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Don Swearingen, DDS Blog

White Fillings for Children

September 14, 2015

Filed under: Pediatric Dentist — Tags: , , — okcitydentist @ 10:39 pm

I was wondering if children can have white fillings. I go to a general dentist and he said that it isn’t possible for children to have it.  I don’t know why, but I find that hard to believe.  I’d really rather not put mercury into my daughter’s mouth.  Would a pediatric dentist feel the same way?

Judy W. – Ft. Smith, AR

Judy,

It’s not as much the difference between a general or pediatric dentist in this case. It is a combination of their comfort level with children and their comfort level with composite (white) fillings.

Composite fillings require the patient to sit very, very still.  Even their tongue has to be still. Most children find that challenging. That doesn’t mean it couldn’t be done or even if there was a fidgety child, sedation couldn’t be used.

You’d have to be confident your child could handle the procedure and find a dentist skilled in white fillings that enjoys working with children, which could either be a general dentist who treats children or a pediatric dentist.

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

Need an alternative to Lumineers

August 29, 2015

Filed under: Lumineers — Tags: , , , , — okcitydentist @ 9:57 pm

I have a problem.  I wanted to improve my smile.  I didn’t want braces, mostly because I am 37 years old and would feel very self-conscious at work. I have some crooked teeth and my teeth are discolored. That’s mostly because I’m getting older and drink a lot of coffee. So I want to straighten my teeth and whiten them. My dentist said Lumineers will do that. I did some research and it seems like a lot of dentists seem to think that they’re bulky, which confuses me because they’re supposed to be ultra thin.  I don’t see how that can both be true.  I’m looking for alternatives.

Abigail L. – Arizona

Abigail,

First, I’m going to address how Lumineers can be both ultra thin and bulky.  I know it sounds oxymoronic, but there is a reason for both of those comments about Lumineers. First, they are ultra thin veneers. They are made ever so slightly thinner than traditional veneers. Because of this they are often advertised as easy to place because no-prep for the teeth is “necessary”.

What that often leads to  is dentists who are inexperienced in cosmetic dentistry placing Lumineers, because they’re “easier” than most.  The turth is, Lumineers are no more easy than other brands.  And some teeth need prep, no matter how thin the veneers are. When they don’t get it, the teeth end up looking bulky.

So, the key is to find a really experienced cosmetic dentist. One that your comfortable trusting with your smile.  Then, have him tell you why he thinks a certain brand is right for you–especially if he is recommending lumineers, which many artistic cosmetic dentists don’t feel are up to the high standards of other brands.

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

Do I wait for my implant dentist or see an emergency dentist?

August 12, 2015

Filed under: Dental Emergency — Tags: , , , , — okcitydentist @ 9:06 pm

I have had a dental implant for a couple of years.  It started bothering me a few months ago. I went to see my dentist and he said it was fine.  Today, I bit on something and got a disgusting taste in my mouth.  I peeked into my mouth and their was puss surrounding my implant.  I tried calling my implant dentist, but he’s not there. I realize it is the weekend.  What should I do? Wait until  he comes back or go to an emergency dentist?

Elizabeth H. – Portland

Elizabeth,

I realize it is the weekend, but I want  you to call your implant dentist anyway.  He likely has a number in case of emergencies like this. They’ll be some kind of protocol in place for emergency cases like yours.

It sounds like you have a pretty severe infection that has been there for a while.  If you want a chance of saving your implant and your health. Don’t put this off.

For that reason, if you can’t reach your implant dentist, then you’ll need to go ahead and call an emergency dentist. This needs to be taken care of.

The emergency dentist will be able to get you out of pain and give you an antibiotic to begin to help you deal with the infection. If possible, he may put a splint on the implant to stabilize it.

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

Haven’t been to the dentist in ten years

July 27, 2015

Filed under: Cater to Cowards — Tags: , , , — okcitydentist @ 8:23 pm

I haven’t been to the dentist in over ten years. I’m terrified of the dentist. I’ve had very bad experiences with them. I wonder if there are dentists who are used to dealing with terrified patients? I’ve been having a tooth bother me.

Emily S. – Utah

Emily,

You are not alone in your fear of the dentist. Fortunately, you are right. There are dentists who specialize in treating fearful patients.  Some of them advertise as sedation dentists. Others say they cater to cowards.

I wouldn’t put this off. I know you’re frightened, but if don’t get your tooth looked at and it is an infection, you could end up in serious trouble.  The sooner you get seen, the easier your treatment is likely to be.

You’d rather have to deal with a cavity than have to have your tooth extracted and replaced.

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

 

Child restrained at dentist

July 15, 2015

Filed under: Pediatric Dentist — Tags: , , , — okcitydentist @ 4:44 pm

I read a news story this month about a child who was restrained in a papoose without the parents consent.  The article said it was a common practice.  This makes me terrified to bring my child to the dentist.  It seems like abuse to me.  How can that be common?

Olive D. – Baltimore

Olive,

I don’t think they meant it was common practice to use the papoose without a parent’s consent.  If you don’t want your child in a papoose, your child doesn’t go in a papoose. It’s a simple as that.  Though, I will say always be sure to read any treatment consent forms.  In this particular case, the dentist said the parents had signed a consent for restraints.  But, because the dentist only discussed laughing gas with them, they didn’t realize what was in the consent form.  If the dentist left that out of the discussion to intentionally mislead the parents, it would be considered quite unethical.

Bottom line, find a pediatric dentist you trust.  Have open communication with them. Ask questions.  Many dentists will also let parents come back into the operatory with their child.  For some kids that is a comfort. For others, that makes it harder.  You know your child best, so go with what your heart tells you.

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

Tired of arguing with my dentist about Lumineers

June 30, 2015

Filed under: Lumineers — Tags: , , , , — okcitydentist @ 12:07 pm

I’m hoping you can help me.  I told my dentist that I want lumineers, but he’s insisting I get porcelain veneers. I specifically wanted lumineers so I wouldn’t have to grind my teeth down.  I wanted the thin ones.  Can you give me some information that will help me convince him?

Lucienne- South Dakota

Lucienne,

Lumineers are highly marketed, but there are some misconceptions about them.  First, you need to be aware, that they aren’t different than porcelain veneers. They are simply one brand of porcelain veneers. Though they are ultra-thin, they are certainly not the only brand of ultra -thin veneers.

A second misconception is that your teeth need to be ground down in order to place porcelain veneers. The dental treatment that requires grinding is porcelain crowns. Veneers are totally different.  Your tooth does require some mild preparation, but it only changes your teeth abou the depth of a fingernail. It is so insignificant that people won’t be able to tell the difference between a prepared or unprepared tooth.

I would trust your lumineers in this case. If he’s not too keen on you using lumineers, he must think that a different brand will give you a more attractive smile.

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

If I have a Juvederm?

June 12, 2015

Filed under: Dental Emergency — Tags: , , — okcitydentist @ 8:15 pm

I had a Juvederm filler put in, but now have a dental emergency. My care letter from my procedure says that I shouldn’t apply pressure or move the filler for a couple of weeks.  What do I do if I really need to see the dentist? Will keeping my mouth open move my fillers?

Amanda L. – Ft. Worth

Amanda,

If you have a dental emergency, you definitely need to see your dentist or an emergency dentist if you don’t have one.  Make sure they’re familiar with fillers. Then make them aware that you’ve just had them placed. They can be aware and careful around the fillers to make sure nothing moves.

A quick x-ray may determine that you don’t need any work done immediately. If you do have to have work done, the dentist can be super careful and make preparations for your special condition.

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

I hit my dentist whenever he tries to give me a needle

May 29, 2015

Filed under: Cater to Cowards — Tags: , , , , — okcitydentist @ 9:53 pm

I have this horrible reflex action where I hit at my dentist whenever he tries to give me a needle for numbing. Normally, he’s used to it, but his last time I took him by surprise and actually hurt him. Have you heard of this before? Is there anything I can do to stop this?

Ellie W. – Montana

Ellie,

You’re not the only patient who stuggles with dental fear.  You must have a very kind dentist, to know he’s going to get a good whack when he treats you and still keep going. There is a solution.

Has your dentist ever suggested any kind of sedation, such as nitrous oxide?  This can relax you enough to make your appointment easier to deal with.

There are dentists who specifically advertise as catering to cowards. They enjoy working with fearful patients, because they want to help change their outlook about dentistry.

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

Is a space maintainer really necessary?

May 15, 2015

Filed under: Pediatric Dentist — Tags: , , , , , — okcitydentist @ 3:31 pm

My son needs to have a tooth removed.  I can hardly afford this procedure and my dentist is wanting to have a space maintainer put in as well. That is an additional expense. Tell me honestly, is it really necessary?

Hannah D. – North Dakotta

Hannah,

Children are the joy of our lives, but they sure cost a lot of money.  Fortunately, they’re worth it. We have to remember we cost our parents a lot of money as well. That being said, I do understand how difficult it can be to afford everything they need. You don’t want to spend any additional money if it is not absolutely necessary.

In this case, however, your pediatric dentist is right. The expense is a necessary one. If you don’t have a space mainainer placed, the adjacent teeth will shift. When his adult teeth begin to come in, it will lead to crowding.  If you think a space maintainer is an additional expense, you should see how much braces cost.

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

Lumineers over crowns

April 29, 2015

Filed under: Lumineers — Tags: , , , , , — okcitydentist @ 6:51 pm

I had some old, dingy crowns that embarrassed me.  My dentist told me that he could place lumineers over the old crowns to “restore” them, but they don’t look much better. There is still the gray line at my gumline. To me they look a little opaque.  Now three of them have fallen off.  My dentist has offered to put them back on, but I’m wondering if I should just ask for my money back on the ones that fell off.  They were pretty expensive to place.

Amelia L. – Little Rock, AR

Amelia,

What a bad experience you’ve been through.  I think I know why your dentist thought this would be a good idea.  The Lumineers company has advertised this as an alternative to replacing old crowns.  First, I’ll have to say this is a very advanced procedure that also requires specialized equipment. Second, even when pulled off, it doesn’t look beautiful. As you’ve noticed, you still have the metalic base to deal with, which is why you’ve still got the gray line at your gumline.

The best thing for your dentist to do, would be to replace your crowns with all-porcelain crowns, if he’s artistically able to do that.  The results would be much more beautiful.  I would go back and ask him to replace them with crowns, or give you a full refund and send you to someone who can.

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

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