Don Swearingen, DDS Blog

Is it safe to pull an infected tooth?

September 13, 2012

My son is supposed to have to teeth extracted tomorrow. I am little concerned because he’s had an infection. He’s been on antibiotics for three days, but there is still some swelling in his jaw. Is it dangerous to do the extraction?

Debbie from Colorado

Debbie,

I can’t speak to the particulars of your son’s case without examining him and seeing the x-rays. However, I can give some general guidelines. First, it is important to understand that you can never treat a tooth infection with antibiotics alone. The tooth itself will have to be treated. You can do that either by a root canal treatment or by extracting the tooth.

That is why even with three days of antibiotics, your son is still dealing with the effects of a tooth infection. However, the point of the antibiotics is to get the infection under control so there is no danger of spreading the infection during the extraction.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City Dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.

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Snap on smile without teeth

August 23, 2012

Filed under: Snap-on Smile — Tags: Dentures, mini implants — okcitydentist @ 12:17 pm

I’ve got four teeth left. Three on the bottom and one top molar. I don’t have a lot of money and wondered if snap on smile would work?

John L. from Joplin, MO

John,

Snap-on Smile needs teeth to anchor it to. With only one tooth on the top, it just wouldn’t work. Regarding the bottom, with the three teeth, it would just put too much stress on those remaining teeth and you would eventually lose them as well.

Even if you had most of your teeth and were a viable candidate, Snap-on Smile is meant as a temporary smile makeover. In that case, you could use it while something more permanent is prepared for your teeth.

My suggestion to you would be to look into dentures, which is about the same price as Snap-on Smile. For a little more money, you could look into mini-implants. They will help anchor your denture.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City Dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.

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My dentures don’t fit anymore

August 13, 2012

Filed under: Dental Implants,Dentures — Tags: facial collapse, Poorly fitting dentures — okcitydentist @ 8:18 am

I’ve had dentures for twenty years, but in recent months they are not fitting correctly. They’re slipping out a lot and it is getting quite humiliating. My dentist said there is nothing he can do to fix it, that I’ve lost too much bone. Do you agree with him?

Drew Z. from Chicago

Drew,

Well, I do and I don’t. If you’ve been been using dentures for two decades, than you are suffering from facial collapse. Hopefully your dentist warned you about it when you had your dentures put in. When your teeth are extracted, you body begins reabsorbing the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body. After about ten or twenty years there isn’t enough jawbone left to support your dentures.

There is, however, something you can do about it. I would look for a dentist who does bone grafting. They’ll be able to build back up your bone structure. However, if you get dentures again, you will eventually have the same problem. Another option would be to have dental implants placed. These place a root form in your jawbone, which tells your body that the bone material is still needed.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City Dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.

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A re-infected root canal?

July 31, 2012

Filed under: Root Canal Treatment — Tags: re-infected root canal — okcitydentist @ 8:39 pm

I had a root canal almost a year ago. My doctor put a temporary seal on it and asked me to return to have it more permanently sealed. Like an idiot, I didn’t return. I think the filling has begun wearing down and I am now in incredible pain. Is it possible I have another infection? I am out of the country right now and cannot get to a dentist. What should I do? The pain is intense.

Stephanie H. – Idaho Falls

Stephanie,

You definitely need to see a dentist as soon as possible. I think there is a real possibility you have re-infected your tooth. As you aren’t able to get to your dentist right now. I would at least call and get a prescription for an antibiotic and some pain medicine.

After a root canal it is important for the filling to be sealed off from your saliva. That is why your dentist puts a temporary filling on your tooth. If you don’t follow through and get it sealed the filling will eventually come out and your tooth will get re-infected.

You’ll probably need the root canal treatment re-done, but hopefully your tooth can be saved.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City Dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.

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Implants after extraction

July 23, 2012

Filed under: Dental Implants — Tags: residual infection after extraction, wisdom teeth — okcitydentist @ 5:22 am

I had in infected tooth that was extracted. Now they want to put in a dental implant. How long should I wait to make sure all the infection is out of the bone, before placing the implant?

Sandra W.

Sandra,

When your tooth was extracted, that eliminated the source of your infection. Your bodies natural defenses are able to quickly deal with any infection in your bone. Plus, the drainage opening left from your missing tooth into your bone helps also. There is rarely any residual problems from infection after a routine extraction.

If you’re extraction had been an impacted wisdom tooth, that would be a different story. The infection wouldn’t have been in the tooth itself, but between the tooth and the gum. As a result, your dentist would have probably prescribed antibiotics to go along with the extraction to deal with any residual infection.

All that to say, if your dentist sees no issues, then you are fine to get your dental implants placed.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City Dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.

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Darker teeth

June 12, 2012

Filed under: Teeth Whitening — Tags: porcelain crowns, whitening dental work — okcitydentist @ 6:01 am

I have two teeth that are darker than my other teeth. One is a completely fake tooth, the other is a dental crown. I’ve whitened my teeth over and over again, but these two teeth are still darker than the others. What is the problem?

Sandra D. from Minneapolis.

Sandra,

There are three situations in which teeth whitening will not give you the results you are looking for. One is tetracycline stains. These are too deep and too dark. Another is when your teeth are uneven in color. Teeth whiten uniformly, so whitening them will just accentuate the differences. The third is the issue you are facing. Dental work, such as crowns, veneers, bonding, will not whiten.

To get the results you are looking for, you need to whiten all your other teeth to the color level you desire, then replace the fake tooth and porcelain crown to match them.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City Dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.

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Solution for large gaps

Filed under: Invisalign — Tags: alternatives to braces, repairing tooth gaps — okcitydentist @ 5:42 am

I have a very large gap between my front teeth, about 8mm. My dentist said he could use bonding to bring the gaps together. I’m worried that will make my teeth look too big. Is there another solution besides braces. I’m too old for braces.

Jennifer K. from Alabama

Jennifer,

I wish I knew what dentist told you to get dental bonding for this problem, because that is a very bad idea. Your instincts are right. 8mm is enough to fit an entire new tooth. That would not look natural at all. Really, I think the best solution for you would be to get Invisalign.

Unlike traditional braces, no one can see that your wearing Invisalign. Plus they are much more comfortable. You wear them all the time, but can take them out to eat and brush your teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City Dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.

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Can I get put to sleep?

May 29, 2012

Filed under: Sedation Dentist — Tags: dental fear — okcitydentist @ 8:21 pm

I am really afraid of the dentist, but I have to have a tooth pulled. It’s got too much of a cavity to save it. I just can’t stand the idea of a needle. Can I have it done at a hospital and they put me to sleep? I guess you should know I’m 15. Maybe they need my mom to sign something saying its OK to put me to sleep.

Sandy from California

Sandy,

What you’re feeling is quite common. Have your mom do a search for a sedation dentist. You can just google sedation dentist, or some are listed under “Cater to Cowards“. Each sedation dentist varies a little in what services they offer, but most will have nitrous oxide available. It is commonly known as laughing gas because it completely relaxes you. Others will offer an IV sedation which is like being put to sleep. We have a tool dubbed the wand that gives completely painless injections. You won’t even know you’re getting a shot. You and your mom can research what dentists in your area have available and pick the one that is right for you. You can do this, Sandy.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.

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Invisalign aligners are loose

Filed under: Invisalign — Tags: wearing invisalign aligners — okcitydentist @ 7:55 pm

I’m wondering if I really have to wear my invisalign aligners for two weeks. At first they fit, but then after a few days they’re loose. Do you think my teeth straighten faster than other peoples?

Cindy D. from Albuquerque, NM

Cindy,

That sounds about normal actually. When you first put on the Invisalign aligners they are designed to be a little snug. That is because they are gently guiding your teeth into a new position. In a few days, they’ll be moved over, so the aligners will loosen up a bit. However. You need to keep the aligners in for the full two weeks because it gives your bone time to re-form around the roots of your teeth in their new position. If you don’t give them that time, your teeth could come loose.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.

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Funny Shaped Teeth

April 18, 2012

Filed under: Porcelain Veneers — Tags: misshapen teeth, Uses for porcelain veneers — okcitydentist @ 4:17 pm

I have some teeth that are shaped funny. Will porcelain veneers be able to fix that?

Catherine from Kansas City

Catherine,

Yes. porcelain veneers do a fine job fixing misshapen teeth. They can change the shape, the color, even the appearance of crooked teeth. You just need to sit down with a cosmetic dentist in your area and go over what kind of smile design you have in mind. At Dr. Swearingen’s office, we have a beautiful smile guarantee, in order to insure our patients are thrilled with their new smile.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City Dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.

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