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Affordable Dentist

“Affordable” Dentist Disaster

I went in for a dental crown with a guy who was cheaper than the other dentists in town. I was looking to save some money but that was a big mistake. The temporary crown fell off once. I wasn’t too worried about that as it is temporary. Then, the permanent ones have fallen off over five times in as many weeks. On top of that, it is several shades whiter than my regular teeth and really sticks out…when it is staying in. I complained to my dentist and he said that he could change the color for another $400. I couldn’t afford that so felt stuck with the color. Then the crown fell out yet again and I asked him what he was going to do to keep this from constantly falling out. He said he would tell the lab the crown is defective and have them replace it. I was very clear with him that I did not want to pay any more for this crown because I’ve already paid in full and just need it to stay in. It’s not my fault it is defective. He agreed. THEN, after I get the new crown, which still doesn’t match, by the way, I get a bill for $423 saying this is what I owe after insurance from the original crown. But, I already paid that and feel like they are being deceptive to get me to pay for the new crown. What do I do?

Jenny

Dear Jenny,

Dollar sign hatching from an egg
There is a difference between affordable and cheap dentistry

Wow. I am sorry to hear everything you have gone through with this unethical dentist. The first thing I want you to do is NOT pay any further money. If you already paid the new fee, see if your bank will reverse the charges.

When a dentist provides a dental crown, there is a basic understanding that it will match your other teeth and stay in. That is dentistry 101. It seems like your dentist is more of a scam artist. What he’s telling you is “I will provide a dental crown. However, if you want it to match your teeth it will be $400 more. Plus, if you want it to stay in, that will be another $423. He sounds more like a used car shyster than a medical practitioner.

Next, do not return to the office. I want you to go to another dentist in your local area and recruit them to help you get a refund. If you are not dealing with a front tooth, you will not need an expert cosmetic dentist, just an honest one. There are more honest dentists than unethical ones, though it probably doesn’t seem that way now.

If your dentist refuses the refund, tell him you will be reporting him to the dental board. Believe me, they will be on your side.

Please don’t forget to leave a review about what this dentist did to warn any other potential victims.

I know you were looking to save money, but there is a big difference between a cheap dentist and an affordable one. Never go with the dentist who is substantially lower than the rest of the dentists in that area. It’s usually a red flag. However, look for an affordable dentist whose prices are reasonable and who is willing to work with you on payments.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Hillary Peck.

Dental Crowns

Can a Dental Crown Cause a Yeast Infection?

I had to get a dental crown on a back tooth. When the temporary crown first went in, my teeth felt sensitive. Then, since the permanent crown came in, I have had extra saliva, sores in my mouth, a bitter taste, and bad breath. Is it possible the crown caused a yeast infection in my mouth?

Pamela

Dear Pamela,

You’ve listed a lot of symptoms here and all of them have various causes. The sensitivity after temporary crowns is normal and usually ends shortly after the permanent ones.

As for a yeast infection, is it possible you’ve been rinsing a lot with peroxide in an effort to help with your situation? While it can be a good periodic disinfectant, using it more than just occasionally will lead to a yeast infection.

Sometimes after a stressful dental appointment, a person can develop burning mouth syndrome, but one of the main symptoms of that is dry mouth and you said extra saliva, so I am going to rule that out.

Sores in your mouth are usually from either stress or a virus. The other two symptoms, bad breath and a bitter taste, usually have to do with oral hygiene. Sometimes, after getting a dental crown where someone’s mouth is sensitive, they ease up on the brushing and flossing, but that actually exacerbates the problem. Dig in there without being delicate and it will help.

Of course, there is the possibility you are having trouble getting everything from around the crown. In those cases, something like a WaterPik will help.

Try those things and if it doesn’t help after a couple of weeks, see your dentist again and have him or her look at things.

This blog is brought to you Phoenix Dentist Dr. Hillary Peck.

Dental Fillings

Pain from Composite Filling

I recently had my first composite filling done. I sort of had to pressure my dentist into it because he usually places the old silver amalgam fillings. He finally relented and agreed. Since then, my tooth hurts when I chew. Oddly, it doesn’t hurt under normal circumstances. I can even clench my teeth and nothing. But, if I am chewing there is a sharp pain which lasts a second. Did my dentist do something wrong?

Aaron

Dear Aaron,

While composite fillings are far superior to their amalgam dental filling compatriots, the procedure for bonding them is completely different. If your dentist does not normally place them, he will not be aware of the different techniques needed.

I wonder if you had a small filling placed. The pain you described is an unusual phenomenon we see mostly with small composite fillings. Fortunately, there is a way to prevent the problem, or in your case, fix the problem.

If a dentist uses either a self-etching primer or a glass ionomer base, we are seeing this issue practically eliminated. I would talk to your dentist about the problem and ask him to re-do the fillings using a glass ionomer base.

I am surprised your dentist is still almost exclusively placing amalgam fillings. Most dentists have moved on to the composite technology which is healthier for your teeth and contains no mercury. It may be time for you to find a dentist who is more interested in keeping up with the technology and advancements in his or her field.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Hillary Peck.

Teeth Whitening

Premium Home Teeth Whitening

I keep receiving a Groupon order for Premium Home Teeth Whitening. Is this something worth investing in? I’ve always wanted to whiten my teeth but never really talked to my dentist about it.

Amy

Dear Amy,

teeth whitening trays
teeth bleaching trays

After looking this over, I can tell you that the whitening ingredient they use is legitimate. It will whiten your teeth. That is the good news. The only real bad news is it will not be as effective as you’d hope, even though they do have a good percentage of their active ingredient.

The reason for that is the whitening trays. Pictured above are the type of teeth whitening trays you would get with your dentist. These are custom fit to your bite. This serves to protect the whitening gel, as well as your gums.

The trays that come with this kit are not fit to your bite. It’s a DIY. This means that your saliva will leak into the trays, thereby weakening the gel. It also means some of the gel will leak out. This not only means less whitening potential for your teeth, but it can put your gums at risk. There have even been cases where patients ended up needing a root canal treatment from using an over-the-counter whitening kit.

My suggestion is you simply talk to your dentist about your desire to whiten your teeth. The cost of Premium Teeth Whitening is not that much less than what your dentist would charge you. Ask him or her if they would be willing to come down on their price a little or allow you to pay out the current cost. Most dentists are happy to find ways to help their patients afford dental work. I think you’ll end up much happier with your results that way.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Hillary Peck.

Affordable Dentist

Will Medical Insurance pay for Dental Implants

I have serious dental issues on my front teeth, including two missing teeth and a 20 year old bridge. I’m having trouble with other teeth as well. I’d like to take out all my upper teeth and replace them with dental implants. I have tried to use upper dentures on those missing teeth but the dental plate was too much. I couldn’t keep wearing it. If I don’t do something, I won’t even be able to eat. Do you think medical insurance will cover it as not having them will affect my health?

Becky

Dear Becky,

You brought up a good point about dental plates that I think others need to be aware of when making decisions about their tooth replacement options. Dental plates can be a nightmare for people with a strong gag reflex or a sensitive palatte. With dental implants, you do not have to worry about anything extraneous like that.

In the case of medical insurance, almost all of them have a dental exclusion clause. That leaves you looking to dental insurance to pay for this. While it is unlikely they will pay for all of it, they will have a percentage they will cover.

If money is really tight, I would look for a qualified implant dentist who also advertises as an affordable dentist. Just do an internet search using that term.

While in most cases you pay out dental implants in two stages, once after the surgery and once after the crowns or supported dentures are placed, affordable dentists may allow you to break up those payments even further.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Hillary Peck.

Teeth Whitening

Tanda Pearl Ionic Teeth Whitening

I have teeth whitening trays my dentist made for me. He told me to wear them an hour a day, but that is hurting my jaw. I saw an advertisement for the Tanda Pearl system. They report that you only need to wear their tray for 5 minutes. It only has a few reviews. I wondered if you’ve heard of it and if you know whether it works or not.

Laurie

Dear Laurie,

Teeth Whitening Trays

I am glad you wrote. Looking at the product, it is just like any other run-of-the-mill whitening product, with the exception of their tray and light. As for the light, I don’t see anything in it that makes it work the way they are promoting. If it did, they could market it to dental offices and make a fortune. The fact that they are not, tells me that they do not want any professional scrutiny with it.

As for the trays, that is a bigger deal. Unlike your professional bleaching trays, these do not have individual trays. Instead, it is a single tray that you will bite onto and hold into your mouth for the five minutes. I actually think this will be worse for the jaw pain you are experiencing.

Not only will it be worse, but it will be less effective as well. The trays your dentist made for you should have been custom fit to your bite. We’ll get back to that in a moment. The trays that come with this kit are DIY. That means some of the whitening gel will be getting out and some of your saliva will be getting in. Both of these things dilute the effectiveness of your gel.

I’m going to suggest two things in your case. First, you don’t have to wear them for an hour. If they are bothering you, lower the wear time to half an hour. The second thing I would like you to do is to talk to your dentist about the pain you are experiencing. He or she can make sure they are actually fit to your bite correctly and make adjustments if they are not. Your teeth whitening will be much more effective with the gel and trays your dentist provides.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Hillary Peck.

Mercury-free Dentist

Advice About Dental Allergies

I’ve been having problems in my mouth as well as with some skin conditions. I went to an allergist and it turns out I have multiple allergies to dental materials, including the elements in my dental fillings. Here is the thing. I need to get different fillings, but I also need to replace a tooth. Is there a safe way to do this given what we now know about my allergies?

Layla

Dear Layla,

Safe Amalgam Removal

Let’s start with the fillings you need to remove and replace. In order to do this safely, especially with your allergies, you will need a dentist who knows and has the equipment for a sanitary amalgam removal. This will be important so you do not inhale or swallow any mercury or mercury vapors, not to mention any other materials you may be allergic to that are in those amalgam fillings. I would also wear clothing over as much of your skin as possible.

There are two types of dentists that will be the most willing to work with you and understand how to do amalgam removal properly. The first is a mercury-free dentist. The second is a biological or holistic dentist. I would do an internet search for those.

Dental Implants and Dental Allergies

Dental implants are a little easier. While there are metal free implants available made of zirconia, the traditional dental implants made from titanium are very bio-compatible. It is rare for someone to have a titanium allergy.

The benefit to the traditional implants is their proven longevity and the amount of long-term data we have on them. Titanium has been used for decades in prosthetics, not just in implants, but in hips and other joints. The only downside to the zirconia is we don’t have that data as they are fairly new.

I hope this helps.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Hillary Peck.

Mercury-free Dentist

Want to Change My Fillings But My Dentist Said No

I have four amalgam fillings. I just recently learned that they are made of mostly mercury. Apparently, I am the last person on earth to learn that. It really worries me and I wanted to switch out my fillings with the mercury for the white ones, which I am told do not have mercury. I talked to my dentist about it and he said I am worrying over nothing and the American Dental Association says they are safe. Because of that, he considers it an unnecessary procedure and won’t do it. Can he do that? Am I worrying over nothing?

Lindsey

Dear Lindsey,

Before and After Composite Fillings

I am certain you are not the last person on earth to learn about the high mercury content in their fillings, so don’t feel dumb about that. It is not really something that is advertised. As to whether your dentist can say “no”, he can. No one is forced to do a procedure they do not want to do. You can still have the procedure done, but I would not press him to do it for two reasons.

First, the removal process has to be done with a special procedure in order to protect you from inhaling or swallowing any mercury or mercury vapors. He would need to know this procedure as well as have the special tools necessary to keep you safe. The only reason for him to have these is if he does this type of procedure often. I highly doubt he will have the tools or even know how to do a sanitary amalgam removal.

A second issue is the process for placing those old amalgam fillings and the newer composite filling is completely different. He may not even know how to place the newer white fillings.

Should You Replace Your Amalgam Fillings?

What the American Dental Society has to say about the safety of amalgam fillings has nothing to do about your peace of mind. Many patients are obviously concerned with the idea of having mercury, a known toxin, in their mouths. That anxiety alone can cause you health problems.

Another thing to consider is that the fillings can eventually break down and even leak. That would be a health issue. You would want to replace the fillings before something like this happens.

If you want to replace them, you will need to find a dentist who understands how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. To find that, I would do an internet search for a mercury-free dentist. They only place white, composite fillings which means they will know the correct procedures to remove the amalgam fillings and properly place the composites.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Hillary Peck.
Click here to learn about teeth whitening.

White Fillings

Pain with Composite Fillings

I had to get four fillings on my back teeth. One of them is fine, but three of them are giving me a lot of pain when I am chewing. The weird thing is there is not pain when I just bite down. it’s the chewing that is the problem. My dentist has checked the bite and says it is fine. Now she’s talking about removing the fillings and doing a root canal. I don’t want to do that if it is not necessary. I don’t want to lose teeth over small cavities. I feel like I need someone with more expertise here. What do you recommend I do?

Evelyn

Dear Evelyn,

Left: silver amalgam filling Right: mercury-free composite filling

I agree that you need someone with more expertise. When there is pain with chewing as opposed to pain with biting, the problem is the way the fillings were bonded on.

Most dental schools are still teaching dentists to put amalgam fillings on posterior teeth. Before that, they were only teaching amalgam fillings. Unfortunately, the method for placing amalgam (silver) and composite (white) fillings are quite different. If a dentist wants to place white fillings, they have to take post-doctoral training in the correct procedures to do so.

I would not have your dentist be the one to re-do these. First, three-fourths of them have this problem, which tells me she does not understand this bonding method. Second, she’s already bringing up a root canal treatment, which tells me she’s sort of giving up on these teeth.

My suggestion is you look for a mercury-free dentist. They will have much more experience placing white fillings on posterior teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Hillary Peck.

Affordable Dentist

What if Dentures are All I Can Afford?

I have absolutely horrible teeth. Like the worst. I’ve had 9 months of throwing up with four different pregnancies and then cancer to deal with. My teeth are literally crumbling and dental insurance only covers $1000 per year. I don’t have any significant “extra” money after the necessary bills are paid. I keep hearing dentures are the worst possible thing to get, but I don’t know what else to do. I broke a tooth yesterday while flossing. That’s what I get for trying to take care of my teeth. Will it really be that awful if dentures are all I can afford?

Macy

Dear Macy,

snap on dentures
Snap-on Dentures

You are in a tough situation. I’ll give you the best advice I can. Dentures are more devastating on the bottom arch than the top, so if you are left having to decide what to save and what not to, save the bottom teeth at much as possible. The reason for that is the bone loss in your jaw.

Once the roots of your teeth are removed your body recognized that and begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone in order to use them elsewhere throughout your body where they may be more necessary. After ten to twenty years, depending on the speed at which your body does things, you will no longer have enough jawbone to retain your denture. This is a condition dentists call facial collapse.

If it turns out that you do need to lose your bottom teeth as well, see if you can get any dental implants for the bottom arch. These are expensive, but affordable dentists will be more willing to work with you on payments, especially if they know your situation.

There are snap-on dentures (pictured above) which can use as few as two dental implants. This has the benefit of securing your denture to your bottom arch, plus anywhere you have a dental implant, the minerals in your bone will be left alone, thereby protecting that particular area from bone loss.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Hillary Peck.