Hi Dr Hughes, I hope you are well. I have been told by my dentist that I need an apicectomy above my bridge (the 3 top teeth). Unfortunately, I didn’t ask enough questions at the consultation so I’m not really sure what this means, and the dentist said I may have gum shrinkage afterwards. Will this be noticeable? I am not in any pain anymore and I don’t think I want it done if it’s going to look funny, and it will be pointless if I no longer need it. Also, I have to have another apicectomy on the bottom gold crown, but this time I have to go to an outpatients hospital instead. Thank you for your help.
Archive for the ‘Experts Answers’ Category
I’ve Been Told I Need an Apicectomy, but the Pain Has Subsided. Do I Still Need Treatment?
Tuesday, September 9th, 2014My Dental Bridge Feels Grainy Against My Tongue. Can This be Polished Smooth?
Monday, September 8th, 2014Hey Dr Hughes. I have just had a 4 tooth dental bridge fitted by my dentist, and the bridge feels great with no pain. However, the texture of the bridge is not smooth, it feels grainy against my tongue, as if there is grit under the glaze. I had 2 front crowns done by the same dentist last year and they feel great, the texture is smooth and glass like. The bridge is on the upper back 4 teeth. This problem is irritating me no end. My question is, can this be polished smooth in my mouth without harming the glaze or should I request a new bridge? Will removing the bridge harm the original teeth underneath? Many thanks.
Which is the Cheapest Method of Straightening Teeth?
Monday, September 8th, 2014Hello Dr Gambroudes. When I was at school I had to wear braces for a while. I’m now 22 years old and am still not happy with my teeth. I’m depressed and sometimes I can’t come into work because of my lack of confidence. I don’t earn a great amount of money and I know braces can be expensive. What is the cheapest method of straightening my teeth? I make sure to look after my teeth very well. I have a gap between my 2 front teeth. It is mainly the top tier of my mouth that I don’t like. It just needs a good straightening, although it is not disastrous. Please get back to me. Thank you kindly.
My Veneers Have Altered My Bite. Can They Be Leveled?
Monday, September 8th, 2014 Hi Dr Hughes. I recently had veneers on 5 of my front teeth, and am very disappointed and have no faith in the dentist who did them. Two of my teeth already had old veneers on them and the dentist had a great deal of trouble getting these off. I think he may have shaved off too much tooth. I queried the colour (A1) which is far too white. One of the incisors is longer than the other so my bite is now wrong. The incisors also jut out more than before and feel very uncomfortable.
Can the incisors be leveled? I went as a private patient and paid £2.500. Can you offer any advice on how to correct this?
Can I Have Dentures Without a Plate?
Monday, September 8th, 2014Hello Dr Gambroudes. I currently have upper dentures. Would it be possible to have them without the plate? I struggle to wear them with the plate as I have a bad gag reflex so it makes me retch. The teeth are a good fit and I want to know if I could have the plate removed if they will stay in place with fixative. I only have three of my own natural teeth on my upper jaw, and can’t afford implants but am desperate to wear the dentures as I am too self conscious to smile without teeth. My daughter is getting married this year and I want to be able to smile in the photos on her wedding day. Thank you in advance.
Can a Healthy Tooth be Pulled and Replaced with an Artificial One?
Friday, September 5th, 2014 Hi,
I have completely straight teeth, except for one canine tooth that took too long to come back in after my baby teeth fell out and didn’t have enough room to come down – it is raised and protruding. I can’t afford braces and am getting married next summer. I refuse to show my teeth when I smile, especially for pictures, because of it. I asked the dentist/orthodontist about extraction but they acted like it wasn’t an option because of that being an important tooth. Can’t the tooth be pulled and a false tooth be somehow permanently placed in the space where this tooth should’ve been? It doesn’t seem right that braces could be the only option for one tooth.
I’m Insecure About My Teeth. Can You Offer Any Advice?
Friday, September 5th, 2014 Hey Dr Hughes. I have really horrible teeth that make me feel very self-conscious. The ones next to my front teeth stick out and it’s irritated me for years. My dentist made a mistake with previous treatment and tried to charge me a lot of money to fix them, which I couldn’t afford at the time as I was only young. The appearance of my teeth makes me feel very insecure and I dream about having the perfect smile so I can feel more confident in myself. Is there any way I could be able to get some help or guidance in the right direction?
Thank you so much, I hope you can give me some advice.
Can I Get Six Month Smiles Even Though I Have a Bridge?
Friday, September 5th, 2014Hello Dr Gambroudes, I hope this question finds you well. I got a bridge placed on the upper part of my teeth on the left hand side. But I would really like to straighten the teeth on the right hand side now so that my smile is symmetrical. Would Six Month Smiles be a good treatment for me even though I have a bridge on my upper teeth? I just really want to make my teeth straight so that I can smile in my pictures without hesitation, and Six Month Smiles looks like the perfect brace. I’ve looked at other options but it is by far my favourite. Thank you, I look forward to your response and hope you can give me some good advice.
My Crown Felt Too High, So My Dentist Filed Down the Tooth Above It. Is This the Correct Procedure?
Friday, September 5th, 2014I recently had a new crown fitted and immediately felt it was too high. It is also much deeper (front to back) than my other teeth. My dentist asked “does it feel too high?” and when I answered yes, she checked it by asking me to bite down and move my teeth from side to side on a strip of paper, said “I’ll adjust it”, and then proceeded to file down the tooth immediately above it – without informing me first. The filed tooth is root-filled and is mainly filling anyway so it didn’t hurt, but is this normal procedure if a crown is too high? It seems all wrong to me and the filed tooth is now shorter than the corresponding one on the other side. Surely any filing should have been done to the crown?