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Good dentist, bad dentist

Posted by Dental News Team On February - 22 - 2010

Wouldn’t you like to know whether your dentist is good or bad?

We assume you do, which is why this week we are going to tell you all about what to consider when looking for a dentist and how to find a good one.

As usual, we will provide you with an overview of this week’s main topic!

  1. Good dentist – the cost estimate
  2. Dentists and their teams
  3. Hygiene in the dentist’s office
  4. Explaining procedures
  5. Trouble-shooting

Good dentist – the cost estimate
First of all, does your dentist even bother giving you a cost estimate?
No? Then s/he has no idea what s/he is doing!

If yes, how is the estimate structures?
Did you get a thorough check-up before you got the estimate? You should know what has to be done in your case and what will only be performed to fill the dentist’s pockets. What are we going on about? Well, in order for the dentist to provide you with a good cost estimate, s/he needs to have a good idea of the current status of your teeth and mouth.

If s/he does not bother performing a check-up, then it is likely s/he will only do things that cost a lot, namely implants and crowns.

You can always tell good estimates from bad ones, because good estimates always provide detailed information, which is collected during a check-up (assuming, of course, that your mouth really needs an overhaul, not just one bridge or implant if your teeth and mouth are otherwise healthy, otherwise, what would be the point of collecting data!).

A good cost estimate includes:

  • An anamnesis (medical history) / Patient’s request
  • Findings
  • Diagnosis
  • Recommendations for therapy / Alternatives
  • Description of procedures as needed

This information lets the dentist know what you wish to be done, the condition of your teeth (periodontal status, photos, models of your teeth, …), anything and everything you’ll need to set up a treatment plan.
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The cost estimate should consider all kinds of work, even work which is less lucrative to the dentist. This includes fillings, root canal treatment, operations such as removing wisdom teeth, etc.

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But this is the kind of work which should usually be done first, before doing more complicated procedures – you should make sure the ground is in good shape before you start building houses on it (crowns, implants etc.).

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Summing up, a simple cost estimate can and should tell you quite a lot!

  • If your dentist offers you any treatment without performing a thorough check-up first, then chances are that s/he is only going to do things which cost the most money!
  • If the cost estimate starts out with an extensive check-up, then you’re on the right path!
  • If a cost estimate begins with the least expensive types of treatment (renewed root treatment, removing wisdom teeth, periodontal work, …) with dentures (crowns, bridges) last on the list, then stick with that dentist!

More on this topic tomorrow, and by the end of the week you should be able to tell a good dentist from all others!

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cosmetic-dentistry endodontology general topics implantology oral surgery orthodontics periodontology prostethics
cosmetic-dentistry, endodontology, general topics, implantology, oral surgery, orthodontics, periodontology, prostethics

How much do dental fillings cost and how do they differ?

Posted by Dental News Team On January - 13 - 2010

Composite (Plastic) fillings – are they worth the cost?

White fillings are in ever greater demand – but they are not always a good idea!

weise_matPeople are sick of silvery amalgamate, people want to look good, and this includes having a perfect set of teeth. Many people are now getting their amalgamate fillings replaced by white fillings. In the picture you see diffrent white Fillings: Composite (1); Glasionomercement = GIZ (2); Ceramicinlays (3); Goldceramicinlays (4).

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Be aware: Composite fillings do not work that well in side teeth, a fact which many people do not know!

-Even manufacturers warn that these fillings should only be used to correct surface defects, since teeth do not react well to them. The tooth nerve often dies when this type of filling is used, leading to a root canal.

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Patients who get their amalgamate fillings replaced by plastic are in for a bumpy ride. The fillings consist of tiny building blocks called monomers. As soon as a dentist shines a lamp on the filling, these little monomers start to connect – like Lego blocks, a process called polymerisation, which results in polymers – larger building blocks.

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kompositeBut these plastic structures are not stable enough to hold up under chewing, so little „Lego blocks“ – monomers – start to separate (green area means Composite Fillings are ok, red area means Composite Fillings are not ok). These free-floating monomers are very toxic, they invade the tooth nerve, and the nerve dies.You do not feel the pain right away, it may take years for the   „dead“ tooth to start making trouble, so patients do not always attribute this problem to the plastic filling. Some patients experience problems immediately after the plastic is inserted, such as problems when chewing, pressure, excessive sensitivity to heat or cold.

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kofferdam1While some dentists specialize in this type of filling and use a coffer dam, special covers and layering methods to prevent complications, but plastic fillings still end up costing about as much as a ceramic inlay. But ceramic inlays are much better for your teeth than composite fillings – assuming the inlay is inserted correctly.

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White teeth may be more trouble than they are worth! Think about what you’re doing. If you invest in your teeth, then be sure to use goods materials – gold, titanium or ceramics!

And/or develop a better brushing technique, because if you have poor brushing habits then you will need fillings someday.

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general topics prostethics
general topics, prostethics

Once upon a time there was the tooth IV

Posted by Dental News Team On December - 17 - 2009

zahnodyssee_viToothache 4/5

Teeth gone, toothache and desperation still around!
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Nothing but clouds on the horizon and a lot more mileage on the car.
Now you have no more teeth left, except maybe in the front – if you’re lucky. And still, nobody knows where the pain is coming from. It would have made your life a lot easier if this „vicious circle“ had been stopped much earlier, e.g. with a properly performed root canal or root tip resection.

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Hopefully only a few of you have gotten to this point, because for most of you this ordeal should have ended sooner – with some competent professional treatment.
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So why is the toothache still around?
Well, there are many reasons, and it usually takes an experienced team working together closely to solve the problem. For example, your body may be so used to feeling pain that some vestige of it remains even after the cause is gone. Also, your jaw may just be stressed out from the operations and tooth loss it has to undergo. There may be inflammations somewhere in the bone, or maxillary sinus. Or maybe monomers have seeped in to the bones (although no studies are as yet available on this topic). Or maybe there are still some teeth left that are causing problems.

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Lots of ands, ifs or buts to clear up, and hopefully you haven’t already had a nervous breakdown in the process.

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Stay tuned for: Once upon a time there was the tooth V

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general topics prostethics
general topics, prostethics

Root pivots – the x-ray test

Posted by Dental News Team On November - 23 - 2009

Root pivots are one way to get crowns attached to the roots of teeth!

Yesterday you read all about pivot teeth and how they are made, today we’ll show you some examples of pivot operations gone wrong – except of course the first picture, which shows how it should be done!

wurzelstift_roeRoot pivot x-ray Pic 1
This is what a pivot tooth should look like, the roots are thick, evenly filled to the tips. The root pivot is located in the back root (black arrow) and fills more than 1/3 of the root!
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Pic 2
The pivot is too short and the rest of the root has not been filled up with enough of the root-filling compound
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Pic 3
The pivot is too short and the rest of the root has not been filled up with enough of the root-filling compound, moreover the canal was drilled crooked, so the pivot is not actually in the canal
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Pic 4
The pivots are too short and the rest of the roots have not been filled up with enough of the root-filling compound

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Videos on the topics of root treatment, root pivots and dentistry can be found here!

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endodontology prostethics
endodontology, prostethics

Pivot tooth, pivot crown, stump reconstruction

Posted by Dental News Team On November - 20 - 2009

The terms pivot tooth, pivot crown, stump reconstruction or pivot reconstruction all refer to a tooth reinforced by a pivot.

stiftzahn-

If a tooth has suffered extreme cavity damage (1)

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that practically only the root is left (2),

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a pivot (3) can be inserted into the root to

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provide retention for affixing a dental crown (4).

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To succeed, this procedure requires

  • proper treatment of whatever is left of the root (the pink area in picture 2)
  • the root itself to be in good condition

Nowadays, it is common to use fiber-glass pivots, earlier they were made of metal. More on the topic of pivot teeth here!

The cost of a pivot tooth ranges from 100€- 350€ in Europe, depending on the materials and manufacturing methods used. Monday we will show you some examples of badly performed pivot tooth insertions. An x-ray  will show you the status of your pivot teeth – more on the topic of x-rays here.

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endodontology prostethics
endodontology, prostethics