Any dental experts out here?

[daughtersrus]

I have a question but I'm going to try and keep this short.

I had a gold bridge replaced (bottom right back teeth) about 1 1/2 years ago with a porcelain one. I was happy with the gold but my new dentist talked me into porcelain. Anyway, after a short time, the porcelain started to come off of the bridge. It was replaced and again after a few months, the second one started to come apart.

The dentist is replacing it with one made from yellow gold. I went a few weeks ago to have impressions taken. Ever since they packed the cord, I've been having pain in the gums surrounding the front tooth of the bridge on the tongue side. It's been checked a few times and the dentist can't seem to find out what is causing the pain.

Sunday, I developed a white bump where it has been tender. The bump would go away over night but come back again during the day. I went Tue to get the new gold bridge. The dentist took an X-ray but said that everything looked fine. By the end of the appointment, the gums were very tender and the bump was larger. He gave me a topical for canker sores to use a few times a day. It seemed better over night but again it got worse during the day on Wed.

I went back this morning to get the bite adjusted. The sore was tiny in the beginning but as the bridge was worked on, the sore got larger with a white spot. Before working on it today, he took another X-ray but again said that he couldn't see anything unusual.

I've had a bridge on these teeth for over 20 years so it's not like it's new.

Any ideas as to what this might be? I don't think that it's a canker sore because it doesn't feel like anything that I've had before.

He said that he's concerned that the tooth underneath may have cracked. I'm not a dentist so I have no idea. I had a root canal on this tooth before the first bridge 20 years ago when a friend was in dental school. My friend moved out of state a few years ago but I'm tempted to go and have him take a look at it.

Thanks!

 

[marlynnp]

I'm not an expert but usually a white bump like that means you're getting an abscess

 

[Mahnahmahnah]

I'm not an expert, but I can try to help.

Usually when you have a white spot like that that is not a canker sore, it is indicative of an abcess trying to drain. Since they took x-rays they may not be seeing it and it is probably perplexing the dentist, I'm sure. Have they put you on antibiotics yet? They usually will see a little ball of infection that's the abcess in an x-ray.

It's very well possible that the tooth is cracked. I'm assuming you mean the anchor tooth for the bridge that is bothering you. Did they re -do that root canal in that tooth? Sometimes root canals fail. Also sometimes they can perforate the tooth by going too deep. It happens. The remedy for that is an apicoectomy (they cut into the gum at the root and snip off that portion of root) to try to save that tooth. They usually will do everything in their power to save that tooth since it's anchoring a bridge.
Another possiblity is the post inside the tooth that anchors the crown on could have fractured, and cause pain & other issues. It's difficult for them to tell sometimes. Again the remedy is an apicoectomy. But be forewarned that sometimes the apico can fail and you may lose that tooth.

Again - just guessing on possibilites. I'm not the Dis Dentist by any means!

Sometimes getting a second opinion may help. Good Luck!

 

[daughtersrus]

Thanks for the replies.

The root canal in the anchor tooth was done 20+ years ago before the first bridge. But, the current dentist "took a little" off the top of that tooth before this last bridge was made. It wasn't until the cord was packed around that tooth for the impression that the pain started. It was about 3 weeks later before the white bump formed. The bump goes away over night. Would an abscess do that? Would there be other signs like fever with an abscess?

They didn't put me on antibiotics but instead wanted me to use the canker sore medication and come back next week. The bump is smaller than it was when I first posted but I'm still nervous.

If the X-ray doesn't show a crack, how can I find out if there is a crack?

The thought of all of this is making me sick. My dental insurance is HORRIBLE so this will all be out of pocket for me. When we first started with this replacement, the dentist said that he would not charge me for any of his services. There was a fee from the lab (about $500) for the extra gold and he said that he would split that with me. Still, it's costing me an extra $250 on top of the $3,000 that I already paid.


Thanks again for the advice.

 

[Mahnahmahnah]

An abscess will usually cause pain. It can range anywhere to a dull throb to kill me know pain. Sometimes there will be heat involved and swelling, some people get fevers. Everyone is different. How do YOU feel - do you feel crummy? Sometimes you just feel that way with an infection.


This is what concerns me: as Diser to Diser (and I used to work in a dental office and had an issue similar):
Your qoute: Anyway, after a short time, the porcelain started to come off of the bridge. It was replaced and again after a few months, the second one started to come apart.

This should not happen IMO- most bridges last about 8- 10 years, and some of them beyond that if the lab does good quality work. Since the lab did the bridge, they are responsible IMO. Also usually a dentist will guarentee his work, mostly on crowns and bridges - the workmanship, not if a tooth goes bad, though KWIM? 1 1/2 years is an awfully short period for porcelain to come off. It's just wierd to me, and he should have replaced that bridge free of charge - completely - no splitting. Unless it was your fault like you where eating rocks to make that porcelain come off.

IMO - I would get a second opinion. Worst case scenerio, if the tooth is cracked, they may extract it. Then say you have a 3 unit bridge now, then you will go to a 4 unit bridge. Sorry. It sux having dental issues but they crop up and there's not much you can do.