Ask Your Dentist

[Smuterella]

Really? That's so ridiculous. I don't think people realise how lucky we are to have the NHS.

actually, you can't get white fillings on the NHS either

 

[dollydaydream]

Really? You learn something new every day!

 

[AmateisGal]

My gosh, you make it sound like the dentist is the devil!! Just to let you know, the dentist might not have been able to numb you because every persons anatomy is different. He could aim that needle in one spot on one person and get it the first time, and the next person it could take 3 times. Sadly, unlike drawing blood from an arm where for most of the time the phlebotomist can see a vein, in dentistry we can't see them , they're hiding behind thick tissue that is wet and not translucent. Also, every person responds differently to novacaine. One shot might do the job on some, other might need a lot more than that. So, it's not that your doctor missed anything, you might just have a higher tolerance for that kind of numbing procedure. So, it doesn't make your dentist incompetent if it takes more than one shot to numb you up. It's better that he kept giving you more than telling you that one was all you could get. Imagine if you had the procedure not numb at all.

If you do find a dentist to sedate you for a procedure, I'm pretty sure he won't pull out all of your teeth. He's gotta actually get your permission to do anything, and you have to sign a piece of paper before you go under stating exactly what is going to happen.

Oh no, he wasn't the devil at all. It's just that I've been to other dentists and they always numbed me with one shot of novacaine, so I was going by past experience on this one. Plus, I didn't like some of the work he did on my teeth. And yes, I would have much rather been numbed for the procedure than not!

I was making a joke about the whole pulling the teeth out thing. I know that wouldn't happen, but I guess I'm one of those paranoid people that likes to be aware of everything going on during a medical procedure (if at all possible). That's why I'm pretty sure I'll just get the novacaine for my next appointment.

 

[Smuterella]

Really? You learn something new every day!

I know! I was shocked when they told me. 90 squid a pop they cost.

 

[Twitch]

I have a high tolerance to dental pain for some reason, thankfully. I had my wisdom teeth out back in my 20s. I have amalgm fillings and have heard about the adverseness related to them. I know that with time any effect is neutralized.

I've had a non-metallic filling to match tooth color when I got a small cavity. It was necessary due to the location where metal could not be used- it was on the front of a front tooth. Too bad a dentist couldn't fudge just a bit if some wanted a composite filling.

I'm stunned with the dangerous lead levels in the bridgeworks though. As if people don't suffer enough at dentists now they have to find out if they have poisonous dental work! Sheesh!

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

Oh no, he wasn't the devil at all. It's just that I've been to other dentists and they always numbed me with one shot of novacaine, so I was going by past experience on this one. Plus, I didn't like some of the work he did on my teeth. And yes, I would have much rather been numbed for the procedure than not!

I was making a joke about the whole pulling the teeth out thing. I know that wouldn't happen, but I guess I'm one of those paranoid people that likes to be aware of everything going on during a medical procedure (if at all possible). That's why I'm pretty sure I'll just get the novacaine for my next appointment.

Aw! I know you were just kidding around! I guess I get a little too serious when it comes to dentistry being I'm a hygienist, my Dad's a dentist, my grandmother was a hygienist and her dad was a dentist. So, I grew up in an office and consider myself lucky to of never had a bad experience.

I'm used to be paranoid of everything medical related, then I got sick and now I have an amazing team of doctors who have helped me beyond belief. So, my faith in the medical field has been restored. I don't know about where you are, but here in Boston we have quite a few dentist who practice sedation dentistry. It is one of the best things to come onto the field because so many people who didn't seek dental care for many years out of fear are now going and getting proper medical attention.
Remember pain from dental procedures isn't because dentists are sadists!! Dental procedures hurt! There's no gentle way to do it. There are far too many soft tissues and nerve endings to every make it pain free, unless you're knocked out. As a hygienist I've had to do some procedures on patients that made my skin crawl, so remember it might not be fun for you, but we're not having all that much fun either!! I don't like to hurt people!! Take care of your teeth, do everything you can to preserve their natural state, and your dental visits will be pain free, mostlylol!

Twitch!!! You crack me up!! A handful of these cases have been found, due to poor practice dentists. You are giving us a bad name!! Again, we're not sadists, we're not here to hurt you. With the cost of malpractice insurance the last thing we want to do is harm you!! Again, dental procedures aren't comfortable, but it's not because the dentist is causing you the pain, they are fixing a painful problem and in the process the procedure will hurt, but in the long run it's so much better to be on top of the problem from the start than to let it get out of control, cause more pain and more problems for your whole body. It's so frustrating that one report makes people jump to so many different conclusions. People have been getting bridges done for centuries, and like amalgam fillings and their mercury content, I haven't heard of one death from a person with a partial removable bridge dying of lead poisoning. These are a handful of cases, you make it seem like every dentist is doing this. Again, we are actually here to help you

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

I know! I was shocked when they told me. 90 squid a pop they cost.

I went to an NHS dentist for a filling, and he told me that only the amalgam ones were "free" but that "of course I didn't want those", and told me I'd have to pay something like £200 for the work and the white filling. So I went off to my old private dentist and paid him £45 to do it instead.

 

[Real Swell Gal]

I just noticed this thread and had to comment.
I have been a dental assistnat by trade since 1993. And at no time has ANY dentist I've ever worked for sent lab work overseas. I don't see how it would be economical anyway because in cases like dentures and partials you sometimes need several fittings to get the frame work and wax ups done just right.
As a matter of fact it wouldn't make sense to send out crowns or bridge work either because any American dentist will tell you the stuff they use in China,India, and even Japan is substandard. The crowns wear through quickly and have to be replaced, bridges break. I've seen American work that has lasted 20-30 years when it shouldn't have and is still solid.
We get people all the time in this area that have work done overseas and have to have it redone as soon as they get back to the states because the work was bad.
In my experience lab work is usually sent out to a place close by so the turn around time is at it's shortest possible. Many dentists will even do some of the wax up or frame work in their own labs so they can customize it more to the patients needs. There are also CAD/CAM types of eqiptment available so that a dentist can prep,design and custom mill a ceramic crown or veneer while the patient is in the chair. It's called CERAC and I just took a training course on it last summer because the military is buying the equiptment.
At the base (and this is funny since people seem to think military care is substandard) we have our own in house lab. I'm spolied by it. I don't have to pour models or make night gaurds and sports gaurds anymore.
The lab techs do it for me.

 

[Twitch]

Daisy I have no fear of dentists or amalgm fillings. The dentist visits to me are relaxing. I know that sounds weird.

The grabber whether few or many cases of tainted dental work is the very idea that as consumers we do not know that some lab is really a storefront that has work done in China or anywhere outside of the US.

It isn't the dentist it's the lab. I guess basically I'd imagine the average person indignantly saying about imported dental work as, "who the hell ever heard of such a thing?" Is this how discount dentists can be competitive? I bet all of you that a majority of people never had any idea that there was a practice of labs to send work off shore.

How can the idiotic Chinese continully get lead into every freakin thing they export? Is it accidental? It would seem almost impossible that all these varied instances statistically could be random accidents.

I just feel on this that the lab should be required to tell it's dentists who must relay it on to patients, that their dental work is being manufactured offshore.

If I buy a $5 auto part the packaging requires stating where it was made.

 

[Real Swell Gal]

My question would be to the people who believe this story is how would a lab get something to China and back in a matter of a day or two?
Because that is the kind of turn around most dentists expect.
So you have a patient in your chair on Monday at 9 am and they are comming back on Weds at 1pm. How does it get to China and back in that time frame?
Discount dentists can be competitive by having an in house lab or by signing contracts with other labs. There is no way Imediadenture can have your imediant denture done in time to seat them the same day if they sent them to another country.

One huge clue if you are having crown or bridge work done is a long turn around. It should only take about two weeks to get your work done. If it takes more like 4-6 weeks you'll want to be asking why and finding out where it's made. The average lab fee for a crown in this area is around $150. If your doc is charging you $1000 then that's all his to cover cost of the work and profit.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

My question would be to the people who believe this story is how would a lab get something to China and back in a matter of a day or two?
Because that is the kind of turn around most dentists expect.
So you have a patient in your chair on Monday at 9 am and they are comming back on Weds at 1pm. How does it get to China and back in that time frame?
Discount dentists can be competitive by having an in house lab or by signing contracts with other labs. There is no way Imediadenture can have your imediant denture done in time to seat them the same day if they sent them to another country.

One huge clue if you are having crown or bridge work done is a long turn around. It should only take about two weeks to get your work done. If it takes more like 4-6 weeks you'll want to be asking why and finding out where it's made. The average lab fee for a crown in this area is around $150. If your doc is charging you $1000 then that's all his to cover cost of the work and profit.

Hey Real Swell Gal!! First off, welcome to the lounge! It's nice to see another gal in the dental field here Secondly, thanks for backing me up with your knowledge, your explanation was so much more well put than mine.

I guess I was just trying to say exactly what you were saying. Dentists don't have the time to send out the necessary dental impressions and wax bites to send out overseas, let alone the money it would cost to get it there!! It should not take 4-6 weeks for anyone to get something back from a lab!! Also I must reiterate, the percentage is so incredibly small in comparison to the amount of dentists out there, it's not right to just automatically assume that every piece of dental work is faulty or lead filled.
Yes, dentist do go to labs to have such things as crowns, bridges, partials and full plates made. If the lab is shipping out overseas, it couldn't possibly be cost effective, just the cost of shipping alone would be ridiculous. Also a RSG stated, a bridge or any other type of removable/semi permanent dental fixture needs to be fitted. Even with the great work of an assistant or hygienist, it's more than likely that these items will not fit perfectly on the first fitting, thus they are sent back to the lab for the necessary adjustments if they aren't simple ones that can be fixed in office by a dental professional.

I too was going to mention the wonderful CERAC machine, an in office product that can produce a porcelain crown in an afternoon, thus those patients in need of one can actually get there entire post and crowns done in one day, sometimes two depending on appointment availability. I have been trained on CERAC, my Dad has one in his office, it is incredible and I truly believe it is one of the most advanced dental machines I've ever seen.

Like RSG says, work overseas is shoddy. I have never known nor worked with a dentist who would ever use sub standard materials in a patient. I can tell you that any dentist would know the difference too, and wouldn't work with a lab that was sending in such things. The ramifications of a poor fitting denture can be detrimental to a patient. Contrary to some belief, we are actually here to give you long lasting dental care that actually will enhance quality of life, not make it worse.

I've been involved with dentistry my entire life in one form or another. I have never known a dentist who would allow such things, let alone who wouldn't know the difference between a product made from a reputable lab and product made with sub standard materials. The majority of dentists do have labs very close by. They don't have the time to wait for weeks for a patients work to be finished, and it's not good for the patient to wait either. We want you to get the best work possible in a convenient manner for you.

I honestly don't understand when or why dentistry got such a bad wrap. I hear people complaining about the cost, the pain, the time it takes. Well, if you had chest pain you'd go to your doctor and you would thank them when they fixed you. But, I don't ever hear dentists getting thanked for rebuilding a blown out molar!! It's as if it's the dentists fault that the tooth got that way in the first place!! Another thing that really ticks me off is people seem to only worry about their teeth when it's got something to do with cosmetics. I have dealt with patients who complain about the price of a post and crown, won't pay for it, yet they will pay for tooth whitening!! They'll shell out $300 for laser whitening yet they won't fix a blown out tooth filled with bacteria that will eventually cause plaque to build up in the arteries, potentially leading to heart disease!! Nobody can see the blown out tooth, so it's not important, but a bright white smile is!! Well, maybe if they took care of their teeth to begin with they wouldn't need a root canal, or tooth whitening!! It's just really annoying that far too many people think that dental work is a purely cosmetic issue. You'd be amazed at the statistics of the amount of people with periodontal disease and heart disease, they are directly correlated.

I guess everyone has options. There are always people out there who think that everyone's out to get something from them. They hear one little "story", not even sure if it's scientifically accurate or well documented, and rather than looking into the actual facts they jump on the band wagon and start filling peoples head with that one little story. Research is key people. You can't believe everything you hear. Believe it or not, doctors do not cut corners to save a few bucks. They are here to help you. If you don't believe that, don't go. But don't go overboard with radical statements unless you have the real cold hard facts to back it up.

 

[Real Swell Gal]

Daisy, don't even get me started on patients expectations.LOL!
I'm sure we could both tell stories that would curl everyones hair.

They hear one little "story", not even sure if it's scientifically accurate or well documented, and rather than looking into the actual facts they jump on the band wagon and start filling peoples head with that one little story. Research is key people.

That was the whole point I was trying to make.

 

[JazzBaby]

White fillings are available on the medical card (national health service) here in Ireland. Which is a relief because I have so many of them my teeth would be made of lead at this stage!

Speaking of novacaine injections - when I was going through the (4 hour!) procedure to have my crowns put in, I had to have eleven injections. It was torture, but I love my new teeth!

 

[MrBern]

dental vacation

heres a story about a family who vacationed in Mexico to save tens of thousands of dollars on dental work.

Roughly half a million Americans sought medical care abroad in 2006, of which 40 percent were dental tourists, according to the National Coalition on Health Care.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/fashion/07SKIN.html

 

[JazzBaby]

My aunt went to Prague for hers. Half the cost [huh]

 

[jayem]

Ah hahahahaha, I just came back from my dentist. Oh dear.

I'm getting my wisdom teeth removed soon, too! *shudder*

I was lucky enough to never develop wisdom teeth. They're just not in my jaw, at all. The dentist was a bit puzzled, but I'm not complaining! My brother never had any either, though both my parents had them, Go figure.

You'll do fine. All my friends have told me 'God Bless Vicodine!'

 

[Real Swell Gal]

I was lucky enough to never develop wisdom teeth. They're just not in my jaw, at all. The dentist was a bit puzzled, but I'm not complaining! My brother never had any either, though both my parents had them, Go figure.

You'll do fine. All my friends have told me 'God Bless Vicodine!'

It's really becomming more common. Proof of evolution I think.
We don't need them anymore and most adults don't have the room.

Then again I've seen patients with supernumerary (extra) teeth.
They're like friggin sharks!

Yes, God bless Vicodin!

Another thing I wanted to add, waiting ten years to see a dentist WILL NOT SAVE YOU MONEY!!!! If you go regularly and deal with the $140 for a cleaning and xrays you will save money in the long run.
Going to Mexico because you waited untill you have an abcess and need a root canal and crown is not the way to save money.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

heres a story about a family who vacationed in Mexico to save tens of thousands of dollars on dental work.



http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/fashion/07SKIN.html

OK read the article!! These people hadn't received dental care in over 10 years!!! Of course they need work done!! Brushing ones teeth at home is never enough to prevent cavities and other problems, only routine cleanings and dental care will prevent. These people weren't taken preventative measures. If they had gone to the dentist for a once a year cleaning, they wouldn't have had such high dental bills. It's not a problem with the system. It's a problem of sheer ignorance!! This hair dresser probably wouldn't go for 10 years without a hair cut, yet she didn't see a dentist for 10 years!! Then she says it's because of a lack of insurance. Well, it would've been much more economical for her to have invested in that insurance and gone for a 6 month or one year check up, or even more economical if she had paid out of pocket for cleanings and checkups once a year. You make it sound as if it's the dentist fault that she needed this large amount of dental work, and that it was gonna cost her hard working hands so much money. Nope, it's her own dumb fault for not going in for regular check ups. Her big bills are nobodies fault but her own!! Would've been cheaper for her to have paid for her own insurance. Gosh, if she hasn't been to the dentist in that long I wonder if she ever bothered to bring her children?? Some people!! Yet somehow it's the dentists fault that the bill is so how?? Common sense people!! You are the masters of your own destiny!!!
All I can say is, you get what you pay for!! Like I've said, I've grown up in a dental office. It seems that you hear one bad thing, one bad experience, one vaguely documented case, and you forget about all the good things.
Would you go to Mexico for heart surgery??
You are all giving dentists really bad names.
Also, I hear so many people complaining about the motives of doctors in general. Well, one day insurance premiums for doctors are gonna be so high, that there won't be enough to treat everyone. I'd like to hear you complain when you need to be treated for an incurable illness yet can't get an appointment. It's the same for dentists. Imagine the next time you get a toothache and you can't find someone to fix it for you??
Things cost money. I know from experience the amount of hard work that goes into being a dentist and running a private practice. It's no cake walk. So, look at the cold hard facts instead of a 1 in 1 billion article that's not even based on actually true evidence. Complain all you want about the cost of dental care, but if you took proper care of your teeth to begin with, you might not be paying that. It's so frustrating to hear people constantly jumping to conclusions about doctors, especially when they know very little of the situation..


Jayem, we are seeing a major influx of people born without buds of wisdom teeth. It's almost proof of evolution, IMO!! I mean, it's something that we have no use for, so it's as if our bodies are weeding them out. I wish I wasn't born with them!! Mine were so impacted into my jaw and twisted around one of my sinuses, so I had to go into the hospital to get them out. But, I honestly don't remember a thing except the really good feeling of the medicine going into my arm and crashing the blood brain barrier, causing me to feel nicer than I'd ever felt!! Apparently just before I passed out I grabbed the doctors butt and asked him if he worked out!! Very embarrassing considering he was a friend of my Dad's!! ooops
I'd ask for percocet over vicoden, they are stronger and work much better. But, that's just my opinion and some docs won't prescribe it because it's a higher schedule narcotic than vicoden. But, if you've never taken pain meds before vicoden will work just fine. I've been on pain management now for Crohn's for 7 years now, so I've got a bit of a tolerance for these things. Kind of stinks, for the last surgery I had they had a lot of trouble knocking me out, then when I woke up in pain they were giving me enough dilauded to knock out a horse, and I was still feeling pain. Dialuded is 100x stronger than morphine, just to give you an idea of the tolerance I've got now.
But anyway, point being, you won't feel a thing, and doctors do not want patients in pain, so they will give you adequate pain management for when you get home.
I had all 4 removed at once and went to work 2 days later, only had to take pain meds the first night. Just make sure that you follow the after care instructions, and take care in cleaning the area. You'll do just fine

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

It's really becomming more common. Proof of evolution I think.
We don't need them anymore and most adults don't have the room.

Then again I've seen patients with supernumerary (extra) teeth.
They're like friggin sharks!

Yes, God bless Vicodin!

OK we posted this at the same time!! I'm a bit freaked out!!! You are awesome!!!

 

[Real Swell Gal]

OK we posted this at the same time!! I'm a bit freaked out!!! You are awesome!!!

LMAO!!

I don't know about you but I love my job. And I am very preventative oriented. These stories just kill me sometimes.