they told me I’d get used to it. Well, just yesterday it came off again. The dentist put it back on but he also told me that if it comes off again, the lab will have to make a whole new crown and he wants something like $600 to cover the cost. Needless to say, the crown STILL does not feel right and I think I’m on borrowed time.

This doesn’t make any sense to me. I feel like he’s in the wrong here and should fix it at his expense, but at the same time, I don’t feel good going back to him. What are my options?

Thanks,

Eric

Dear Eric,

Yikes! That’s terrible. He is in the wrong and you deserve better.

The Color Should Have Matched

If the coloring was that far off, it’s pure laziness. It shouldn’t have been that far off to begin with, but even if it was a slight variance, he should have offered to send it back right away. A responsible dentist would have made ensured it was a good match and would have covered the expense if his office was at fault or expected his lab to cover it if they were at fault.

They Should Have Worked with You on the Temporary

It can be difficult to keep temporary crowns on some people, especially if they have a hard bite or do things they shouldn’t with it, like chewing gum. All the same, they shouldn’t have given up on it. Unless there’s more to the story, it’s worrisome that they did. Actually, if they’d paid attention to this, they might have caught the underlying issue with your permanent crown.

There’s No Excuse for Your Permanent Crown to Fall Off

While there are “reasons” crowns fall off, none of them are good excuses, especially at this stage. It sounds more like the tooth wasn’t prepared correctly. Basically, the dentist needs to make the tooth peg-shaped—more cylindrical, like a can of soda—in order to get the best retention. Any angle—where the tooth becomes more of a cone shape—is referred to as “taper.”

If the taper angles upward, like an inverted pyramid where the top of the tooth is wider and the base is narrower, a crown literally cannot go on the tooth.

If the taper angles downward, where the biting surface of the tooth is narrower than the base, the degree of that taper influences how likely it is to fall off.

Chances are, your dentist failed to prepare the tooth properly. That’s why neither the temporary nor the permanent crown will stay in place.

Go to Another Dentist

The dentist who did this crown for you has had ample time to catch his error and correct it and he hasn’t. Moreover, he’s trying to charge you for it. Either return to your regular dentist or visit another dentist to confirm this, but chances are, you’re going to need the tooth re-prepped and a new crown made. If this is correct, the first dentist should refund you or pay the new dentist to do the work properly. Best of luck to you.

This blog is sponsored by Auburn, Alabama dentist Raymond Bolt, DMD.

Can Dentists Prescribe Antibiotics?

September 29, 2020 by Athena Smiles

I have a raging toothache and called around to several dentists in Auburn to see what their policies on prescriptions are. To be clear, this thing doesn’t just hurt. Half my face swelled up. I told them all this—that I’m in agony with some kind of tooth infection but that I can’t afford to treat the tooth until I get paid in two weeks. Maybe four, depending on how much this is going to cost me.

Not a single one would give me a straight answer. They all said that I’d have to book an appointment and that the doctor would let me know my options after an exam. I get that they want to take precautions, but this is beyond ridiculous. At this point, I’m deciding whether I should just go to my primary care physician to get medications and revisit dental treatment after payday. I would love a straight answer though. Should I bother booking?

Thanks,

Joey

Dear Joey,

Sorry to hear your situation wasn’t treated with the care and consideration it deserves. Let’s break down your answer.

Yes, Dentists Prescribe Antibiotics

Dentists are doctors. They can prescribe all sorts of medications, including antibiotics and pain medications. Particularly given the symptoms you described, antibiotics would be a necessity in this situation and it’s hard to imagine a dentist not prescribing them unless something else is going on.

Pain medication is a different story entirely though. Given the current regulations and high potential for abuse, many will not prescribe narcotics. In fact, you may have raised red flags with these offices if you called around without specifying what kind of medication you were hoping to receive. They probably thought that’s what you were looking for, not antibiotics for a swollen face.

You Need to See a Dentist ASAP

This qualifies as a dental emergency. Anytime you have an infection like this, it’s imperative to start treatment right away. As odd as it sounds, people still die in this day and age from untreated dental infections. Rather than calling around and asking about meds, find out which dentist can see you today. You’ll probably leave with your antibiotic prescription and a complete estimate on doing the repair work when you’re ready.

Explore Affordable Dentists if Budget is a Concern

It sounds like cost has been a major concern for you, possibly preventing you from treating this tooth to begin with. Don’t let cost be a barrier—it leads to issues like what you’re experiencing today. Instead, find someone who can work with you a bit. Each office will approach affordable dentistry differently. While you do NOT want someone who does cheap dental work, you can find offices that have reasonable fees, will break up your treatment and help you prioritize appointments, and even some that offer payment plans or accept Care Credit (a medical credit card). This is something to keep in the back of your mind while you’re getting that tooth squared away—you’ll want to come back for a full exam soon and start addressing other issues as you can before they get a chance to turn into an emergency. Best of luck to you.

This blog is sponsored by Dr. Raymond Bolt, an Auburn, AL dentist offering comprehensive care and same-day appointments for dental emergencies.

Can My Dentist Force Me to Use a Dental Dam?

August 10, 2020 by Athena Smiles

I’ve been seeing the same dentist in Auburn for many years and he’s been pretty good with me. I have some dental anxiety… I wouldn’t call it a bad case but I do white-knuckle it a bit while I’m there. He’s been understanding about it in the past and worked with me to get things done. Anyway, I went in for a cleaning at the start of March and he discovered a cavity. Not a huge deal—he’s done a few fillings for me in the past and I thought this would be no different. However, the office shut down due to COVID and my appointment was rescheduled several times. This past week was the first time I could get in… suffice it to say, it was a different experience. The only real issue, though, was when he attempted to place a piece of plastic or rubber over my mouth. No warning. Nothing. He just put it on without talking to me about it and I panicked. I couldn’t breathe with it on, started hyperventilating, and then tore the thing off myself.

Well, bad turned to worse because, instead of calming me down, the dentist jumped out of his chair and stormed out of the room. His assistant was even stunned by it. I could tell. She didn’t say anything at first… just sort of stood there in shock and patted my arm and told me to take a minute to myself.

When I finally calmed down… no thanks to them… the dentist came back in and told me that I had to wear it as part of their new COVID precautions. I told him there was no way I could wear it. It sent my anxiety through the roof. He then told me I could wear it or leave. He would not do my filling if I didn’t. I left.

Can a dentist really force me to wear one of these things? I’m worried because, if they’re all this way, I don’t think I can get my filling done anywhere.

Best,

Jerome

Dear Jerome,

Sorry to hear you’ve been through all this. It sounds like a horrible and frightening experience, especially considering you had anxiety beforehand. Let’s break down what this device is and what your options going forward are.

The Rubber Sheet is a Common Tool Called a Dental Dam

Although your provider may not have used them in the past, dental dams are quite common. Dentists routinely use them to keep a tooth isolated to ensure a tooth isn’t contaminated while it’s being repaired and to prevent debris from falling into a patient’s mouth.

Many Dentists Are Using Dental Dams to Reduce Airborne Saliva During COVID

It probably goes without saying, but when dental handpieces are whirring around in your mouth and there’s saliva present, they can and do whip that saliva into the air sending microdroplets in every possible direction. There are things the dental team can do to keep saliva away from the handpiece, but none are as effective as creating a barrier between the saliva and the area the dentist is working. That’s exactly what the dental dam does. And, although it’s not a formal requirement from any governing agency at this time, many dentists have started using them as an extra precaution. They and their teams obviously need to minimize their risk, lest they get sick and spread coronavirus too. If your dentist feels the dental dam is necessary, and you don’t allow him to use it, he can decline to treat you. You are, in essence, preventing him from doing his job safely and well.

Find Another Dentist

At the end of the day, this dentist didn’t do right by you because he didn’t honor your dental anxiety. He made it worse and behaved poorly. If he had explained his methodology first or even paused to talk to you while you were struggling, this would have had a much different ending. He didn’t, and for that reason, it probably time to move on.

That leaves you with two options. First, you can find a new dentist who does not require you to wear a dental dam. Just call around and see which offices in your area do not require them. As a second option, you can search for a “gentle dentist” or sedation dentist—someone who understands dental anxiety and will take extra precautions to keep you comfortable. That may simply mean having a calmer demeanor or it could involve using something like nitrous or medications to keep you relaxed while still using the dam. In any case, it’s a good idea to find someone you’re comfortable soon, so you can get that cavity fixed before it grows too much. Best of luck to you.

This blog is sponsored by Dr. Bolt, an Auburn, AL dentist.

Dry Socket with Wisdom Tooth Removal

August 8, 2019 by writeradmin

I need to have a lower wisdom tooth extracted because of an impaction. I’ve spoken to someone else who’s had this done and they said they ended up with dry socket which was absolutely miserable. Is there anything I can do which can help to prevent this?

Katie

Dear Katie,

Woman with a boxing glove punching someone

Dry Socket Can Be Prevented.

Dry socket is what happens when the blood clot dissolves or disappears leaving the nerves and bone exposed. It’s quite painful.

Some dentists tell their patients that dry socket will happen if they suck the blood clot out unintentionally and suggest the don’t drink through a straw until after the healing process is over.

There really isn’t much evidence for this. Though, obviously, you don’t want to do anything which will intentionally remove the blood clot.

Your Dentist is the Best Defense in Preventing Dry Socket

There are two things your dentist can do to prevent dry socket.

The first is to recognize that the greater the force used in extracting the tooth, the greater the chance of dry socket. To counter this, if a dentist encounters a tooth extraction which is requiring a greater than moderate elevator force it is better to section the tooth. Sometimes bone has to be removed in order to do this, but it can be done.

The second thing which helps is for your dentist to place a square of Gelfoam soaked in a suspension of clindamycin antibiotic into the socket after the extraction and suturing the tissue over it. An experiment was done which showed this. They tried it on patients with two wisdom tooth extractions. On one side they put the Gelfoam; on the other they didn’t. Only the teeth without the antibiotic developed dry socket.

You can let your dentist see this post prior to your wisdom tooth extraction, if you are concerned.

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

Wisdom Tooth Touching Nerve

April 26, 2019 by writeradmin

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.

My Kids are Afraid of My CPAP

January 29, 2019 by writeradmin

I have sleep apnea. While it it is helpful I don’t enjoy it very much. Plus, my kids are absolutely terrified of it. They won’t come near the room and they scream when I turn it on.

While I know they’ll adjust, I’m neither my wife nor I are crazy about it either. Is there an alternative or should I just start saving up for therapy for the kids now? They’re going to grow up thinking I am Darth Vader.

Mark A.

Dear Mark,

Woman covering her ears trying to block out her husband snoring

Sleep Apnea can cause a great deal of problems. Most people get a CPAP machine for the treatment because it’s been the standard treatment for years.

However, they’re bulky and loud, as your family has noticed. Fortunately there are alternatives for something which makes you sound like Darth Vader.

If You Hate Your CPAP

While there is a great alternative, I don’t want you to stop using your CPAP in the meantime.

Sleep Apnea means you are not breathing in intervals throughout the night. The stress this puts on your heart can lead to stroke and other life-threatening problems.

I’d like to suggest you see your dentist and ask him about an anterior positioning splint. This is a simple orthotic device which re-positions your jaw in such as way that the back of your throat is no longer obstructed.

It’s silent and about the size of a mouth guard. You’ll find it much more comfortable.

Even better, they’re super easy to transport if you have a business trip or family vacation.

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

Dentist Wants Me to Whiten Before Lumineers

November 27, 2018 by writeradmin

I’m about to get Lumineers. I’m very excited about it but now my dentist said he’d like me to get my teeth whitened first. Is that really necessary? Isn’t one of the benefits of getting Lumineers to change the color of your teeth? Won’t the Lumineers do what the teeth whitening will?

Karen

Dear Karen,

How I answer your question depends on why your dentist is wanting you to whiten your teeth. If you are planning on getting the Lumineers brand of porcelain veneers on both your upper and lower arches, or if you are just getting them on your upper arch.

If you are getting your porcelain veneers on both upper and lower teeth, there is only a need to whiten your teeth if you have a wide smile. Most patients get between six to eight veneers. However, if you have a very wide smile, you may have ten to twelve visible teeth. If you don’t want to spend the money to get each of those teeth veneered, you would whiten your teeth ahead of time, so they will be close enough to the re-done teeth for them to look natural together.

If you don’t have a wide smile and your visible teeth will be covered, there really isn’t a reason to whiten your teeth. You’re correct that the Lumineers will do that for you.

When Do Whitening and Veneers Go Together?

However, most patients don’t want to pay for veneers on both their upper and lower teeth. Instead, they’ll just have the smile makeover done on the upper teeth, which are very visible when you smile. Then, on the bottom teeth which are only visible briefly while you’re speaking, you can use teeth whitening which makes it look like both arches are the same.

The big benefit to doing it this way is the money savings. It is significantly more affordable for you to whiten your bottom arch than it is to veneer the additional teeth. It’s likely instead of trying to get you to do an additional procedure to make money, your dentist is trying to save you money.

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

Can’t Sleep Because of My Husband’s Snoring. Help!

August 3, 2018 by iowasmiles

I haven’t slept in weeks. I’m pregnant, which already makes sleeping a challenge for me. For some reason, my husband’s snoring seems worse. Once I wake up from the baby, I can’t get back to sleep with his rumbling through the night. I asked my doc and he said a dentist can stop snoring. Please tell me how you do this magic?

Lisa

Dear Lisa,

A dentist can stop snoring

You didn’t know dentists were snoring wizards? Fortunately for you, we are! Snoring is often caused by a mild form of sleep apnea. This is a condition where the muscles in the back of your husband’s throat relax as he starts to fall asleep. They partially block his breathing passage which leads to the rattling sound which snorers make.

He’s likely not even aware he does it, with the possible exceptions of when he gets your elbow to his ribs out of frustration. For some patients, it’s even worse and their air passages are blocked completely leading to obstructive sleep apnea. This causes him to stop breathing. If you’ve seen your husband startle himself awake and then go straight back to sleep, this may be something he struggles with.

What Can Your Dentist Do about Snoring?

In the past, treatment for sleep apnea and snoring has been to use a CPAP machine, but most patients hate them. Not only are they bulky, but they can be about as loud as the snoring, but instead of the sound of sawing logs, it sounds like you’re sleeping with Darth Vader.

Fortunately, there’s a better solution that works with many patients. A simple orthotic device will reposition his throat in a way the clears his breathing passage, giving both of you a better night’s sleep.

Sometimes a sleep study is required, but you can usually get your medical insurance to pay for that.

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