[DVY]

@Wreckingball- Your fine. Don't worry about it.

@McQueen- 3 shots of hot sake + rock shrimp roll from Katsuya. bwahaha.

[Tuthmosis]

@DVY:

Great thread. I just found it and browsed through it, but didn't find anything on so-called "lingual braces" (behind the teeth). I'm seriously thinking about doing this and would like to know your professional opinion on these. Are they worth the extra expense? Are they effective? What's a good rate for them? How do I assure myself that I'm going to a reliable installer of these things? Are they a better option than Invisalign (which I don't like, aesthetically, since it's visible)?

If anyone has personal experience with these, I'd also be interested in hearing your thoughts.

[Dulceácido]

(06-20-2013 02:20 PM)Tuthmosis Wrote:  

@DVY:

Great thread. I just found it and browsed through it, but didn't find anything on so-called "lingual braces" (behind the teeth). I'm seriously thinking about doing this and would like to know your professional opinion on these. Are they worth the extra expense? Are they effective? What's a good rate for them? How do I assure myself that I'm going to a reliable installer of these things? Are they a better option than Invisalign (which I don't like, aesthetically, since it's visible)?

If anyone has personal experience with these, I'd also be interested in hearing your thoughts.

A co-worker of mine got those installed in Colombia for pennies on the dollar during a visit. They can be tuned up and adjusted by anyone here in the states.
Not saying go there to get your work done, but if it happens to coincide with a trip...
Colombia is well-known for having experts at cosmetic procedures for a fraction of the costs in the states. Something to consider.

[DVY]

I tried them. For simple cases it works well, anything moderate or more it's better regular braces. Final results are better. Plus lingual braces are double or triple price.

In short, if you want best, fastest and cheapest result- regular is the best. Depending on ure case, prices vary.

This like anything else can be bargained for and possibly have a cash discount. Def priceshop

Sidenote- invisalign is pretty shitty. Only works reliably for very very simple corrections

[Tuthmosis]

(06-23-2013 04:53 AM)DVY Wrote:  

I tried them. For simple cases it works well, anything moderate or more it's better regular braces. Final results are better. Plus lingual braces are double or triple price.

In short, if you want best, fastest and cheapest result- regular is the best. Depending on ure case, prices vary.

@DVY: This reply slipped by me. What's considered a "simple case"? The main reason I would opt for lingual braces (if anything at all) is that I can't "afford" to go 18 months to two years with ugly braces on the front.

[JayD]

Is Acceledent a scam? Paid $1200 for it.

[Vaun]

I have a partial, my top two front teeth were knocked out in 2002. Since then I never went through with implants. I am 37. Since it was over 10 years ago, how soon should I get this done, and what do you recommend about implants? My dentists concern is about boneless above the top front two teeth.

I also have crowding on my lower teeth, pushing the middle tooth outward. Should I get braces, or just get it yanked?

[Vaun]

(07-07-2013 02:06 PM)puckman Wrote:  

I have a partial, my top two front teeth were knocked out in 2002. Since then I never went through with implants. I am 37. Since it was over 10 years ago, how soon should I get this done, and what do you recommend about implants? My dentists concern is about boneloss above the top front two teeth.

I also have crowding on my lower teeth, pushing the middle tooth outward. Should I get braces, or just get it yanked?

[DVY]

Quote:

Is Acceledent a scam? Paid $1200 for it. Never heard of it. Can't say for sure

Quote:

I have a partial, my top two front teeth were knocked out in 2002. Since then I never went through with implants. I am 37. Since it was over 10 years ago, how soon should I get this done, and what do you recommend about implants? My dentists concern is about boneloss above the top front two teeth.

I also have crowding on my lower teeth, pushing the middle tooth outward. Should I get braces, or just get it yanked?

@puckman- The way to check bone-loss is via a 3-d scan (CBCT). Should be about 200-300 dollars. Can't really recommend good advice w/out seeing it personally. Your 3 options are bridge, implants+crowns, do nothing. Don't know about your periodontal condition, but if you have enough bone on your adjacent teeth, do a bridge (either 4 units or 6 units). Thats probably the fastest and cheapest way. But once again, cost-benefit analysis of implants vs. bridge would be in order. Prices will vary, but generally 4-unit bridge will be 2k-3k. 6 unit bridge 3k-4k. Implant prices were mentioned in previous posts

Don't do braces at 37. Braces work best in teens and progressively worse w/age as the bone hardens.

Can't say for the lower teeth w/out seeing in person. Really depends on the case. Generally if they are healthy, we leave them alone, but if there are alignment issues for making upper front crowns, we might pull a misaligned tooth.

[DVY]

@Tuth- simple cases are minor corrections- rotated teeth, no (or very minimal) width expansion, no crossbite. These are usually finished in 6 months or less. Sometimes they just put braces on the front 6 teeth. This is simple cases

moderate- usually in the 2 year range for regular braces

complex- 3+ year range

extremely complex- 5-6 yr range. Usually w/Le fort surgery to break the jaw into pieces to realign upper and low. These cases are best to do in teens.

[edlefou]

DVY,

I have 2 questions:

1) I get my teeth cleaned twice a year, but my espresso habit (and the occasional cigar) has caused some acute staining on one of my front teeth 2 months after my last cleaning. What can I do to get rid of the stain? Top Google recommendations include: a) using baking soda on a toothbrush; b) using whitening trays. What do you recommend? My next regular cleaning is still 4 months away.

2) I had a filling fall out of my #12 premolar along with some tooth, so it looks like I'll need a crown. You've recommended PFG as the best option throughout the thread. I've learned there's something called lava, which uses zirconia as a substrate, which might be better aesthetically in this case since it's somewhat visible when I smile. How does Lava compare to PFG? Is PFG > Lava > Porcelain-only, or is PFG = Lava > Porcelain-only?

Thanks!

[scorpion]

DVY, I've had a dental crown on one of my front teeth for about 5 years now and lately it's started to become sensitive to hot and cold. It seems to come and go, but generally is pretty mild, and is more annoying than painful. Wondering what could be the cause of this, and if I should go to the dentist to have it checked out.

[DVY]

(07-26-2013 12:10 PM)edlefou Wrote:  

DVY,

I have 2 questions:

1) I get my teeth cleaned twice a year, but my espresso habit (and the occasional cigar) has caused some acute staining on one of my front teeth 2 months after my last cleaning. What can I do to get rid of the stain? Top Google recommendations include: a) using baking soda on a toothbrush; b) using whitening trays. What do you recommend? My next regular cleaning is still 4 months away.

2) I had a filling fall out of my #12 premolar along with some tooth, so it looks like I'll need a crown. You've recommended PFG as the best option throughout the thread. I've learned there's something called lava, which uses zirconia as a substrate, which might be better aesthetically in this case since it's somewhat visible when I smile. How does Lava compare to PFG? Is PFG > Lava > Porcelain-only, or is PFG = Lava > Porcelain-only?

Thanks!

I highly doubt there is a difference considering 99% of men have a low smile line. When you smile can you see the tooth from top of the tooth all the way to the gumline?

The risk w/PFM and PFG is that the gums recede and you see a little sliver of metal showing through. For most men, this is NOT in the "esthetic zone".

Lava is still a newer material and there are good results with it, but is still relatively untested (few longer term studies i.e. 10+ years). I would go for PFM or PFG, or just do another filling on the tooth (whatever is appropriate).

[DVY]

(07-26-2013 01:27 PM)scorpion Wrote:  

DVY, I've had a dental crown on one of my front teeth for about 5 years now and lately it's started to become sensitive to hot and cold. It seems to come and go, but generally is pretty mild, and is more annoying than painful. Wondering what could be the cause of this, and if I should go to the dentist to have it checked out.

Id go in and have it checked out. It might be recurring decay or it might be nothing.

Also it wouldn't hurt to use sensodyne t-paste for a little while (say 2 months).

[DVY]

@edlefou- for the stain, try baking soda. I don't recommend brushing with it, since it is abrasive; better to apply it w/a finger and let it sit for 5-10 mins. An even better option would be to go in more often for a cleaning.

[Kieran]

Hi again DVY, I asked you some questions about my case before. Just to remind you of the background of my case, I have several broken teeth, and most of my front teeth are worn down to varying degrees due to grinding during a period of heavy ecstasy use.

My plan is to have the front 8 top and bottom teeth crowned to restore the teeth to their original length. At the moment I have braces to get the teeth into the correct alignment before having crowns, so that I can get the best possible result (I really hope to come out with a good result, so that I can put that period of my life behind me).

One tooth in particular (upper right 2) was broken in half and so is very short. The gingival margin is also much lower than the other surrounding teeth (always was). I have asked the ortho to move the tooth up, so that the gingival margins line up better, however he has refused to do this, saying that their wouldn't be enough tooth structure to place a crown if he did. I'm now not sure who to believe on this, because a dentist, that I may use to do my crowns, said to focus on getting the teeth aligned and the gingival margins where they should be, and then he can fix everything else with the crowns.

The orthodontist says that it would be better to just laser re-contour the gum on upper right 2 to match, rather than move the tooth up, but I'm not convinced that this would provide a really good result. I'm concerned that if I have the gum for that tooth re-contoured, then the gingival contour of upper right 2 will be noticeably narrower than that of upper left 2, because of how teeth get narrower going up. Secondly, the interdental gingiva is also noticeably lower surrounding upper right 2, compared with that of upper left 2. Is it possible to also cut the interdental gingiva, so that the line formed where the interdental gingiva meets the teeth gets higher? Or is it only the gingival contour that can be changed?

I'm sorry for having so many questions, but I really want to get the best possible result considering the cost of all this, and I feel like I can't trust half of the people in this industry to work to the standard I expect. Thank you for your time.

[WanderingSoul]

DVY, how good are electric tooth brushes? I have one of those $100 Oral-B ones. Any downsides to them?

Feel free to tell me to fuck off if this has already been answered, I didn't read the whole thread.

[ColSpanker]

Had the side tooth pulled over a week ago and it still hurts. Dentist did a bone implant and stitched it up. Stitches come out tomorrow. Dentist said due to the dry socket condition of the broken tooth, it may take awhile to heal.
So when can I go back to my full contact martial art? I wear a mouth guard.

[DVY]

(08-21-2013 11:21 AM)ColSpanker Wrote:  

Had the side tooth pulled over a week ago and it still hurts. Dentist did a bone implant and stitched it up. Stitches come out tomorrow. Dentist said due to the dry socket condition of the broken tooth, it may take awhile to heal.
So when can I go back to my full contact martial art? I wear a mouth guard.

2 weeks should be safe.

[DVY]

(08-21-2013 06:14 AM)RioNomad Wrote:  

DVY, how good are electric tooth brushes? I have one of those $100 Oral-B ones. Any downsides to them?

Feel free to tell me to fuck off if this has already been answered, I didn't read the whole thread.

Love them. Only thing is that you have to remember the e-brush does everything for you. You just have to hold it in place WITH LIGHT PRESSURE.

If you press harder (like for manual brushes), you could irritate the gums and have gum recession.

TBH the biggest benefit is the built-in 2 minute timer. Most ppl brush 30s or less.

[DVY]

@Kieran- This is a tough case. Id like some more information before giving advice. Do you think you can have the general dentist/orthodontist email you diagnostic details of the case- X-rays, intraoral pics. If I could have a look at that, I would give you a better idea...

[Dusty]

What do you think of whitening trays you buy at Walgreens versus having a dentist whiten your teeth?

[Kieran]

(08-22-2013 12:58 PM)DVY Wrote:  

@Kieran- This is a tough case. Id like some more information before giving advice. Do you think you can have the general dentist/orthodontist email you diagnostic details of the case- X-rays, intraoral pics. If I could have a look at that, I would give you a better idea...

Thanks for your reply DVY.

The orthodontist took pictures, moulds, and x rays, but this was before beginning the braces so the teeth have been moved since then.

If I have a consultation with another dentist for a second opinion then I will try and get hold of the x-rays etc then.

Would it be worth my while trying to take a picture myself, or do you really need to see them from the inside etc as well?

[DVY]

@Kieran- send me pics/x-rays before the braces. I still can get a better idea then now...

[Kickb]

I've had a permanent retainer on my bottom teeth for about 8 years now. I hate flossing around that thing. How much damage would I do to my teeth if I popped it off?