So many teeth issues this year

dseag2

Dallas, TX
Location
Dallas, TX
So, my upper teeth were stained, crooked and chipped, and in 2019 I decided to have some of them replaced with veneers. They have been so great that I bit the bullet and had some lowers replaced a couple of months ago. They were also stained and crooked. Insurance didn't cover it, but I figured they will be with me until the end so it was worth it. (My mother had dental implants in her 70's and her teeth were beautiful until she passed away.)

One of my lower veneers came off, so I saved it and went back to the dentist to have it re-attached. Then I noticed that one of my two front upper veneers was chipped, so I made an appointment to have it replaced. Then the minor tooth next to it chipped as well. So, I was just at the dentist again to have 2 veneers taken off, my original teeth drilled down and 2 temporaries put on until they receive the replacements on October 5. Fortunately, they are guaranteed for 5 years so I just have to pay for the cost for the actual veneer. The dentist said he thinks I must be grinding my teeth at night and is going to give me a Mouth Guard when my permanent veneers are attached.

During all of this, I had to have a root canal and a new crown on an upper tooth. The dentist said one of the 3 canals was "calcified" so he couldn't clean it out and is hoping for the best. If things go south, I will have to see an Endodontist. So far, so good.

I've always had cleanings every 6 months, flossed, brushed my teeth and rinsed at least twice a day so I guess this is just hereditary. I know these are minor issues compared to what many are going through, but none of us likes going to the dentist and I've been so many times this year he asked me if I was an employee!
 

I just had a dental exam and cleaning this afternoon. The dentist advised that a molar(right,lower,rear) had an old filling and several cracks. So next Wednesday he will prepare the tooth and install a temporary crown. I'm glad the dentist found that, I hate dental "surprises", they always happen either at night or on weekends.
 
Yes, I've been told that our old silver fillings tend to expand and "explode" over time, which cracks the tooth. I think all my silver fillings have been replaced at this point because they all cracked.
 

I have been very lucky in the teeth department for about 8 years. I did have to get a new crown back in the spring. It was one of the old fillings that created a crack. While flossing, I caught the floss in the crack and full corner of that tooth came off. It could not be repaired so it was time for a crown.
 
Yes, I've been told that our old silver fillings tend to expand and "explode" over time, which cracks the tooth. I think all my silver fillings have been replaced at this point because they all cracked.
Silver fillings do more than just crack. They leak Mercury into the blood stream constantly - not something most dentists will share with patients. My dentist--who was also a family friend--showed me a journal that she wasn't allowed to show any patient. It described the dangers of silver fillings - and also a very elaborate & detailed procedure for handling & disposing of old silver fillings.
There are much safer & more durable fillings available.
 
I have had many dental problems and repairs in the past also. My latest big one was I had a tooth that had previous root canals and crowns go bad and the dentist sent me to a specialist to have it taken out of which I did. With that tooth gone my dental health has felt and is so much better. I think that that tooths root system had caused me a lot of discomfort over the years. I went back to my dentist for he wanted to install a bridge and fill in the gap, but I said no I do not want that I will just leave it as it is, and that it is a good place to put a cigar in my mouth.
 
I guess I jinxed things by posting this thread because tonight I was flossing and another of the bottom veneers came off, so I'm off to the dentist again. It was opposite of the one that came off a couple of weeks ago. I was fortunate that I heard it and was able to retrieve it from the sink before it went down the drain. :( I would wonder about quality of the dentists' work, but my top veneers never came off. They just chipped and he's replacing them.

I think it is the hygienist that put them on and didn't cement them properly. I'm going to complain to the dentist and see if he will give me the upper replacements free of charge. I'm sure glad I'm not working anymore and that if I wear a mask no one takes a second look. I look like I could audition for The Beverly Hillbillies.:ROFLMAO:
 
I have lost a half dozen teeth in recent years, and have a partial in my lower jaw. Most of the teeth I've lost were old crowns, etc., from decades ago. I've pretty much decided that if I have one more tooth go bad, I'm going to have them all pulled, and go with full dentures. I've probably spent enough in the past 4 or 5 years on getting "patch" jobs to pay for deluxe full dentures.
 
I think it is the hygienist that put them on and didn't cement them properly.
What? The hygienist put the veneers on? This is the job of a dentist. I have veneers on 4 lower teeth. It was an extensive process and expensive. After several years, the one has come off twice. I regret ever been convinced that I needed to do something about my crooked lower teeth. It wasn’t my idea, just one of those subtle suggestions. They wanted to do the top ones too - to make them perfect.
 
My mother had dentures since I remembered.

I've lost two teeth. Both cracked and couldn't be saved. I hope I don't lose anymore. I don't think I could afford implants. I'd probably have to go with a partial.
 
What? The hygienist put the veneers on? This is the job of a dentist. I have veneers on 4 lower teeth. It was an extensive process and expensive. After several years, the one has come off twice. I regret ever been convinced that I needed to do something about my crooked lower teeth. It wasn’t my idea, just one of those subtle suggestions. They wanted to do the top ones too - to make them perfect.
Well, maybe she wasn't exactly a hygienist but it wasn't the dentist who put them on. He does inspect the work. There are two women in his office that do this work. One is fantastic. The other, not so much. And I got the other one. The dentist will be the one who puts it on this time!

I'm sorry to hear that you've had a veneer come off twice. It is disconcerting when you have this little "peg" of a tooth remaining. I'm still very happy with my veneers vs. my original teeth. Even in my teens, my teeth would stain easily and my girlfriend once called me "algae teeth", so I've always wanted to do something about them.

My mother, in her 70's, had complete dental implants for both upper and lower teeth. They were beautiful and she lived to 89 y/o with no issues. I would have gone that route, but as I recall the cost was $36,000 US. I always kidded her that when she passed away I was going to sell her teeth on the open market! :ROFLMAO:
 
Any procedure I've had done by a dental assistant has been inferior. When we're paying top dollar, the work should be performed the dentist. I had a terrific dentist that I went to for thirty-five years. He retired and I don't like the group that took over his practice. Now I'm trying to find a new dentist. :rolleyes:
 
I guess I jinxed things by posting this thread because tonight I was flossing and another of the bottom veneers came off, so I'm off to the dentist again. It was opposite of the one that came off a couple of weeks ago. I was fortunate that I heard it and was able to retrieve it from the sink before it went down the drain. :( I would wonder about quality of the dentists' work, but my top veneers never came off. They just chipped and he's replacing them.

I think it is the hygienist that put them on and didn't cement them properly. I'm going to complain to the dentist and see if he will give me the upper replacements free of charge. I'm sure glad I'm not working anymore and that if I wear a mask no one takes a second look. I look like I could audition for The Beverly Hillbillies.:ROFLMAO:
You touched on another popular dental scam I've had to replace several crowns in the past few years - at $1,400 each. When I changed dentists, I asked my new dentist why I have some crowns that are still good after 25 years & some that came off after 6 or 7 years.
After removing half of the crown, she showed me how little cement was put on the post - which means it might last a little more than 5 years, then it will come off. Also, if the fit isn't perfect, many dentists will not send the job back to their lab to redo it; they will just fill in the gaps with extra cement - which wears away after a few years. Then, the dentist will tell you, "A crown is only guaranteed to last 5 years."
Veneers are probably guaranteed less time.
The dentist has to pay the lab for each job, so if he only cares about money, he will cement faulty work & the patient suffers. I've been there.
That's why I had to have a root canal, extraction & bridge last year ($4,700.00). My new dentist gave me the crowned tooth after pulling it. The crown should have been fit under the gum line. It was too short to cover the tooth, which allowed bacteria to get under it & infect the root.
There is no way for a patient to know what the dentist is doing while he's doing it.
 
Last edited:
@win231 - This is so true. They cut corners all over the place
You touched on another popular dental scam I've had to replace several crowns in the past few years - at $1,400 each. When I changed dentists, I asked my new dentist why I have some crowns that are still good after 25 years & some that came off after 6 or 7 years.
After removing half of the crown, she showed me how little cement was put on the post - which means it might last a little more than 5 years, then it will come off. Also, if the fit isn't perfect, many dentists will not send the job back to their lab to redo it; they will just fill in the gaps with extra cement - which wears away after a few years. Then, the dentist will tell you, "A crown is only guaranteed to last 5 years."
Veneers are probably guaranteed less time.
The dentist has to pay the lab for each job, so if he only cares about money, he will cement faulty work & the patient suffers. I've been there.
That's why I had to have a root canal, extraction & bridge last year. My new dentist gave me the crowned tooth after pulling it. The crown should have been fit under the gum line. It was too short to cover the tooth, which allowed bacteria to get under it & infect the root.
There is no way for a patient to know what the dentist is doing while he's doing it.
Win, this is so true. Years ago, I went to the dentist and everything he did fell out of my mouth. After the third time it happened, I ditched him. He was the worst dentist I ever had. And that's exactly what I told him. The more often they get you to come back for "repairs" on work that should've been done right the first time, the more money they make. It's a racket if there ever was one.
 
@win231 - This is so true. They cut corners all over the place

Win, this is so true. Years ago, I went to the dentist and everything he did fell out of my mouth. After the third time it happened, I ditched him. He was the worst dentist I ever had. And that's exactly what I told him. The more often they get you to come back for "repairs" on work that should've been done right the first time, the more money they make. It's a racket if there ever was one.
And (unfortunately) we can expect more & more of it now. They're trying to make up for several months of lost profit - Covid.
I posted about it on 9-1-21:
Last year, I started having a toothache & my regular dentist who I had been seeing & trusting for several years diagnosed "Severe decay under ALL my crowns" (all 30 of them). He recommended extracting all my teeth & having complete upper & lower implants - 12 month procedure & $40,000.00. And during the exam, his wife/receptionist came into the room & chimed in, & added, "We really have to do it; your health is at stake, especially since you have diabetes."
A second - opinion dentist diagnosed ONE infected tooth that needed a root canal, extracting the one next to it, & a bridge, which I just had completed - $4,700.00.
My first dentist was willing to risk my health & put me through 12 months of unnecessary invasive surgery to make up what he lost during the months when everything was closed due to Covid.

And some people wonder why I don't automatically & robotically trust everything a doctor says.............
 
I’m now at a stage of life where several of my old fillings have cracked, causing the dentist to want to drill out and replace the filling. Three out of four times when that was done, the tooth crumbled, meaning that a crown, packed with precious metals, was required!

I also had an old dentist who always did dental work the cheapest and not necessarily the best way, and I’ve had to have his work undone and replaced by my new dentist. My old dentist was actually later sent to prison for several years due to tax evasion… 🦷🙀
 
Silver fillings do more than just crack. They leak Mercury into the blood stream constantly - not something most dentists will share with patients. My dentist--who was also a family friend--showed me a journal that she wasn't allowed to show any patient. It described the dangers of silver fillings - and also a very elaborate & detailed procedure for handling & disposing of old silver fillings.
There are much safer & more durable fillings available.
I have 2 fillings in my mouth in 2 separate molars. I had the dentist use gold since they are unseen, otherwise, I would have had porcelain put in. My insurance wouldn’t pay for gold fillings, so I chipped in for the difference.

Originally, I was unsure if I wanted to do that because my dentist told me that the ADA has stated that the amount of mercury leaked from a filling will not cause any physiological diseases within the body. However, when they gave me the estimate of costs with gold and how much my share would be, I decided to splurge for the few hundred bucks difference.

My dentist told me at my last visit that he is now 66 years old. I fear he is considering retirement. Dang, that would be terrible, but if that’s what he decides, good for him. I think that’s why he told me to prepare me and to start looking for a replacement.
 
I have 2 fillings in my mouth in 2 separate molars. I had the dentist use gold since they are unseen, otherwise, I would have had porcelain put in. My insurance wouldn’t pay for gold fillings, so I chipped in for the difference.

Originally, I was unsure if I wanted to do that because my dentist told me that the ADA has stated that the amount of mercury leaked from a filling will not cause any physiological diseases within the body. However, when they gave me the estimate of costs with gold and how much my share would be, I decided to splurge for the few hundred bucks difference.

My dentist told me at my last visit that he is now 66 years old. I fear he is considering retirement. Dang, that would be terrible, but if that’s what he decides, good for him. I think that’s why he told me to prepare me and to start looking for a replacement.
The ADA will (of course) downplay the danger of mercury & they also make sure dentists will do the same under threat of career damage.
The ADA newsletter my dentist showed me had those warnings in it about never talking about the risks of mercury.
It also included the warning: "Your patients are never to see this newsletter."

Mercury is a highly-toxic metal & each person has a different susceptibility to it. My experience: I have a dry eye problem & use drops each morning & on windy days. Several years ago, after using wetting drops, my eyes turned bright red. The eye doctor explained that it was an allergic reaction to "Thimerosol," which is a type of Mercury used as a preservative, because it's cheap. Even though only a very tiny amount of it was in the product, it was enough to cause damage in my particular case. Most eye drops now use a different non-harmful preservative as a result.
 
Last edited:
I have 2 fillings in my mouth in 2 separate molars. I had the dentist use gold since they are unseen, otherwise, I would have had porcelain put in.
Porcelain doesn’t have mercury. What is the advantage of gold now? I can understand using gold when the standard was the silver amalgam which did have mercury.

I just realized I never asked the asked the dentist what she used the other day in my small filling.
 
Porcelain doesn’t have mercury. What is the advantage of gold now? I can understand using gold when the standard was the silver amalgam which did have mercury.

I just realized I never asked the asked the dentist what she used the other day in my small filling.
I have several root canals that were done through existing crowns (without removing the crowns) & the openings were filled with bonding material - that is far more durable than silver or gold. The 3 that I have are 20 years old & still good.
 
He recommended extracting all my teeth & having complete upper & lower implants - 12 month procedure & $40,000.00.
Yea, that would definitely warrant a second opinion. A friend of ours that comes over to help my wife sort and prepare her junk collectables for donation had all her teeth pulled. Then, the dentist that recommended that abruptly retired. Now she's undergoing the lengthy process of having the implant studs installed, temporary dentures fitted and adjusted...she'll be 2 years in before this is all complete.
 
Yea, that would definitely warrant a second opinion. A friend of ours that comes over to help my wife sort and prepare her junk collectables for donation had all her teeth pulled. Then, the dentist that recommended that abruptly retired. Now she's undergoing the lengthy process of having the implant studs installed, temporary dentures fitted and adjusted...she'll be 2 years in before this is all complete.
I had the option of implants or dentures- most my teeth are missing. Implants are expensive and take a long time, dentures aren't cheap, but it isn't a long drawn out procedure. I'm 76 and a diabetic. Diabetes can really affect the bone growth needed for implants, so I chose dentures. I'm happy with them.
BTW, nobody mentioned the real problem with diabetes and implants at the dentist's.
 


Back
Top