Category Archives: Lafayette LA Dentist

Thumb Sucking

I sucked my thumb until I was in junior high school and was finally able to quit. Now I’m an adult with a huge overbite. Is it possible to fix this without metal braces?

Cami

Dear Cami,

Invisalign aligner
Invisalign: The adult solutions to braces

I’m glad you wrote. It is never too late to repair and improve the appearance of your smile. Plus, because of the advancements in orthodontics, you no longer have to wear ugly and uncomfortable braces with their metal wires and brackets.

My suggestion is you see a dentist who offers Invisalign. These use clear aligners. No one will even know you are wearing them, even at a conversational distance. One of the hidden benefits is the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This will enable you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time, though you don’t have to.

Thumb Sucking

I’m saying this for the benefit of parents who have a thumb sucker. Don’t panic! Most children give the habit up by the time their adult teeth start to come in.

If you make a big deal out of it, there’s a good chance it will backfire and make it harder for your child to quit. If they get to the point where their permanent teeth are coming in and they can’t seem to quit, let them know you can help.

You don’t have to take them to a pediatric dentist and do anything expensive. The simplest solution is to purchase Thum. This is a bitter-tasting liquid you can “paint” on their thumbs. Most of the time they stick their thumb in their mouth without even meaning to because it’s a subconscious habit. This liquid will help them realize it.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

dental bridge or implant

I have to replace two teeth and get a dental crown on another one. I’m trying to decide between dental implants and a dental bridge. What do you think would best work?

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

Both a dental implant and a dental bridge are good tooth replacement options. Which one you get will depend on a couple of things. First, I’ll go over how both of them work. Then, we’ll discuss which to choose.

An illustration of a dental implant among natural teeth
A Dental Implant

With dental implants, a prosthetic tooth root is surgically placed into your jaw. There is a time of healing after the surgery and to allow the bone to integrate around the implant. After that time period, a dental crown will be placed on it

There are benefits to dental implants. They’re completely secure and the closest thing to having a healthy, natural tooth in your mouth again. Additionally, the root form signals to your brain the jawbone in that area is still necessary, thereby preserving it.

Illustration of a dental bridge
Dental Bridge

With a dental bridge, a false tooth is suspended between two crowns. This is secured by being bonded onto the adjacent teeth. It makes more sense when one of the adjacent teeth already needs a crown. Without that, you’re just grinding down healthy tooth structure.

Implant or Bridge?

If you need a false tooth next to the tooth which needs to be crowned, then it would be a good idea to get the bridge. If the tooth which needs a crown is elsewhere, I’d get the dental implants to replace the tooth and then get the single tooth crowned.

I hope this helps. This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

porcelain crowns turning yellow

I had some porcelain crowns done about six months ago. When I first received them, they were beautiful. I loved how they looked. Unfortunately, they are already turning yellow. I don’t think it is anything I’m doing. I do drink one cup of tea in the mornings, but water the remainder of the day and I brush regularly. Do you know what’s going on? I thought they were supposed to be stain resistant.

Elaine

Dear Elaine,

woman smiling with a dentist

Yes, porcelain is very stain resistant. That means, if you truly have porcelain crowns, something went wrong. I haven’t seen your crowns so it is hard for me to tell you exactly what happened. However, I can give you some possibilities.

If you see a general dentist who doesn’t do much cosmetic work, then it is possible the hygienist or the dentist did something to damage the glaze on your porcelain crowns. It’s been six months since the crowns were placed and that is about the time you would have gone in for a checkup and cleaning.

Some things which damage the porcelain include:

  • The hygienist using a power prophy jet during the cleaning process. This would feel fine at the end of your appointment, as well as look normal, but the glaze would be gone and you’d quickly begin to pick up stains regardless of how good your oral hygiene was.
  • Acidulated fluoride. Some dentists use this, but it will chemically eat away at your glaze.
  • If your dentist made any adjustments to the crown, he could have ground away some of the surfaces.

Get a Second Opinion from a Qualified Dentist

As I mentioned earlier, not all dentists are familiar with cosmetic work. Because of that, they may not even recognize what went wrong with your crowns.

I’m going to suggest you see an expert cosmetic dentist in order to get a knowledgeable second opinion. To find that level of expertise, I’d like you to go to the mynewsmile.com website. Any dentist they recommend, will have the knowledge you need to get to the bottom of what is going on with your crowns.

It’s important you follow some basic guidelines when getting a second opinion to make sure the dentist isn’t influenced in his or her decision. Dr. Hall has a post on porcelain crowns. In the last paragraph, he gives some tips on getting an unbiased second opinion.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

dental filling disaster

I had never had a cavity until I switched dentists. My insurance changed so we needed to go to a different practice. On my very first appointment, he said I had a cavity, which surprised me. I went ahead and had it filled. The filling caused continual pain even after he adjusted it. It got to the point where he said I’d adjust to it. I waited out the full year with my insurance than switched to one that allowed me to go back to my old dentist.

When I did, he said I likely didn’t even need the filling at all. He said there’d been a spot on my x-ray for years that hadn’t changed. He said he’d replace the filling to make it better. The pain was instantly better, but the filling was uneven I guess and food would get trapped in it.

He decided to adjust that because he said it would become an issue. Since he’s adjusted it I’ve had problems with a serious sensitivity to hot and cold. Now my dentist is talking about extracting the tooth. I don’t want that so I’m afraid to go back. Is there anything I can do?

Betty

Dear Betty,

A blonde woman hodling her left cheek and jaw in pain

It’s unusual for a dentist to fake diagnose a single filling. It’s not a financial gain for him or her. In all honesty, it is more of a hassle. So, I don’t think you were taken for a ride by the new dentist. I’m actually more concerned that your original dentist saw a spot on your x-ray for years and never even mentioned it.

The trouble I’m seeing here is you have two incompetent dentists working on your teeth. The dentist who did your filling couldn’t do it correctly and rather than repair it he said, “You’ll adjust”. That’s dental speak for, “I don’t know what to do.”

When a dental filling is done right, you don’t even notice it.

Then, when you went back to your original dentist, he couldn’t get the filling right either. Now he’s talking about extracting the tooth?! I don’t think so.

My guess is your insurance has a preferred provider list. They do that to keep the fees cheap. But, the better dentists won’t sign on to plans like that. So often (not always) preferred provider means less than adequate dentist.

I’m going to suggest you go to an out of network dentist who has good reviews. You need this fixed. Don’t let your dentist extract your tooth.

The last thing you need after all of this is another expensive procedure and, believe me, tooth replacements cost a pretty penny.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone

Pimple turning tooth gray

I think I need help fast, but I don’t have a dentist. I have a pimple on my gums which is causing serious pain. I think it’s poisoning a tooth tooth because one of my teeth has turned gray. What do I do if I don’t have a dentist?

Brooke

Dear Brooke,

Woman grabbing her jaw in pain needing an emergency dentist
Tooth pain is a dental emergency

I’m very sorry you are in so much pain. You’ve got two things going on here. One of which is considered a dental emergency.

Pimple on the Gums

Let’s start with the pimple on your gums. This is a sign you have an infected tooth. The pimple is known as an abscess. This happens because the infection is severe. Infected teeth are considered dental emergencies.

These infections will continue to spread. In some cases, they become life threatening quickly. This is a result of where they spread and how long they’re left untreated. Your jaw is very close to your brain and heart. If the infection reaches there, sometimes it is too late to do anything. There were too many people who died from tooth infections last year, given how preventable it is.

I do realize you don’t have a dentist. Because this needs to be seen to right away, I’m going to suggest you do an internet search for an emergency dentist. These are general dentists who are willing to see non-established patients quickly in cases of emergencies such as yours.

Often, they’ll do what they can to get you out of pain, prescribe an antibiotic for hold off the infection and schedule a follow-up appointment to give the tooth the entire treatment it needs.

A Gray Tooth

When a tooth has turned gray, that is a sign it is either dead of dying. This tooth was also infected, which is a definite indicator the infection is spreading.

The dead tooth won’t have any pain, but the infection is still there and will need to be removed by the dentist. Unlike medical infections, you can’t just take an antibiotic and be done. Antibiotics will only keep a dental infection at bay, it won’t rid your body of it.

With dental infections, the dentist has to get in there and physically remove the infection with a procedure called a root canal treatment. This often requires the tooth to be crowned as well.

Don’t put off getting this seen.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Dental bridge before implant?

I’m a little concerned about what my dentist is recommending for a missing tooth on my 15-year-old daughter. We’re planning on getting her a dental implant when her jaw is developed enough for one. I was looking at some temporary replacements. I thought a flipper would be a good option, but my dentist wants to give her a dental bridge. I think that’s a bad idea, but he said flippers are too temporary. What do you think?

Mandy

Dear Mandy,

woman smiling with a dentist
It’s always okay to get a second opinion from another dentist

I’m glad you wrote about this. While a dental bridge is a more secure fit, I don’t think it is a good fit for a teen aged girl. There are two reasons for this.

First, just like her jaw is still developing for her dental implant, she will need new bridges. That is too expensive to keep replacing as she grows.

Even though the flippers are meant to be temporary, you can replace those in a much more affordable way than the bridge.

There is another reason too which has nothing to do with cost. A dental bridge requires her adjacent teeth to be crowned in order to support and suspend the false tooth. That will mean those teeth will always have to be crowned for the remainder of her life.

If those teeth are healthy, you won’t want to grind down the healthy structure.

It’s Okay to Get a Second Opinion from Another Dentist

A good dentist will give you all of your options. Even then, they will make a recommendation. if you don’t like their recommendation and they’re pressuring you to go with their option, I recommend getting a second opinion.

If your dentist refuses to do the treatment you want you can go to another dentist for that procedure. That means you could get your daughter a dental flipper elsewhere. You don’t have to switch dentists to do that, unless you want to.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Can I Bill Ex-Husband for Emergency Dental Work?

I’ve been divorced for about ten years. I left my ex-husband because he was abusive. It wasn’t until recently I developed the confidence to start dating again. When my ex-husband found out, he showed up at my apartment after one of my dates and beat me pretty badly. Thankfully, a neighbor noticed what was happening and called the police. He’s been arrested. But, I’ve been left with one chipped tooth and three loose teeth. I’m worried I’m going to lose them if I don’t get seen by a dentist, but I don’t have any money. Would an emergency dentist be willing to bill my ex?

Tanya

Dear Tanya,
Woman covering her mouth

I’m so sorry you had to experience that. You’ve been through a lot. Unless your ex-husband signs something saying he’ll pay for the appointment, there’s no legal way for the dentist to bill him. However, given the situation, I am pretty positive any dentist would be willing to allow you to get the services you need to save your teeth and pay out the bill a little at a time. Even if they don’t offer in-office payment plans, they’re sure to work with Care Credit.

It’s a medical “credit card” of sorts. It’s more financially friendly than your typical credit card, allowing the patient to get a much lower interest rate than would otherwise be possible. There’s also no penalty for an early payoff.

Given your ex-husband has been arrested for the assault, if you took him to small claims court you’ll be quite likely to win your money back.

You Need to See a Dentist Right Away

With you having some loose teeth, you don’t want to put off seeing a dentist. This needs to be dealt with immediately. If you don’t currently have a dentist, do an internet search using the term “emergency dentist“. These are general dentists who are willing to see non-established patients in cases where urgent care is needed.

They can splint your teeth and fix the chip with dental bonding. They’ll also do an x-ray to make sure there’s no internal damage to the teeth. If there is, they’ll do a root canal treatment and provide a dental crown.

You should know, there is a charity called “Give Back a Smile” that does free dental work for those who’ve suffered domestic abuse. After you get this emergency work done, you should apply.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Planning For a Child’s Dental Care

I spent 10 years trying to get pregnant unsuccessfully. So, we applied for adoption. I just found out we’ve been approved and we’re flying to pick up our new son next week. So, now I’m in a mad dash of preparation for my new son. I can’t believe I can say my son. I want to do everything right. He’ll be 5 soon. What age should he start seeing a dentist? At what age should I switch him to a regular dentist?
What else should I know?

Laura A.

Dear Laura,

Boy smiling and holding a toothbrush
Dental Care for Children Should be All Smiles

The first thing I want you to do is to take a deep breath. This is a tremendous moment for you and I know you must feel thrilled and terrified simultaneously. I also don’t want you to get disappointed by unrealistic expectations.

I know you want to do everything perfectly, but like everyone else, you’re human. You’re going to make mistakes. You’ll make incredible sacrifices for your son, but you’ll also have selfish moments you’ll feel bad about the moment it’s done. Don’t beat yourself up about it too much. Just learn from it and move on.

As for what age he should see a pediatric dentist, I’d start him immediately, especially if he hasn’t been much in the past. Too many parents wait until there’s a dental problem and they need an emergency appointment. Then, the child’s first experience with the dentist is a negative one.

You can take him to a pediatric dentist or a general dentist who enjoys working with children. Both are qualified. Both have their pros and cons.

Pediatric Dentist or General Dentist?

A true pediatric dentist has done extra schooling and can handle certain more unusual issues that come up with children but not on adults very often. Additionally, their office is designed for children with little chairs and lots of colorful walls and toys. They usually go into the field because they love children and are great working with them.

A general dentist is still qualified to treat children, but have not had the additional schooling. That means there could be a tricky issue come up where they’d have to give you a referral to a specialist. However, that happens no matter what field someone is in. Many parents find it convenient for the entire family to go to the same practice. Though their office isn’t always designed with children in mind, if they enjoy treating children they will have things on hand for them.

When your son is with a general dentist, there won’t be any worries about having to switch dentists when he reaches a certain age. He’ll already be with a “grown-up” dentist.

I hope this helps and congratulations on being a mom.

Pediatric Dentist Strapped My Child Down

I am absolutely appalled. I took my daughter to the pediatric dentist for the first time. I got a little nervous when they didn’t let me back with her, but I didn’t want to make her worry so I pretended it was no big deal and she’d have a lot of fun. You can imagine how heartbroken I was when she told me that she got scared so they strapped her down. When they brought her out I could tell she’d been crying. I called, thinking I must have misunderstood her or she didn’t know how to explain what actually happened. They told me it’s standard procedure in dealing with an uncooperative child. Please tell me that’s not correct. She doesn’t ever want to go back.

Amy L.

Dear Amy,

Boy smiling and holding a toothbrush
Dental Care for Children Should be All Smiles

I’m heartbroken with you for the trauma your little girl experienced. I believe what you’re referring to is a papoose board. It wraps the child which essentially keeps them from moving during their appointment. It used to be a regular practice in many pediatric offices but has come under fire in recent years. Even the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has warned of its drawbacks and said parents have the right to terminate its use at any time.

While some children do better alone, many feel comforted knowing the mother is there to look out for them during their appointment. The goal of pediatric dental care is to give children a positive experience and get them excited about taking care of their teeth. I’d say your pediatric dentist totally failed at that.

Finding a Good Pediatric Dentist

You’ll obviously want to switch to a different practice. You can take your daughter to a pediatric specialist or a general dentist who enjoys treating children. One way to know how good a general dentist is with children is the age they’re willing to first see them. If they say around two years of age, you can feel pretty sure they’re comfortable with the wee set. If they say 8-10, then I’d look elsewhere.

Given your daughter’s experience, you’ll want a dentist who will let you go back with her. She’ll need to feel safe. You may also want to give her some nitrous oxide. It’s commonly called laughing gas and will help relax her. Wherever you end up, be sure to check their reviews ahead of time as well.

Please tell the new dentist what your daughter went through so they’ll be prepared to handle her understandable fear. We want to get her on the right track having positive experiences.

Most adults who end up with dental emergencies do so because they had a traumatic experience as a child and now avoid the dentist until their services become unavoidable.

For those patients, we recommend oral conscious sedation. It’s stronger than nitrous and will allow them to sleep through the appointment. That would be the last resort with a child, though. Let’s see if we can’t get her relaxed and happy without it.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.

Dental Visits and Chronic Illness

Older couple smiling and hugging
Good oral health can keep your body healthy too!

Yes, You’ve heard it before, regular dental checkups will improve your overall health. But, did you know that it can help prevent heart disease? Studies are now showing strong links between gum disease and heart disease. In fact, those with gum disease are much more likely to develop chronic illnesses such as diabetes or heart disease. Your dentist is much more likely to know something is wrong with your body before medical practitioner does.

Dental Care and Diabetes

When “Sara” came in for a checkup it had been a couple of years. We noticed she’d developed some bad breath and her gums were swollen and beginning to bleed. After a thorough cleaning and checkup, we suggested she do some follow up with her doctor and to have some blood work done to check for diabetes.

Sara was glad she did. Even though she had no family history or lifestyle risks, her blood work indicated she’d developed diabetes. She’s now on a treatment program that has made a huge difference in how she feels. She said she’ll never miss another dental appointment again.

Dental Care and Osteoporosis

Yes, those dental x-rays can be a pain, especially for those of you who suffer from a strong gag reflex. We do understand. But, they do more than let us know when you’ve developed decay between your chompers. They also help detect the beginning of bone loss. Those x-rays are much more affordable than bone scans and are a great indicator of whether or not you need to look for further diagnostics.

Dental Care and Heart Disease

“Greg” came in for a dental checkup. We determined he was in the beginning stages of gum disease. He also complained of jaw pain. We didn’t see any indicators of TMJ and asked him to follow up to get his heart checked. Unfortunately, in the busy-ness of life, Greg let that slip his mind until he started having chests pains and had to be rushed to the hospital. He’d had a major heart attack. The jaw pain combined with his gum disease had been an early indicator.

The next time you hear that oral health is good for your medical health, don’t blow it off. Regular brushing and flossing, along with checkups could actually save your life.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.