I had a root scaling and planing done last month on both sides of my mouth. I'd never heard of this before, and had just gone to the dentist for a long-overdue cleaning, but apparently my gums were in bad shape (not severe, but there was some tarter under the gums). Now the dentist tells me I have to come back for another $180 periodontal cleaning every 3 months for an indeterminate length of time to make sure that the tartar doesn't come back. Is this really necessary? I'm prepared to go as often as I have to, but I can't really afford to go every 3 months if that's not necessary. I just don't want to continue feeling like this dentist is "drilling" me for every penny I have. I've already spent more than $500 on the work I've had done so far (obviously, my dental insurance is a joke). I just want someone who knows about this sort of thing to tell me if I'm being treated right or ripped off. Thanks!
200114
It is crucial that you go back and have your peridontal maintenance done in 3 mos!I don't know the severity of your infection,but your hygienist or dentist will remeasure your periodontal pockets and chart you healing.Dental floss can only go as deep as 4mm,so even after your are first deep scaled,areas of over 4mm will exist.Basically your homecare is missing millimiters of bacteria(millions upon millions of anaerobic pathogens),so another thorough deplaqueing in needed until you readings are 0-4mm.Now I do feel that $180 is a bit high for a perio. maintenance visit,but I live in the south where our fees are less.There is a great product called Arestin,where we place antibiotic directly into any unhealed pockets.It greatly increases your chance of healing and may reduce your need for surgery later.Ask if your office does Arestin therapy.Make sure your dental provider is willing to explain your periodontal disease to you completely,I get the feeling you were not informed of the WHY you needed the 3 mos. cleaning interval.If you are not satisfied,go elsewhere or seek the help of a periodontist(gum disease specialist).80% of tooth loss today is due to gum disease not decay,so it is a serious problem!!It also affects over 80% of people over age 35.Invest in an excellent electric brush such as the Sonicare or Oral B triumph,they remove much more plaque than and manual brush.Also you may get an electric flosser such as the oral b hummingbird or reach access flosser to help you floss more efficiently.
421425
go back to your dentist!  if after you go back to him you still are having problems, go to another dentist. there is always the possibilty that the work that was done is bad dental work. there plenty of detists out there that will throw any piece of garbage in a patients mouth if its cheap enough for them. good luck to you.
488087
You were not damaged, so there is no basis for bringing charges.  You were just inconvenienced.  Start by asking for some of your money back.  Your dentist would probably be just as happy to see you go elsewhere, too.  If your dentist is not agreeable to this, contact the state dental association for your state (in the Yellow Pages) and see if there is a Peer Review Committee.
9484
The previous answer was correct, in that a periodontist is the dental specialist to help with your problem.  BUT, some individuals are actually born with thin attached gingiva, frenum attachment pulls, and other built in problems that lead to recession. \n\nAgressive toothbrushing is NOT the answer, and that can actually cause great harm.  There is a difference between periodontitis (bacterial gum disease, that can cause recession or tooth loss,) and other types of periodontal problems.\n\nYou do need to floss and brush correctly. (Soft brush, low amounts of non abrassive tooth paste, a 'stay gently in one place' method of brushing, were the bristles do not splay). Lessons from a periodontist are in order here.\n\nGingival recession can be caused by several factors, of which only ONE might be bacterial infection. Other contribting factors may include orthodontic movement  (which actually moves teeth through the supporting structures,) improper brushing, or naturally occuring thin attached gingiva.\n\nThe previous answer was correct about seeing a periodontist.  They are trained to diagnose what caused your particular type of recession, and encourage and address ways to keep it from continuing.
458854
YUP, I had been using it for the past week, and I just put them away last night. I didn't want to talk to my dentist for the exact same reason you've stated. I'll tell you a bit about my experience. \n\nThe first few days/nights you use them are killer. I would wake up in the middle of the night and just rip them off, 'cause it hurt so much (considering that your teeth are moving, it makes sense, but jeeze.) Also, not only do your gums get sore, but your teeth, right up to the root get really sensitive - just tapping it gently would hurt. That was a real danger sign to me. \nAfter about 3 days, I didn't notice anymore pain, and I had noticed my teeth gaps closing. (My tiny ones at the bottom had closed completly). I was happy about that, however when I would brush my teeth, they'd open again. What's up with that? I wore them all day, and whenever I'd take them off, they would up open in less than an hour. Also, as they pull 2 teeth together, they create new gaps on the other sides of your teeth. Forget the answers to the FAQ on the website, it isn't true. At least not for me. \n\nThe results are *very* temporary. Very makeshift. And I think the reviews on their *very* cheap looking website are either fake or extremely biased. The only way I could imagine this working is if you plan to continue buying and wearing them for the rest of your life, or at least a very long time. I had read a customer review on another website, and someone mentioned that they had been using them for 6 months, and whnever they stopped the treatment,  the gap re-opened.\n\nThe reasons I've decided to forget about them are basically due to fears about root and gum damage. Also, the chances that the results would be permanent are quite low. Why would people get braces if there's a product like this out there, and why isn't this product more publisized? I was also a bit scared that I would close the gap, then when I stopped treatment, the gap would open larger than what it was to begin with.\n\nI wouldn't suggest them. Just love yourself the way you are, and as inexpensive as they may be - sweetness, save your money, if you haven't bought them already. Buy some chocolate, or some dental floss or something. lol ;)\nConsider dental surgey otherwise.
559996
I'm a dentist. Your daughter either has a cavity or one of the fillings previously done is having problems. She's not getting any new teeth in because those won't start coming in until age 6. Like grown up teeth, baby teeth can need root canals after having a large filling placed. The dentist did nothing wrong. When you do a large filling (which for a baby tooth doesn't have to be that big), the bur generates heat while drilling. That heat can damage the nerve despite the best efforts of the dentist, and the tooth can start hurting. This can happen immediately after the restoration is placed, months or even a year or 2 later. The good news is that a baby tooth root canal is nothing like the grown up ones. They basically numb her up again. Open up the tooth (remove the old filling), put some medicine on the nerve, and close it up again. The procedure is much easier than the ones adults go through, and nowhere near the same price range. If the problem persists, please take her soon. The problem will not get better on it's own and will probably end up with a friday night, 2AM, not very happy 4 year old. With no insurance, the limited exam, radiograph, and procedure will likely be in the $200 range. Less if you have clinics in your area that see low income or have reduced fee schedules based on income. I wouldn't recommend getting the tooth out unless there is no other option to work with. Baby teeth that are extracted prematurely need to have space maintainers placed to hold the space open. (another cost and not as good as the real tooth). without the space maintainer the teeth can become crowded and make braces a necessity when she's older. This is a lot of information but hopefully it helps.
349541
Don't worry... it's really not as nasty as it sounds and it's terribly important for the health and retention of your teeth.  Tell the periodontist that you're scared to death and if there are any particularly painful spots, he may well be able to put some anaesthetic gel on them.\n\nI have this cleaning done every month because I have seriously advanced gum disease and I only wish I'd found my specialist earlier.
164290
If I were you, I would get a 2nd opinion. And when doing so- Do not tell the dentist you are seeing about any of the prices you've already been quoted. The price $900.00 is about right for a crown, compared to my dental office (where I work). Let  me tell you that $1800 for one tooth to be extracted is ridiculous!! It is more expensive with being put under with the anestesia. But if your husband is comfortable being at the dentist and he can handle being awake, I would advise him to go without the anestesia. Extracting a tooth doesn't take that long. Most of the time is used waiting on the numbess to settle in enough so he will feel no pain. I hope I helped!
612517
That doesn't sound "normal" and I would be suggesting that you go back (perhaps somewhere that employs a Dental Hygienist) and have them look at that.  Gums that recede usually stay that way so I think you are right to be concerned.  Obviously you are not happy with just being told not to worry about it, so go and get another opinion.
60021
see a dentist is a really good answer, they can usually fit you in on short notice,, x-rays and exams are not too expensive,,,,try switching to colgate it is really good for gingivitus and plaque,,, \n\n i used to always have bleeding gums switched to electric (fancy) toothbrush and colgated and bleeding gums went away,,, last check up had a dentist comment on how well my teeth were taken care of,,, (real shocker coming from someone who would make more money by saying i had lots of problems) needless to say bleeding gums gone been checked up and bad breath left also,,,, hmmm
112202
Your insurance company sent you the checks instead of sending them to the dentist... occasionally insurance companies will do that and you are suppose to sign those over and give them to the dentist.  They are meant to go to the dentist... not you.  Also, I am sure you signed something when you filled out paperwork stating that you would be responsible for any balance you insurance company did not cover as the dentist only gave you an 'estimate' of what the insurance company would pay.... because your insurance company only gave your dentist an 'estimate' of what they pay... the insurance company even has a disclaimer before they give a break-down of benefits stating it is an estimate only and payment is not guaranteed.  Therefore, there is nothing you can do but pay the bill.\n\nIn the future, if you want a guarantee of how much your insurance will pay for your treatment, then have your dentist send in a pretreatment estimate to your insurance company before you have treatment done.  Your dentist will do this for you as a courtesy.  The insurance company will then send, in writing, something to the dentist stating how much they will pay and then this is a definite.  The insurnace company will be bound to this and if they do not pay what they state at that time then you go after the insurance company.
347262
Hi Kelly,\n\nGums can receed for a number of reasons, firstly and most commonly is through gum disease. The plaque bacteria cause an inflammatory response in your gums which makes them recede and can also lead to bone loss around the teeth.\n\n You need to be really thorough when brushing to remove as much plaque as possible. Electric tooth brushes with a small rotary head are usually best for this as they get in all the awkward nooks and crannies. It is also just as important if not more so to use floss or little interdental brushes to clean between you teeth too as bacteria really breed in between your teeth.\n\nAnother reason for recession is actually brushing TOO hard some people rreally hammer away at them!  and this abrades away the gums, this is usually the case with manual toothbrushes, another reason why a cheap electric one (you can get Oral B Braun ones for about £12.50 at the mo in Boots) can be better as you are less likely to brush too hard with one. The idea is to step and wiggle it around each individual tooth for it to have the best effect.\n\nThe third reason can be that you gums are literally thin, some peoples are genetically in some places which means they have to be extra careful not to overbrush.\n\nShame your Dentist is dismissive, do you have a Hygienist at the practise that you can see ?, we specialised in treating Gum disease and could check to make sure that you have no tartar deposits around your teeth that could be making things worse.\n\nAsk your dentist to refer you to one, he can even refer you to one at a different practice if need be as long as he does a referal letter that you can take with you.\n\np.s forgot to mention, gum disease can be stabilised but once your gums have receeded and the bone is lost it is generally irreversible except  if it is just in a very localised area (i.e around one tooth ) when the gum can sometimes be grafted (this would generally be done by a Periodontist, who specialises in gums)\n\n\nHope this helps.
443113
Prepare to pay.\nYou teeth reflect your health.\nTake care of them. \n5 years is way too long for a visit to a dentist.\nYou must of had some spare money to spend on it during last 5 years. Or you could of paid it off slowly, most dentists have a payment plans.\nGood luck
628279
I am Canadian - I booked an apointment with my dentist last week and will see her next Tuesday.  By the way, Dentists are not covered under Canadian Health Care - never have been, unless it is as a result of an accident, a workplace injury, you are on social assistance, or you have a disability.\n\nMy son was born premature - 2 1/2 months - I did not have to wait for care - he is a healthy and educated 20 year old - and I did not receive a bill for one cent even though i do not have an insurance policy.  My doctor told me that in the US, he was a "million dollar" baby.\n\nMy brother required knee replacement surgery - every step of that process, from pre-op apointments with the best specialists (of his choice I might add - no one tells us who to see) through home care to perform rehab after surgery was completed within 3 months of the first visit and did not cost us one penny - with or without insurance.\n\nI had Leukemia (chronic myleogenous) and chose to go to whatever doctor and hospital I wanted, free of charge, in whatever city in Ontario had the shortest wait time - all free of charge, including the cost of gas or airfare if necessary to get to the appointments.\n\nI haven't had to wait 2 months, let alone a year, at all - although it does happen and it is not good when it does.  I also don't have to fork out one single penny to be seen by the best heart/lung/cancer specialist in the country, they are accessible to everyone regardless of income.\n\nI have a step-sister in LA - she relies on Medicare - she says it is appalling in the US if you don't have private insurance -it's kind of hard to describe what is wrong to the clinic doctor, who didn't speak english, after a 7 hour clinic wait!  Even if you have insurance , you probably have an HMO - a group of non-professionals with little or no medical training who are deciding who you can see, what they will treat, and which hospital you can go to.\n\nYou're trying to tell me that is better??
263938
Oh my god! The dreaded root canal!! Enough to send one to the poor house, directly!! A relative of mine had been told `how much she needed one' and the person (you could say dentist, if you tried hard) botched the job badly, and left my relative in a bad way. I couldn't believe how much she got charged for being mauled! I will N E V E R  ever get a root canal done: send me to the Siberia - that would be preferable! You can put me to bed with a shovel, before I'd ever let them near my canal!!!! Take the cruise, for sure!
125226
I know you don't want to hear this, but you must see a dentist.  You prob. have an abscess that needs attention. Putting off treatment by a dentist can put your health in danger, as well as your life.  Not getting help now will only make it worse.  I have once suffered a toothache from a hairline fracture in a wisdom tooth.  It was over the weekend and I thought I was going to go crazy from the pain.  No amount of Advil, oil of cloves, or any other remedy is going to help when it get's really bad.  I would never wish this kind of pain on anyone. There is nothing you can really do externally to help keep it at bay.  You need to have the infected tooth either extracted or opened up to let the infection drain out to relieve the pressure.  You also need an antibiotic to help get rid of the infection.  Don't wait, go as soon as possible.
514908
I had a bunch of rooth canals done,it was not that bad really did not hurt durring and after(the only thing that hurt a little was my jaw from holding it open  for so long).\n\nI had part one of my crown done(meaning tthe dentist cut my thooth put a metal stick in it and popped a temparry thooth in it.That(cutting off the thooth)felt very uncomfi to lilttle pain.after it was done it was all worst it.(smile)\n\nnow next week i have a big thing going on i will get my wisdom theeth pulled plus i will get a minor operation(my dentist will cut and go in and cut one rooth away were the infection will not go away) and then i will be stitched up.\n\nmy dentist is the best(i`m a old dentist scary cat ).\nI don`t know why i`m always scared to go to the dentist ,because after everything it was never that bad.\n\nMy dentist does good work is friendly always explains what he does before he does it,and takes his time to do so.\n\n(i went one time to another dentist,because mine was on vaction,he just stared up the work i did not know what was going on i hated that dentist.)\n\noverall i would have done everything again just sooner,because now i know the longer you wait the more work you have to get done.