A big chunk of my tooth broke off

[Black Diamond Bay]

over the weekend. It's one of the back molars. It has a filling in it, and actually last summer a little chunk of the tooth broke off, but it didn't hurt at all. Then Sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning a larger chunk must have broke off and I guess I swallowed it because the whole back part of the tooth is missing now and it hurts a bit.

So I have an appointment to see the dentist tomorrow about the matter. My dad's telling me I'm probably getting a crown. How long does it take for them to actually install the thing in my mouth? None of this sounds very fun, but right now it's interfering with my ability to eat, and I so I figure I better go get the problem addressed sooner rather than later.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by Black Diamond Bay

over the weekend. It's one of the back molars. It has a filling in it, and actually last summer a little chunk of the tooth broke off, but it didn't hurt at all. Then Sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning a larger chunk must have broke off and I guess I swallowed it because the whole back part of the tooth is missing now and it hurts a bit.

So I have an appointment to see the dentist tomorrow about the matter. My dad's telling me I'm probably getting a crown. How long does it take for them to actually install the thing in my mouth? None of this sounds very fun, but right now it's interfering with my ability to eat, and I so I figure I better go get the problem addressed sooner rather than later.

This will depend entirely upon your dentist. Old style is they drill out your tooth, leaving only a base for the crown, and then take a cast of your mouth, which they send ot a lab who fashions a crown for your mouth some days/weeks later. You are fitted with a temproary crown and then leave, tpyically with cold sensitivity, not to return until your permannet crown is ready. You return ofr a visit to have the permament crown fitted some time later.

My current dentist, however, is in the modern world and I love it. He drills your tooth down to the stub, and then digitally images your mouth. He then uses CAD type software to design your crown replacement. This takes only a few minutes. Then he color matches your teet, and chooses a porcelain blank that matches, and then puts the blank in his mill, which is controlled by the CAD software, and causes a permanent crown to be made on the spot. This is then fitted and cemented in place and you are good to go. No return visit, the whole thing takes 60-90 minutes. As someone with far too mcuh crown experience, the new way is by far, even if more expensive (and it relaly isn't) the best way to go.

[Black Diamond Bay]

Originally Posted by creekster

This will depend entirely upon your dentist. Old style is they drill out your tooth, leaving only a base for the crown, and then take a cast of your mouth, which they send ot a lab who fashions a crown for your mouth some days/weeks later. You are fitted with a temproary crown and then leave, tpyically with cold sensitivity, not to return until your permannet crown is ready. You return ofr a visit to have the permament crown fitted some time later.

My current dentist, however, is in the modern world and I love it. He drills your tooth down to the stub, and then digitally images your mouth. He then uses CAD type software to design your crown replacement. This takes only a few minutes. Then he color matches your teet, and chooses a porcelain blank that matches, and then puts the blank in his mill, which is controlled by the CAD software, and causes a permanent crown to be made on the spot. This is then fitted and cemented in place and you are good to go. No return visit, the whole thing takes 60-90 minutes. As someone with far too mcuh crown experience, the new way is by far, even if more expensive (and it relaly isn't) the best way to go.

My dad is a dental lab technician, he's going to make the crown for me. I was instructed that under no circumstances should I allow my dentist to do a crown like you just described above. My dad said those crowns are just junk because they're too soft, and don't hold up very well, especially for a back molar and people are always getting those replaced when they break. He says he can make me one that will last 20+ years.

I'm mostly concerned how long it will take them to grind my tooth down to a little stump. Does it take a couple of hours, or minutes, what? Sounds miserable.

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by Black Diamond Bay

My dad is a dental lab technician, he's going to make the crown for me. I was instructed that under no circumstances should I allow my dentist to do a crown like you just described above. My dad said those crowns are just junk because they're too soft, and don't hold up very well, especially for a back molar and people are always getting those replaced when they break. He says he can make me one that will last 20+ years.

I'm mostly concerned how long it will take them to grind my tooth down to a little stump. Does it take a couple of hours, or minutes, what? Sounds miserable.

I think what really concerns your father is in creekster's own words the Dentists efforts to "color match your teet." As the master himself, grapevine, once opined: "just slap some iodine on the teets and squeeze milk."

As a capable dental lab technician he knows the power of those x-ray devices and the devious intentions of its users......look on the bright side though, if you still seek romantic involvement it is more likely than not the Dentist is not gay. Unless she is a woman, or a Ute.

Takes the midnight train, goin' anywhere........

[creekster]

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

I think what really concerns your father is in creekster's own words the Dentists efforts to "color match your teet." As the master himself, grapevine, once opined: "just slap some iodine on the teets and squeeze milk."

As a capable dental lab technician he knows the power of those x-ray devices and the devious intentions of its users......look on the bright side though, if you still seek romantic involvement it is more likely than not the Dentist is not gay. Unless she is a woman, or a Ute.

Takes the midnight train, goin' anywhere........

Ahh, what difference an 'h' can make. Almost makes you want to go to dental school, eh?

[MikeWaters]

don't mention to this dates. nothing lights a fire like telling dates your teeth are crumbling!

[Surfah]

Calcium.

[UteStar]

I have so much gold bling in my mouth, I have no doubt that I will be robbed at gun point for them. I have crowns all over the place and I will take nothing less than gold crowns. It totally impresses everyone that I know.

[BlueHair]

Try brushing your teeth once in a while!

I have no room to talk, I have 4 or 5 crowns myself. My advice would be to request some serious painkillers. One of my crowns replaced a deep filling and it hurt for about six months after I got the crown. It takes a while for the nerve to settle down.

[Black Diamond Bay]

Originally Posted by BlueHair

Try brushing your teeth once in a while!

I have no room to talk, I have 4 or 5 crowns myself. My advice would be to request some serious painkillers. One of my crowns replaced a deep filling and it hurt for about six months after I got the crown. It takes a while for the nerve to settle down.

For the record I'm a nazi about oral hygiene, I shudder to think what might happen to them if I wasn't.

I just got back from the dentist. He drilled a little thinking he might be able to get away with just redoing the filling, but no. It's a root canal situation, however the roots on the tooth are curled, so he can't do it and had to give me an emergency referral to an endodontist for tomorrow. My wisdom teeth were also curled at the ends and I have not yet forgotten the misery that ensued after their removal, or the panic over the "high-probability for nerve damage." So I'm not feeling really great about any of this right now. Not to mention the fact that I have to get two shots of that novacaine to get numb, and then it numbs up half my face and my tongue so that I talk like a deaf person (my co-workers think it's hilarious). However, I'm trying to be grateful for it because he said that there's a good chance I'll be in a significant amount of pain when it wears off. So he gave me a prescription for codine I think (no idea, I've never take the painkillers anyway, the freak me out). I also am starving, haven't eaten anything yet today, and I'm not allowed to eat until the novacaine wears off, and then only chewing with the unafflicted side of my mouth to avoid accidentally dislodging the temporary filling. He recommended that regardless of how much pain I'm in tonight that I still try and eat a lot because I probably won't be able to eat at all tomorrow, and it could be a while before I'll be prepared to do much eating after that as well. All you weight loss people...I have the perfect diet for you.

Anyway, I'm done whining now, and just crossing my fingers that this goes more smoothly tomorrow than my wisdom teeth did.