Dental mishaps and emergencies happen every day.
It is important you contact your dentist immediately if you have sudden severe pain, a swollen face, swollen gums, a loose tooth, or tender gums. Because these are all signs of infection or an acute abscess.
But what if it’s on a weekend?
Or it happens when you’re out of town?
Or when your dentist is unreachable?
Has something like this ever happened to you?
Scene l – You Are Halted Mid-Chew
It’s Saturday night and you’re at a restaurant with friends. Or perhaps on a date.
Suddenly, you bite into something that’s unexpectedly hard – like an olive pit in your salad. You are jolted by a sharp wince of pain that halts you in mid-chew.
The pain continues with waves of aftershocks. It’s kind of like if you stubbed your bare toe on a block of concrete. Finally, the pain retreats.
But you realize your tooth just broke and you have no idea what to do when a tooth cracks.
Scene 2 – You Lose a Crown or Filling
You’re on vacation with your family. You’re in an old-fashioned candy when you spy some candy you haven’t seen since childhood – Charleston Chews! You can’t resist and you buy a bag.
You take one bite and feel the warm embrace of gooey chocolate taffy.
Uh-Oh! A crown has just been pulled off your tooth. Or…one of your large fillings just abandoned your molar.
What do you do?
Here are…
5 Common Dental Emergencies & What To Do Until You Can See A Dentist
1. A Chipped Tooth
- If there’s no pain: A chipped tooth usually will have jagged, sharp edges that love to grab your lip, cheek, or tongue. Use an emery board to gently smooth out the rough edges of your tooth until you can see a dentist.
- If the tooth is sensitive to cold, sugar, or heat: When a tooth first chips or breaks, it’s very sensitive to touch and temperature. This usually fades over time, but frequently applying Sensodyne toothpaste to the affected area can bring you some relief until you can see a dentist.
2. Your Tooth Cracks Or You Lose A Filling
Many products are available in the dental aisles of your local pharmacy that can help:
- DentTemp: Whether you use the premixed or powder version, place it in the void and pat it with water to harden the material. Then bite into it while it’s still soft. Scrape away any excess material with a toothpick.
- Dent’s Toothache Gum: Soften the gum in your mouth and place it on your affected tooth. If you can’t find Dent’s gum or can’t get to a pharmacy, you can use sugarless chewing gum, preferably sweetened with xylitol, instead. Mold it into the sensitive area to protect it. (A softened piece of household candle wax can also be hand-molded and pressed into place.)
- Sensodyne or Fluoridated Toothpaste: Coat your tooth with the toothpaste. Then cover the area with sugarless chewing gum or softened candle wax.
- If A Significant Portion Of Your Tooth Broke Off: If a significant portion of your tooth broke off and if the tooth has a large filling, there’s a good chance your filling is secure. This is even more serious than if your tooth cracks. If the tooth fragment has broken off completely, once the initial pain fades, you can continue your meal. But avoid cold, sweets, and extreme heat. If your tooth breaks and is dangling from your gum, go to the restroom with a glass of ice water. Place a piece of ice against your gum where the tooth is loose for 30 seconds. Be careful not to put the ice directly on the tooth. Your gum will get numb enough that you will be able to gently and painlessly remove the loose, broken piece of tooth. If the gum bleeds a bit, bite on a tissue or paper towel for a few minutes, and it should stop.
3. A Dislodged Cap Or Crown
- First, clean and dry both your tooth and the cap or crown. Place a dab of Fixodent or Polygrip into it and put it back in place. Then, tap your teeth together. If you can get to the store, make a loose slurry of flour and water and use it the same way. The cap or crown will only stay in place temporarily – so it is important to see your dentist as soon as possible.
4. A Dislodged Porcelain Veneer
- Try placing the veneer back on your tooth in the proper position. When you’ve got the hang of it, carefully place a dab of Krazy Glue inside and push it into place. Wipe away excess cement with nail polish remover. Remember, just a little dab will do ya!
5. Irritated, Tender Gums, Canker Sores or Inflamed Wisdom Teeth
- Rinse your mouth with Listerine or with a warm salt-water rinse. Swish vigorously. (Do not gargle). An anesthetic salve like Ambesol can also be applied for quick relief.
Remember, all the solutions above offer only temporary relief. If your tooth cracks or you lose a crown or you experience any of the dental emergencies above, please see a dentist right away.
If you’re one of my patients, you can always reach me by calling 212-685-3040. If the office is closed, listen to the message and you will be given my cell number.
Related Reading:
- What To Do When You Have A Dental Problem & Your Dentist’s Office Is Closed
- Chipped Front Tooth? You May Have Bruxism
DISCLAIMER: The advice I offer in response to your questions is intended to be informational only and generic in nature. Namely, I am in no way offering a definitive diagnosis or specific treatment recommendations for your particular situation. My intent is solely educational and my responses to your actual questions serve as a springboard for discussion of a variety of dental topics that come up in day-to-day dental practice. Any advice offered is no substitute for proper evaluation and care by a qualified dentist.
259 Responses
Hi I don’t know if this is where I’m sapose to ask you but I had a tooth filled as a child and now its obviously fallen out disintegrated and has become a giant cavity in my far left bottom moler the sensitivity is un bearable as my cheek touching it causes constant pain is there any thing I can do to create a temperarty mold or something for relief I have called my dentist waiting for a call back to make an appointment but in the time being I have 2 children that require my attention and its hard ? Plz help me ?
Dear Natalie,
You really need to see a dentist ASAP, as in make an appointment now. In the meantime, an over-the-counter temporary filling material such as DentTemp might offer your tooth both some shorter relief and protection. It’s simple enough to use, just follow the directions and if your dentist doesn’t call you back, call again. This is an emergence. Make an appointment BEFORE THIS GETS WORSE.
Good luck!
Dr Sinkin
Thanks for the response Dr. Sinkin, and a quick one at that! I’m in Canada so lucky for me we have already had our thanksgiving 🙂 I didn’t find any Dentemp today however I did pick up some Fixodent. It worked to hold the tooth in place during the day until I needed to have a meal and then the normal bumping from food, tongue, lips, etc managed to loosen the tooth. I just took it out so I could eat without worrying so much. I’ll see a dentist ASAP and see if I can get it temporarily glued until I am able to get on my spouses dental plan. Thanks again for putting my mind at ease and for the recommendations.
Terry
Hello Dr. Sinkin,
This blog is great and I think you do a great job at putting a lot of peoples’ fear and anxiety to rest when it is not needed. On to my question, about 30 years ago a was hit by a baseball bat in the mouth which resulted in cracked teeth, root canals, shaved teeth, and crowns on my top two front teeth (as well as 3 on the bottom but those I am not concerned about at the moment). Tonight while taking a bite of food the tooth under one of the top crowns snapped off at the gum line (some tooth is below the gum line and some is just below but the outside of the tooth all remains above the gum line). The remainder of the tooth is still glued inside the the crown that now sits in my hand. The center of the tooth that was put in when the root canal was done has also snapped off along with the rest of the tooth at the gum line. The unfortunate part is that I currently have no dental coverage however I will qualify to be added to my spouses insurance in just a week. I assume it will take a few weeks to get the paperwork completed before I am able to be insured. Would you feel it is ok to clean the crown and remaining tooth by brushing and rinsing with mouthwash, drying, and then using a temporary dental glue such as fixodent (or perhaps you can recommend something else)? How long can I do this for? I have the money to go to the dentist if I need to go immediately, however it would be awfully nice to wait 3-4 weeks until the insurance kicks in. Thank you for your response Dr. Sinkin.
Dear Terry,
Why do such dental mishaps seem to have such a bad sense of timing and Thanksgiving is tomorrow to boot? Anyway it’s hard to know if you have enough exposed tooth structure to offer enough “hold” or retention. You certainly can try some over-the-counter temporary cement like Dentemp or even Fixodent.
I think you should call the dentist you plan on seeing when the insurance kicks in. There are some techniques he/she can use that can give you a front tooth for the holidays without incurring a major expense, at least until your your insurance kicks in. What you need is a safe and economical stop gap measure to bridge (pun intended) the insurance gap
Besides, this will give you an opportunity to meet your new dentist. How he/she handles your current dilemma may give you insight as to whether you’ve chosen the right dentist for you. Happy holidays.
My nerve us exposed I believe. It only hurts when I rinse with Listerine or try and brush it. Excruciating but other than that it doesn’t bother me. What can I rinse with that doesn’t burn?
Rhonda,
What you must do is get to a dentist before the pain becomes unrelenting or before you develop an abscess. If you must rinse, try an alcohol-free mouth rinse like Listerine Zero or better yet, warm salt water (1/2 tsp of salt in an 8 oz glass of warm water). The artificial sweeteners in over-the counter mouth wash can trigger a pretty severe pain response. Don’t delay. Any relief you get will only be temporary and Thanksgiving is 2 days away.
Best of luck.
Hi Dr. Sinkin,
I got most of my answers from reading your replies, thank you. However, I do have a question. My back molar tooth has a crown that keeps falling out because there isn’t enough tooth structure to hold it (it’s like two flat surface cemented together). I have already spent $5000 on that tooth getting root canal, gum surgery for cementing the crown and getting a second crown by a different dentist etc. My new crown fell out again. Without going through “implant” or “post and crown” procedure, would the remainder of that tooth get infected with time (since the protective layer is gone)? And would my other teeth shift? What other alternative solution(besides pulling it) is there to protect what is left of that tooth, if any? I have had bad experiences with bridge and post in the past. Would onlay be an option?
I feel your frustration. Something is definitely amiss. I would love to see what’s going on because there is a definite disconnect between all the treatment modalities used to save your tooth (root canal, gum surgery, 2 crowns) and the final result. Your description of 2 flat pieces put together makes me think that your tooth lacks enough surface area to retain the crown. A post generally helps to achieve this by building up the tooth, but the opposing tooth may be too close when you bite down to allow for a proper and retentive crown prepation. You need another pair of dental eyes on your tooth. Some thing just doesn’t add up. Get a another opinion. Good luck!
Dr. Sinkin
I just lost a crown with the middle of the tooth. Today is Sunday. Anything I need to do before going to the dentist?
If you are not in pain and have no swelling just make a dental appointment as soon as possible. Good luck!
Hi
this week I had felt my left check bone bothering me like a dull ach coming and going.My first thought was tooth absess but I felt all around my upper inner gum and felt nothing unusually. I have an inner ear condition that comes and goes with dull pain and my family dr has me on decongestants, floconasal spray and non drowsy claritan to keep it under control, Im 61 by the way and never had this problem till 2 yrs ago. No allergys.Its the ear tube that holds fliuds .Any how this weekend my check bone ached under my eye on left side , would come and go. I finally broke down on sun and started on 2 keflex x 2 a day .Immediately I was improving mon.i called office and they said continue 7 days. So I was happy. Well tonite Im nibbling at supper and I felt something on the upper left molar .The 3 or 4th tooth from the back. I took a dental floss pick and lightly felt around and could feel that the molar inner wall(tongue side ) moved some .I quickly left it alone as it is evening. I have a filling in the middle and im sure it is old and the tooth probably just gave away.The tooth is all there but Im fearing the inner tooth wall is fractured .And that tooth is allive but Im not hurting thank goodness.
I left voice mail on phone to dentist .I hope to go see tomorrow.i usually have in the past years had a tooth removed at an oral surgeon and not with regular dentist. If they say come in the morning first thing Im trying to decide if he decides to send me to a surgeon should I not have any breakfast.In case I would be put to sleep .I dont remember if that type of surgery needs an empty stomach . It is always soemthing 🙂
I feel you may be jumping the gun. The tooth should be evaluated by a general dentist before any discussion of extraction takes place. Many broken teeth can be successfully restored. Good luck.
hello,
I am sure you have heard this before, but i was set up to go to a new dentist a week ago. My husband recently got a new job and we were waiting for the benefits to kick in before having a cracked crown with a possible root canal looked at. Unfortunately the right paperwork at his work wasn’t filled out and I had to cancel the appt. until the insurance kicks in. 2 weeks to a month I was told, so of course Murphy’s Law goes into affect and half of my crown falls off tonight leaving a stubble of a tooth that throbs occassionally and is sensitive to cold. I am rinsing with salt water after I eat anything to keep food out. But there is just no way on earth we can afford anything without insurance. What else can I do? Please help!
A bureaucratic slip up and you need professional help asap. Here’s my advice.
Call the new dentist’s office and explain the situation. He should be able to render some “first aid” that will tide you over until the insurance kicks in. Such treatment should be modest in cost. Don’t be uncomfortable discussing fees. You will most likely need root canal and a new crown in a matter of weeks. I would expect him/her to be able and willing to help you now. If not, look for a different dentist. You need to be seen before you develop a severe toothache or an abcess. The circumstances being what they are, I’m sure you will get the help you need. Compassion should be one of the criteria for your soon to be doctor.
Dr Sinkin
Hi
Can anything be done to save my tooth
I had a root canal filling and the tooth has
fractured I have been told the tooth cannot
be crowned but the filling as now fallen out
and I can feel the hole but it surround by tooth
Can’t some thing be done as I can’t afford a
implant as suggested by my dentist
Thank you for your time
Hi Susan,
I am so sorry for your trouble. Obviously I cannot make a diagnosis as to the restorability of your tooth without an examination and x-ray. If your tooth has a vertical fracture, meaning that the root is split, it will most likely need to be removed. If the tooth is fractured below the gum-line and bone, the ability to save the tooth depends on how much healthy tooth remains and if necessary, what kind of surgery might be required to uncover sound tooth structure onto which a crown is fabricated. If an extraction is necessary, an implant is generally the ideal solution. From an economic perspective, it might be more cost effective to have the implant in the long run, especially if the prognosis of your tooth is so poor. Sometimes an implant can be placed and after integration occurs, 3-4 months later, a temporary crown can be made as a phased approach to help spread the costs over a longer period of time. Good luck.
Dr. Sinkin
Hi Dr I am really needing your reassurance. Tooth 18 was crowned a few years ago on recommendation of my dentist as it had such large fillings in it. Shortly after, this tooth infected and I needed a root canal which was done through a hole drilled into the crown. Nine months ago I was told there was decay under it so the crown was cut off, cavity treated, build up and post done and new crown placed. Recently I felt a weird sensation, but not really pain, when chewing anything hard or sticky and realized the tooth seemed to be “rocking” slightly. The dentist diagnosed the tooth is cracked and needs to be removed and replaced with an implant. He took an x ray and probed under the margin of the crown at my lingual gum line to make this conclusion. I am very upset and don’t want to lose my tooth! Should I ask him to actually remove the crown and re examine before extracting? I am so worried! Please help!
This morning my temp dental implant came out. Since it is a holiday, the office is closed till Tuesday. The posts are still in. Will I damage anything by waiting a couple of days to get in to see the dentist?
Dear Cheryl,
From your description, it sounds like your temporary crown or crowns came off the posts (which I assume are the abutments that are screwed into the actual dental implants.) If this is in fact what occurred, there is nothing to worry about except the inconvenience of missing “teeth.” Avoid chewing on the area as you don’t want to irritate the gum or possibly loosen the screws within the posts. Sight unseen, I can’t offer any concrete advice. If the situation is as I envision it and the posts are secure (not loose), and the temporary crowns are not damaged, you may be able to place them back using a denture adhesive like fixodent. The temporaries have to be clean of any debris or cement and you would first want to try placing them on the posts without the fixodent and see if they’re in properly. Be mindful that even with the fixodent, they are more likely to become unglued, so avoid chewing with them. If you are not comfortable doing this, put them in a safe place (not wrapped in tissue where you might accidentally throw them out) and wait until Tuesday. Happy Labor Day.
Dr Sinkin
DISCLAIMER: The advice I offer in response to your questions is intended to be informational only and generic in nature. Namely, I am in no way offering a definitive diagnosis or specific treatment recommendations for your particular situation. My intent is solely educational and my responses to your actual questions serve as springboard to discussion of a variety of dental topics that come up in day to day dental practice. Any advice offered is no substitute for proper evaluation and care by a qualified dentist.
Hi Dr. Sinkin,
I had a root canal done and had a crown put in over two years ago (with a crown lengthening done). For the last few months I’ve been having a foul smell coming from it. This week I started feeling it coming loose. It just came out and it has a portion of my tooth attached to it (I have a hollow middle and one outer portion of my tooth left). What can I do to help protect the small portion of my tooth left as my dentist can’t see me until tuesday. Do you think I will need an extraction done or will a crown still be a possibility?
Leah
Dear Leah,
It’s clear to me that the foul odor/taste that you were experiencing was the result of your crown’s cement seal being broken. This could have happened for any one of a number of reasons but the bottom line is that once the seal was disturbed, bacteria was getting under the crown….hence the smell. The fact that you had crown lengthening performed indicates that initially there wasnt enough tooth structure to grab onto. From your description, it doesn’t appear that you had a post placed after the root canal was completed. What you have left of the tooth – the hollow portion and residual walls may be restorable with a new crown or perhaps even using the crown that came out. It all depends on the state of the now naked tooth. If significant damage was done, you may lose the tooth.
In the mean time, keep your tooth clean, brush as normal and don’t chew with it. Good luck.]
Dr Sinkin
Hello Doctor
I wish you were my dentist!
A large white filling just came out leaving a massive hole (this was a large filling). Jagged edges but no pain. My dentist can’t see me for two weeks. What should I do in the meantime please? I’m guessing when I see him it’ll be a crown as he did warn me it was a huge filling.
Many thanks
Julie.
Dear Julie,
Two weeks???
Can’t he see you sooner for some dental first aid? Anyway, there is an over the counter product called dentemp. It is a temporary dental filling material made for this very problem. Easy to use. Just follow the instructions and be sure you aren’t allergic to any of the ingredients. Oil of cloves and zinc oxide are the main ones. Good luck.
Are you sure your dentist can’t see you sooner it wouldn’t take long to tide you over. If he’s on vacation , I would imagine he has arranged for emergency coverage. Good luck!
Dr. Sinkin
Hello I was just wondering if you had any advice as I am currently going on vacation in a few hrs and have a very long drive. Basically i was just at my dentist last week to have a aggravated tooth that had a root canal done, it was hurting into my ear and the gum was very inflamed,my dentist said it had a seam where food was getting in and he would fill this he figured It would take care of the problem well now it is still hurting even when I don’t eat,but what’s really odd is that is my very last tooth on upper left hand side and now the opposite upper on right became really sensitive and now gum is sore and inflamed almost like its touching the inside of my cheek and it happened like out of nowhere. I am taking antibiotics he gave me just in case and using salt water, but I’m so scared because I’ll be five states away with two children and Im all ready in pain. I’m so worried I’ll get an infection or I all ready do. Help Please
Dear Janel,
Sorry to hear of your dental woes; especially the timing with your vacation. Your taking antibiotics prescribed by your dentist should probably alleviate any concerns for serious infection. That said, if your symptoms don’t improve in 48 hours, you should call your dentist for advice. Remember. ..48 hours.
Enjoy your vacation.
Dr. Sinkin
Last night when I was eating chips, I felt a sharp pain in my tongue and when I run my tongue over my molar I felt something sharp. Looking in the mirror I saw a little part of an old filling broke off, which left a little hole, and sharp exposure. Is there anything I can do temporarily to fill in the hole until the 1st of September when my I can afford to go to the dentist? Nothing hurts except for the molar being sharp and cutting up the side of my tongue, which is causing me pain when I eat or drink when I swallow because my tongue moves against the sharp edge of the molar. Thanks in advance.
Dear Mary,
Not to worry, at least about the permanent crown fitting. You want to get a new temporary on as soon as possible to protect your tooth from potential damage and to keep the inside of your tooth sealed against contamination. Brush your prepared tooth as normal and make an appointment.
Dr. Sinkin
I swallowed my temporary crown. My dentist has not yet made a final impression – waiting for root canal work to be finished on this tooth. Will he be able to take a proper impression? Will the shape of the permanent rely on trial and error?
Hi there, it is Sunday evening and while I was eating dinner, I felt a strange crunch and upon inspection I see that my bottom back molar on the left side has a corner of it that is loose. I will be going to the dentist first thing inthe morning but I was hoping you could tell me if you think my tooth will need to be extracted. This tooth has a big ugly dark colored filling from a root canal 15 years ago that has turned the rest of the tooth a horrible gray color. The tongue side of the molar has one corner that is missing and now one corner cracked and loose, the other side is intact. My teeth are crowded on the bottom as it is would it be better to just have it removed? Thank you I appreciate any advice you might be able to give me.
Hi Nicole,
By the time you get this response, you probably will have already seen your dentist. However, I am more than happy to share my thoughts about your dental description. It sounds like you had a molar root canal without having a proper restoration such as a crown or onlay placed to protect your weakened tooth from fracture. In fact, it appears from your narrative that you had the riskiest and least protective of fillings placed in a post root canal tooth, namely a silver amalgam filling. While I have nothing personally against silver fillings, they do expand and contract over time causing leakage by the tooth/filling interface. This is especially true with large ones. Having such a large filling placed in a molar following root canal is a prescription for disaster. The blackand gray color is a sign of such leakage and the cracking is evidence of the lack of protection of your tooth.
I cannot say whether your tooth is beyond repair or not. A crown might still be a viable solution. Extracting your 2nd molar because your front teeth are crowded will most likely not improve the situation. Good luck to you.
Dr. Sinkin
It is 2:32 in the morning and I bit on something that cracked my tooth a little opened and I’m scared cause it’s hurting and everyone’s sleeping.
Hi Nikhil, So sorry to hear about your tooth. Get yourself to your dentist asap. If you don’t have one, go online and type in “emergency dentist.” Good luck!
Dr. Simkin:
Sincere apologies for contacting u at such a late hour. This request is actually on behalf of a friend. I believe he was told by his dentist that he has excellent htgiene but poor enamel due to genetics. This dentist had treated my frien’s mother occasionally + noticed that her enamel cross-hatch pattern was atypical + the pattern may + has weakened their teeth. My friend is 62, a raw vegan, eats quite well and brushes wth baking soda/peroxide + flosses after every meal along wth xtra brushing gently or rinsing wth raw honey. His moth is mostly full but they’re bits + pieces of his real teeth. Over time, they’ve broken after eating nuts etc. His dentist told him he has the gums of a teen. He had a tooth pulled a few months ago wth minimal pain + no swelling + no pain meds.
Current problem. Last wk or so a piece of a crown chipped off. He said he planned to call to see his dentist since he noticed the rest of the crown was bit jiggly. but just a little while ago he was flossing and the rest of the crown popped out leaving part of the old tooth (it has a root canal) + a metal piece sticking out from that area. He called his dentist who told him he shuld hav come by when the piece xhipped off + best he can do is see him tuesday.
He also had agreed late nxt wk to help his girlfriendd out on long island re her mom/a dr appt.
I feel badly because he really does work hard to take care of his health + he tries not to get overly workeed up about this general problem wth his teeth but it seems as though in spite of taking every precaution, every year or so it seems like one more thg keeps happening wth his teeth. His dentist seems very competent + is always willing to do whatever he can to respect the wishes of my friend aftr reviewing the current problem,taking any necessary xrays and providing his professional feedback..
I’m sorry this is rather long-winded but I’m wondering if u culd recomend a few alternatives under these circumstances such that he doesn’t hav to keep addressing one problem after another which do seem like he just got unlucky wth his enamel. He did hav 2 wisdom teeth capped wth steel and the specialist didn’t even use any glue, just the pressure of the steel agaiSnst the wisdom teeth and strangely enough, it’s been almost 25 years wth no prob wth those teeth. Also he said it seems that it doesn’t matter what current highest quality bonding material his dentist uses to address appropriate situations the bonding never really combines or sticks successfully wth his teeth.
I know this is a rather spotty + fragmented request but I wish there were viable options my friend can consider so he doesn’t hav to experience a problem almost like clockwork every time he relaxes about his teeth or he has to go away (to long island). He wuld rather not hav all his teeth pulled + just get dentures or implants both of which are drastic, timme consuming + costly.
Do u happen to hav any recommendations which I culd pass along to him? Ur website + professionalisM is a Godsend.
Perhaps another time,now that I’ve stumbled onto ur amazing wwebsit accidentally, I can ask u about my boyfriend’s dental issues (he’s 59, doesn’t hav dental coverage, had football freak accident in HS –the other guy’s sneaker/shoe somehow got past his helmet + crushed a # of teeth on one side, lower jaw I believe + back then in a small town the local dentist just pulled the teeth out but now aftr trying bridges that don’t quite feel right, $30k worth of current reconstructive work including a titanium plate etc to avoid sinking of that area of his jaw which supposedly is going to result in major problems down the road for him but he doesn’t hav the $ to do this nor does he want to get involved wth a dental plan involving this kind of debt..very stressful..so he just let’s it be for now..times r tough financially..:((not to mention my own (got hit by a van head on in 2007, cleared by drs at ER but wthin 2 years + thereafter, started a long processs of chippd teeth which eventually get to point of pulling..I didn’t saue. Was too busy taking care of my elderly mom + just. Grateful that drs cleared me via tons of xrays, at that time..currently on disability, have severe fibromyalgia etc)
I know..geez this sounds like major bad karMa but bottom line is dental care is. Very costly + it’s hard to get reliable, solid dentists/specialists wthout major expenditures..I’ve tried going the dental school route myself but I hate to say that I would never recommend NYU (and I grduated from there wth a BAY…again sorry for the discoMbobulated email..hopefully u have the gist of my request..any and all feedback is welcome + greatly appreciated. Have a good evening. U sound like a truly wonderful combination of genuine professional who is equally gifted wth a big caring heart/very impressive “bedside manner”, if u will..cheers, kristel
Dear Kristel,
Wow! Where do I begin? I feel your exasperation and appreciate the dental quandary you and your friends are experiencing. You covered so much territory in your email that it is impossible for me to give you specific advice. Suffice it to say that an objective and thorough evaluation for each of you is in order. Your description of the problems while quite detailed leave me with many clinical questions that need to be answered before I could possibly over a recommendation. A history of repeated catastrophes makes me wonder if some other underlying problem is contributing to your friend’s situation (aside from “defective” enamel.) That he has cosistently had to deal with dental emergencies makes me think that a different perspective is needed. Sometimes one’s focus on the problem at hand obscures the bigger picture. It’s like being able to distinguish the forest from the trees. Certainly the notion that if one tries the same approach over and over again why would you expect different results. As for you and your boyfriend. …again a thorough evaluation is necessary before I could possibly offer guidance.
I certainly understand the the daunting expenses associated with comprehensive dental care, but an accurate diagnosis is paramount to finding a solution. There are many approaches to proper care. It’s not one size fits all. Once the problem is understood, careful planning and a staged treatment approach can make the financial burden less overwhelming.
Dr . Sinkin