dental advice

[Rick Potter]

This is my day for asking arcane questions.

My dentist says I have "moderate bone loss (3-5MM)" at my gum lines (visual measurement), and says I should get treatment for bacteria with some kind of 'trays' they fashion to fit my teeth. I put a liquid in them so many times a day, then clamp my teeth together while the bacteria gets killed. This has to be done several times a day for a while, the once or twice a day for months. At this point he can give me a 'deep cleaning, and fix the bad teeth.

This regimen costs about $1400, and I have never heard of it.

I have a couple questions: Is that amount of bone loss unusual for a 65 year old?

More importantly is this whole thing necessary, and effective, or is it just an unnecessary money maker for the dentist?

This is a new dentist for me, as my old one quit taking my insurance plan, saying they don't pay enough.

Thanks,

Rick Potter

[Mike Henderson]

I have some bone loss, also, and have specifically asked my periodonist whether there's any treatment for the bacteria that builds up the calculus on the teeth (which causes the bone loss). His answer is that he can give me antibiotics but it's not a long term answer because the bacteria quickly develop a resistance to the antibiotics. His solution is better dental hygiene on my part and more frequent cleanings. I'm an annuity to him and the hygienist.

I have had a "deep cleaning" which is done with local pain killer so that they can scrape the teeth below the gum line. It may be that your dentist wants to use the antibiotics to get rid of the bacteria before doing that. Ask if the "deep cleaning" can be done without the antibiotic treatment or if you can take the antibiotics orally, which would probalby be cheaper.

The "deep cleaning" that they did on me was a couple of hundred dollars if I remember correctly - it was four or five years ago.

I have no idea whether that amount of bone loss is normal for someone age 65.

Since you have concerns about the procedure, I would recommend that you seek a second opinion from a periodonist you select - not someone recommended by this dentist (and I hope this dentist is a periodenist and not a general dentist).

Good luck!

Mike

[Lee Schierer]

I have no idea, but for that price, I would certainly get another professional opinion from a different dentist! A number of years ago the first dentist we used when we moved to this area started going to more classes in various forms of dentistry. He had a newsletter in his waiting room that told of his studies. What we started to notice is shortly after he completed a class, at least one memeber of the family would develop symtoms that he could now take care of through the new studies he had completed. The final straw was when he suggested that we leave the orthodontist that had been treating my daughter for over two years because he, the dentist, could do the same work better. He had previously highly recommended the orthodontist.

He also suggested some elaborate procedures for me that were not covered by insurance. I quietly made an apppointment with another dentist and asked about the treatments and was told emphatically I didn't need them. That was over 15 years ago and my teeth haven't fallen out yet, see :D.

[David G Baker]

I have had some Alfred Hitchcock experiences with dentists and have always suspected that the potential to be ripped off by them is very high because of the lack of accountability. If it exists I have never seen it. A second opinion is probably the best idea.
My early dental experience was with the old slow speed drills, anyone that has experienced the process knows what I am talking about. I would have rather had a tooth pulled than drilled and filled.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Rick......Check the phone book for local periodontists. I've been fighting periodontal disease since I was 19. I've had coral grafted into 3 of the 4 quadrants of my jaw for the very reason you state he wants to treat you. When I first went to the periodontist (I was referred by my dentist to the periodontist) I thought I was going to lose 70% of the teeth due to them being loose. Well.....my original dentist here retired......The one who bought his practise.......I'm not comfortable with.....I just switched a few weeks ago....The new dentist, the periodontist and I are developing a plan for a couple of implants....but I intend to carry the teeth with me out of this world.

Like Mike, my periodontist deep cleans my teeth 4 times a year.

Get an appointment with a periodontist.

[Rob Russell]

As one who really detested going to the dentist when I was a kid (he was a great technician, had lousy "bedside manner"), I feel for you.

I have a rather direct question for you.

Do you brush twice and floss every day?

If you do floss already - ignore the green part of this post.

I used to be a "brush twice a day, but never flossed" kind of guy. I had mild gingivitis and was heading for worse than that. Several years ago, I started flossing daily and my gum health improved tremendously.

There's not much you can do to rebuild the existing bone loss and the deep cleaning may be needed. Whatever you do, if you don't floss now - start.

It's not a fun habit to start and your gums will bleed every time you floss for a good month. Once you get into the habit, you'll notice that your mouth feels cleaner after flossing.

Good luck,

Rob

[Rick Potter]

I appreciate the advice. I will be getting a second opinion. I have been sent to a specialist to pull my wisdom teeth, and I will ask his opinion. It's a big deal for me, since I take blood thinner and my doctor insists I give myself heperin shots for a week or so while I am off of the thinner. I also have this problem about novicain or whatever going right through me. Last time I had a root canal I needed 7 shots, and it was gone as I left the office.

This time I am paying the money to be put under for the extractions. I did this years ago and the dentist said I woke up half way through, and tried to punch him out....and don't come back. I have no memory of this.

The net result of all this is that I don't go to the dentist till I absolutely have to.

Rick Potter

[Jim King]

I can really understand what you are going thru. I just finished up a bunch of work on my mouth here in Iquitos, Peru. Three and one half hours in the hospital surgery room hammering and beating on something, I didnt care as I was out cold.

After that a bunch of root canals, three permanent bridges which I dont even notice they are new, all teeth that were not redone or replaced were capped and a couple of implants.

Why all this ?? I when young was allergic to the anesthetics
of the time and I was actually dangerous when they gave it to me. Then after living in parts of the world that had no dentist that looked like anything reasonable I just never went. Finally I went to see a local dentist here that was recomended by the Vet and walked into this office that looked like it came out of Star Trek. I gave it a try and I can assure you it aint like it used to be.

The new anesthetics you dont know when they apply them and no reaction what so ever. Another era. My sister inlaw had about the identical work done in Mpls and paid over $80,000 . I paid a gran total of $3,000.