All posts by writeradmin

writeradmin writes blog posts on behalf of Dr. Kevin 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.

Dental Bridge

Gap Between Crown and Bridge

I have a gap between my two front teeth. One of the problems I am facing about that is that one of them is a dental crown and the other is a part of a dental bridge. Is there a way to close this gap with Lumineers or should I have them replaced?

Candace

Dear Candace,

How do you fix a gap between your teeth?

I’m going to say right off the bat that your dentist should NOT have placed these where they left a gap. He obviously does not care about appearance related dentistry. However, what is done is done and you can only move forward from here.

Typically, a dentist will fix a tooth gap by using dental bonding, but that will not work well with your dental work. There is a method that can do it but stains usually develop within a relatively short period of time.

As for Lumineers over crowns, the Lumineers company actually ran a campaign promoting that some years back that ended up flopping for reasons I’ll explain in a moment. However, even if it were a good option, I would definitely suggest you see another dentist to have it done. Your dentist does not appear to care about the aesthetics of his work, just the function. That is not a quality you want in a dentist for any type of cosmetic work. You’d want a skilled, artistic cosmetic dentist.

Bonding porcelain on porcelain, which is what would happen in the case of using Lumineers, is never as stable as bonding porcelain to natural tooth structure. Because of that you risk two sets of bonding failure. One from the original dental work and another from the Lumineers placed on top of the dental work.

When you consider it is an equal amount of work for the dentist to just remove the old dental work than it is to place new over old, you can see why the campaign failed.

That is actually what I will recommend for you. Have your dentist, or better yet a more skilled dentist, redo your dental crown and dental bridge so that there is no gap. Make sure they only use a porcelain crown on your front tooth.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Hillary Peck.
We treat children too!

Affordable Dentist

My Mother’s Tooth Fell Out

My mom is 85 and recently moved in with my husband and myself. We were eating dinner the other night and a tooth from the bottom part of her jaw just fell out. She’s very embarrassed about it. At eighty five she doesn’t have a ton of money and neither do we. What is an affordable way that we can get help for her? We’ll want to replace that tooth for certain.

Lindsey

Dear Lindsey,

An elderly woman smiling.

If your mother’s tooth just fell out, that means she is dealing with very advanced gum disease. This is serious and she is likely to lose more teeth.

In most cases, you would need to build up the bone in her lower jawbone and get dental implants for implant overdentures to prevent facial collapse. However, you asked for something affordable and that definitely is not. Plus, at her age, there is not much point of dealing with the facial collapse.

My suggestion is you save as many of her teeth as possible by getting her gum disease treated. She will likely need at least partial dentures if not complete dentures depending on how many teeth she loses. It will still be important to treat the gum disease either way, that includes if she gets complete dentures. Gum disease will have a negative impact on her overall health as well.

I am glad that she has you to take care of her. It is obvious you care about her and will do your best to get her the care she needs. If she’s been under the care of a dentist this whole time, I suggest you get her a new dentist. The one she has did not adequately care for her as he or she should have. In fact, I’d consider it malpractice.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Hillary Peck.
Click here to learn how we keep dental care affordable.