Dental Dilemma Help Please!!

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

RealPerson - 06 Oct 2005 19:29 GMT

I had an accident this summer which knocked out a crown (and post) on a
top back molar. It's impossible to replace (I've been told by my
dentist) and I have an appointment with an oral surgeon to have the
root canaled root surgically removed. My big problem is that this was a
supporting tooth for my top partial denture. The denture is now being
held in only by the top tooth on the other side.
This seemed ok for a while (1 month) but I'm now having difficulty
eating as the denture tends to move while chewing. I'm also noticing
pain in the area where the denture clasps on to the tooth (also an
older crown). I'm worried that I am going to ruin this crown too
because of this. After I eat I've noticed that my bite is off and
hitting in a different place on the tooth.. hence the pain.
The only solution my dentist has given me is to get a dental implant
(can't afford) or a whole top denture. I still have my front teeth and
crowns on the one side left. I really hate to go to a full denture if
there is anything else I can do. I know my dentist is on the verge of
retiring and not into a lot of the newer dentisty so I'm hoping there
might be another solution.

Any advice, information etc would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance
RealPerson

PS My dentist gave me the amalgam crown as a "souvenir" but after
reading some of the issues about amalgam I'm not sure what to do with
it. They usually dispose of it in special containers.. is it ok to just
throw it in the garbage?

Thanks so much for any help you can give.

Reply to this Message

Mark & Steven Bornfeld - 06 Oct 2005 19:44 GMT

> I had an accident this summer which knocked out a crown (and post) on a
> top back molar. It's impossible to replace (I've been told by my
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>
> Thanks so much for any help you can give.

I'd need a bit more information. I understand you still have some
teeth on the right and left sides. If there are at least one strong
tooth in good position on each side, I'd like to know why a clasp
couldn't be added to another tooth on the left side, or another partial
upper denture made.
How many teeth total? Count from the front and go back, incl. teeth and
spaces. Understand that if these teeth are in bad shape, loose or in
bad position, it may not be possible to clasp them.

Steve

Signature

Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001

Reply to this Message

RealPerson - 07 Oct 2005 07:11 GMT

Thanks so much for your prompt reply. The big problem is that there are
no teeth left on the right side. I have the 4 front ones and missing 2
and then 2 crowns on the left side. That's 6 on the top in total. The
front ones have been restored (with fillings) but seem to be strong and
I haven't had any problems with them in years now. I have been very
fastidious about my oral health and had been hoping to keep my
remaining teeth much longer than this. Does this help you at all?

Thanks again for your response,
RealPerson

Reply to this Message

Joel M. Eichen - 07 Oct 2005 13:06 GMT

If you post some x-rays, you can get lots of expert opinion right
here. If you do not post, then we are just shooting the breeze .....

Joel

>Thanks so much for your prompt reply. The big problem is that there are
>no teeth left on the right side. I have the 4 front ones and missing 2
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>Thanks again for your response,
>RealPerson

Reply to this Message

Steven Bornfeld - 07 Oct 2005 15:55 GMT

> Thanks so much for your prompt reply. The big problem is that there are
> no teeth left on the right side. I have the 4 front ones and missing 2
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> Thanks again for your response,
> RealPerson

    This is far from an ideal situation, but I have done partial dentures
for patients with similar situations. For some patients it works, for
some it will not.
    If I do a partial for a patient with a situation like this, I usually
consider it transitional to a full denture. I allowed myself to have my
arm twisted to do an overdenture with one canine on one side and a
couple of teeth clasped on the other for a relative. I think he would
have been better off with a full denture.
    Understand that there may be poor stability on the right side.
Sometimes patients are willing to put up with a partial and use a lot of
adhesive too. In any case, this isn't usually a long-term solution.
    Getting an implant on the right side could well give you a much better
result. But because patients tend to do better with full upper dentures
than they do with full lowers, I will definitely encourage a patient to
put their resources into the lower to prevent losing the lower teeth.
    If the alternative is a full upper denture anyway, the only risk in
doing a partial is the fee. You can always worry about an implant or a
full denture later.

Steve

Signature

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fcharset0
Arial;}}
{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\f0\fs20 Remove
"nospam" to reply\par
}

Reply to this Message

Amatus Cremona - 06 Oct 2005 19:54 GMT

> PS My dentist gave me the amalgam crown as a "souvenir" but after
> reading some of the issues about amalgam I'm not sure what to do with
> it. They usually dispose of it in special containers.. is it ok to just
> throw it in the garbage?

Don't worry about it. Just toss it out when you are done looking at it. No
big deal. What you do not want to do is incinerate it yourself.

Signature

/

Amatus

/

>I had an accident this summer which knocked out a crown (and post) on a
> top back molar. It's impossible to replace (I've been told by my
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>
> Thanks so much for any help you can give.

Reply to this Message

RealPerson - 07 Oct 2005 07:14 GMT

Thank you for the advice. I will dispose of it in the garbage can and
not worry about it.

Thanks again,
RealPerson

Reply to this Message

Joel M. Eichen - 07 Oct 2005 13:07 GMT

>Thank you for the advice. I will dispose of it in the garbage can and
>not worry about it.
>
>Thanks again,
>RealPerson

But beware of the Amalgam Mafia ....... they are vigilant (vigilante)?

Reply to this Message