Cosmetic Dentistry Guide » root

I have a 40 year old root canals with discoloured and fragile teeth

admin — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:56:49 +0000

Q. Dr Tennet, My upper two front teeth have 40 year old root canals. What is left of the teeth themselves is a very fragile & dark brown. What is the best cosmetic choice for covering them? I currently have porcelain crowns with white (titanium?) cores. They are ok, but not super. Any other options? Also, the gum above one of the crowns protrudes a bit more than its neighbor. That developed after the crowns were replaced a few years ago. My doctor has x-rayed and it doesn’t show an infection. I’m guessing a lot can go wrong with old dental work? Any advice would be appreciated

Discoloured Root filled teeth can be a problem to shade match All ceramic Zirconia cores are a good route but the level of opaque will need to be judged by trial and error it usually requires a few visits. The crown margins should be about 1mm below the gum line to hide the dark root emerging. If this is not possible then some periodontal plastic surgery to reshape the gum using grafts / emdogain etc might be an option.
Rob

Dr Rob Tennet
St Johns Dental Practice
www.e-dentalpractice.co.uk
Tel: 0121 643 0610
18 Bennett’s Hill
Birmingham B2 5QJ

Infected front tooth is drilled and treatment is causing lot of pain

admin — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:50:57 +0000

Q. I have been suffering wit a dead front tooth (top) for over a month. The dentist has drilled a hole in the back of the tooth, and initially left the tooth open in order for the bacteria to be killed off by the oxygen. This alleviated the pain initially. The tooth was then padded with soaked disinfectant on cotton wool. Following this after a week or so the tooth was repacked but left open. After the following week the tooth was packed with cotton wool and then sealed with a temporary filling. This felt ok for a while and then the pain was too great and so I removed the temporary filling and the padding and left the tooth open. This alleviated the pain once more. The tooth has now been packed again and sealed over with a temp filling and the pain at this point is quite bad with pain now at the gum and painful to pressure. Should I leave the filling in place or remove it and let the air in again? Is there a better method, this all seems a little ludicrous for this day and age!!!

A. You may need to consider removing the tooth if the infection doesn’t clear soon. Alternatively you could ask your dentist to refer you to a specialist endodontist, they might have more success in saving the tooth and completing the root canal

Dr Andrew Moore
Advance Dental Clinic
Clinical Director
www.advancedentalclinic.com
Tel: 01245 268 494
104 Moulsham Street
Chelmsford Essex
CM2 0JG

My front teeth are not proper what are the options other than braces?

admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:43:03 +0000

Q. my two front teeth sick way out what could be done to fix them other than braces

A. hi many thanks for your email, the other option would be to use veneers/crowns to bring them back in the smile. however the teeth may require root canal treatment. there is a case on my website under goofy teeth which give you an idea of the type of treatment that can be achieved.

hope this is helpful.

Dr Kailesh Solanki

Dr Kailesh Solanki
Kissdental
www.kissdental.co.uk
Tel: 0161 748 5250
157 Woodsend Road
Flixton Manchester
M41 8GN
UK Practice of the Year 2007

Should I go for whitening or veneer for the tooth which had root treatment?

admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:56:00 +0000

Q. I had root treatment on one of my front teeth years ago and the tooth has gone grey, would whitening help or would a veneer be preferable, if so how much would one veneer cost? Thanks

A. hi many thanks for your email, the gery tooth can be treated by internal whitening but this is sometimes unpredictable and even if the tooth whitens sometimes the colour can reverse.

the veneer is more predictable and long term, the cost of a single tooth veneer can range from £500 – £1200. dependant on where you go. my charge is usually £750.

hope this is helpful.

Dr Kailesh Solanki

Dr Kailesh Solanki
Kissdental
www.kissdental.co.uk
Tel: 0161 748 5250
157 Woodsend Road
Flixton Manchester
M41 8GN
UK Practice of the Year 2007

Is there any side effects from a crown material

admin — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:36:38 +0000

Q. I am having a root canal treatment for a very sensative back tooth & a crown, this is being done on the nhs but i have to pay. Can you tell me what quality the nhs crown will be & what it is mad of? and do i have a choice ? I ask this because i have a heart condition “AF” [Atrial Fribulation] & i have been told that metal in the mouth such as lead or amalgom can cause this AF that i have. What nhs crown do you suggest i have fitted ?

A. I have seen no scientific evidence to support what you have been told regarding lead or amalgam and atrial fibrillation. I would suggest you discuss this with your cardiac surgeon or doctor to get a clear picture of the facts.

Dr Julian Caplan
Aviva Cosmetic Dentistry
Director on the board of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
www.avivacosmeticdentistry.co.uk
101 St. Peters Street
St. Albans Hertfordshire
AL1 3EN

My root filling has gone wrong can I hv an implant replaced?

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:04:19 +0000

Q. Upper right incisor. I have a crown on metal post from 30 yrs ago. The crown was replaced 15 yrs ago. My root filling has gone wrong, x ray shows the root filling to have moved. I am recommended to have a apicectomy with an endodontic surgeon. Would it be better to remove this root and have an implant?

A. I personally prefer the predictablility of an implant as apicectomy often destroys the bone and prevents an implant being placed at a later date. If you would like me to take a look please feel free to contact me on implant@advancedentalclini.com

Dr Andrew Moore
Advance Dental Clinic
Clinical Director
www.advancedentalclinic.com
Tel: 01245 268 494
104 Moulsham Street
Chelmsford Essex
CM2 0JG

Can titanium rods suport as tooth roots

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:24:04 +0000

Q. I have been told that after a root canal in one of my lower molars, that now the root has come away from the canal and the other root cannot support the tooth on its own, and therefore the tooth needs to be extracted. My tooth doesn’t feel particularly loose, I’m not in any pain, and I don’t particularly want to loose it and get an implant. Is there anyway that titanium rods can be used in keeping the natural tooth?

A. hi many thanks for your email, if the tooth has split at the roots, although the tooth may not be causing you any pain the consequences of leaving the tooth and not having it extracted could be dyer. my advice would be to have the tooth extracted and then a dental implant as any other option will not be long term.

Dr Kailesh Solanki

Dr Kailesh Solanki
Kissdental
www.kissdental.co.uk
Tel: 0161 748 5250
157 Woodsend Road
Flixton Manchester
M41 8GN
UK Practice of the Year 2007

What is the best way to cover discoloured teeth?

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:55:04 +0000

Q. I damaged my front tooth when i was younger this made it slack I was then given root treatment and in time my tooth started to discolour, it was then suggested i get an veneer, this venner looked good but after 3 yrs it chipped and I needed to get it replaced,my second veneer was only in for 2 weeks when it cracked from the inside.I was then given my third within 6 months this one became noticeably darker, my dentist advised me to get yet another, I am just home from appt and this veneer is slightly better but at my gum area all you can see is blackness. I did say that I was’nt happy with it but he expressed that is the best he can do with what he has to work with, my own tooth is black and yellow as he showed me. i am wondering if you could advise on any other options. thanks

A. Thanks for your questions, you may wish to consider having a crown on the tooth instead of a veneer. Although it would involve more preperation of the tooth, a crown would be much less transparent hence consealing the discolouration. I would recommend that you speak to your dentist to gain his professional opinion on the merit of this in your case. I hope that his helps.
Kind Regards
DR Kailesh Solanki

Dr Kailesh Solanki
Kissdental
www.kissdental.co.uk
Tel: 0161 748 5250
157 Woodsend Road
Flixton Manchester
M41 8GN
UK Practice of the Year 2007

What could be the cause of a tooth root appearing translucent?

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:06:01 +0000

Q. I have has an abcess beneath one of my teeth. My dentist ended up giving me root canal treatment and filling. This flared up again and again several times without being sucessfully resolved. Therefore he referred me to a root canal specialst. The specialist has taken an xray of the tooth, and the root appears completely translucent, almost as if it is not there. It only has a very faint outline. He said there also seems to be some debris in the root. He is not sure why this is, and I am due to go back on a weeks time. My question is why would a root appear on xray to be translucent. Has the root completely perished? If so, can that occur from an abcess, or would it be a result of too much/frequent work my dentist has performed. COuld this have caused the root to shatter/perish?

A. hi many thanks for your email, firstly yes an abcess can cause the root of a tooth to dissolve, in correct term is external or internal resorption. this is usually not caused by work done on a tooth so i think it will more down to a problem with the infection. You are in safe hands if the speciailist is looking after you so hold in there and see what the outcome brings.

hope this is helpful.

Dr Kailesh

Dr Kailesh Solanki
Kissdental
www.kissdental.co.uk
Tel: 0161 748 5250
157 Woodsend Road
Flixton Manchester
M41 8GN
UK Practice of the Year 2007

Can the crown be placed always over the tooth?

admin — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:14:22 +0000

Q. Hi, I have just found out that my top right rear molar, is dying as a result of a deep filling, which is now beging to rest on the nerve of the tooth. The dentist has shown me the x-ray and said that as the root is so bent and not easily identifiable, he does not believe a root canal would be sucsessful. I have also had a bad expererience of root canal’s, where within months I had absess, and lost the tooth anyway. My dentist has said that my only option really is therefore too losse the tooth. My concern with this is that due to braces and overcrowding I had already had all my wisdom teeth removed and to loose this back tooth, I run the risk of my jaw bone disolving, there is already evidence of this on the x-ray following the wisdom extraction 3 years ago. I asked if there was any other options and he told me I would need splints and a crown which would cost about £2000. I am only 31 and worry that if I don’t make the right choice now it will be too late, I can’t afford £2000 for a tooth, but as it stands a booked for an extraction the week before xmas??!! Reading some of your other responses to questions indicate the crown can be placed over the tooth, can this not always be done? Any advise would be great. Thanks

A. hi many thanks for your enquiry, my advice would be to ask to be referred to an endodontist for a second opinion. THere are many teeth which general dentists just do not have the skill to treat. however an endodontist is highly experianced at root canal treatment and can give you an idea of whether they feel it can be treated and level of sucess. once the root canal treatment is done it is then best to crown the tooth.

hope this is helpful.

Dr Kailesh Solanki

Dr Kailesh Solanki
Kissdental
www.kissdental.co.uk
Tel: 0161 748 5250
157 Woodsend Road
Flixton Manchester
M41 8GN
UK Practice of the Year 2007