Archives for October 2011

If Novocain doesn’t work, what are my options?

Posted on October 31, 2011

I hope you can help me with some good information. I really need reliable advice, and just can’t seem to find a dentist that I can really talk to about this.

I have always had a real problem with Novocain. Specifically, it doesn’t work for me. Not at ALL. I’ve been to no less than five different dentists in my life, and have not found one single one that believes me when I tell them this. I swear, I am not just being wimpy. Every single time I have to have Novocain, it doesn’t work to make my mouth numb. I can ALWAYS feel whatever the dentist is doing.

I’ve been avoiding going to the dentist for a couple of years now, and I have a pretty good idea that I need some significant work done. I have a dental bridge that is loose, and am pretty sure I have at least two cavities. I would like to have those white fillings, but my last dentist didn’t do them.

I really need a forward thinking, sympathetic dentist. How can I find one?

Thanks,

Toby in Orlando

Dear Toby,

Though it it not a well understood phenomenon, some patients have to be sedated before numbing drugs work for them. Increased anxiety decreases the effectiveness of drugs like Novocain, so sedatives are necessary to reduce the anxiety so the numbing drugs work.

You need to seek the services of a sedation dentist, to find someone who is sympathetic to the complex issues of pain and anxiety. You may also want to search for a “mercury free dentist“, to find a dentist who is trained and skilled in placing the white fillings you refer to.

Post courtesy of Dr. Currie, York PA cosmetic dentist.

If I am taking Fosamax, what are my options to replace a front tooth?

Posted on October 25, 2011

I had to have one of my front teeth extracted. I’ve been wearing a flipper, but that has to go, and soon.

The dental surgeon who did the extraction said I might not be able to get a dental implant to replace the tooth, because I have been taking the medication Fosamax for years. If I had my choice, I’d like to go with a dental implant, but what are my other options?

I’ve seen some information about dental bridges that looks interesting. One kind that looked good was an Encore bridge, and another kind was a Maryland bridge. When I mentioned a dental bridge, though, my dentist said he is reluctant to file down one of my front teeth to place it.

I guess I feel like he is not really offering many options. Can you help?

Darius in Jacksonville

Dear Darius,

A dental implant might actually be an option for you. There is a slightly elevated risk of serious problems involving the bone at the site of the implant associated with Fosamax usage. Percentage-wise, the risk is small, but the consequences can be quite serious, so talk this option over carefully with your oral surgeon and your primary care physician. Perhaps it would be possible to discontinue Fosamax use on a temporary basis while you get the procedure completed.

If you decide that a dental implant is not worth the risk, a dental bridge would be a viable option. It is a little concerning that your dentist does not seem confident about this procedure when it involves the front tooth. You may want to seek the services of an experienced cosmetic dentist for this procedure, so you can be more confident of a positive outcome.

This post produced courtesy of York PA cosmetic dentist Dr. Currie.