Update on broken tooth

[WealthAndDemocracy]

A couple nights ago while I was cruising DU, I posted that my tooth fell out while I was eating a tuna sandwich. I was pretty startled. It was a tooth that had a crown put on it about 6 years ago.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=639939

Several people posted speculating on what would happen. I was speculating too; visions of $3000 worth of dental work for bridges, crowns, implants, etc. I have dental insurance but it only pays half. I can’t afford this. Maybe I’ll just do without that tooth. But that damned little pin size screw that was holding in the crown is cutting my tongue and it has got to go.

So I finally saw the dentist this afternoon. Do you know what he did? He glued that baby up and smacked it back in there on top of those screws! LOL! He said the tooth was good, it just broke under stress for some reason.

I was in the chair for 10 minutes. Total charge - $49 bucks.

Am I lucky or WHAT???

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Yes you are lucky

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Yee hah!!

Did you have a root canal on that tooth before? I ask only becuase the only screws I have are from root canals - my other tooth that was capped was because of breakage, and there's no screw in that one.

So, I was hoping, when I read that you had a screw hanging out there, that there was't anything really wrong, and it could just be glued back on.

Whew!!

[WealthAndDemocracy]

3. Yes I did have a root canal when that crown was done, but

I thought the screws were to hold the crown on the tooth. I really don't know. There were 2 screws. Maybe you're right, they were for the root canal.

I'm just glad I didn't do something stupid like throw that tooth away. I feel pretty lucky right now.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. The screws go in to hold the rest of the real tooth in place

It screws what's left of the old tooth into your jawbone so it doesn't come loose, and also then gives something for the cap to be glued on to.

[WealthAndDemocracy]

7. Okay, that makes sense.

The screw broke too and they were just forced back in this trip for what it's worth. He told me this was tentative and in a couple years those screws could "possibly" weaken and that crown could come out again.

I'll worry about it later "if" it happens. For now it's fixed for who knows how many years and was $45 bucks. That works for me. :D

[Mika]

5. Could have cost you $1000

Dentists usually pay one tenth of your bill on the lab bill (that is, the cost of dental lab that actually fabricates the crown).

A crown coming unglued could be an indication of other problems. The crown could be leaking, or your tooth could have a crack, or your bite might need to be equilibrated. A properly fitting and properly glued crown should never fall off. As a matter of fact, cutting off and removing a well made and well glued old crown is really difficult.. and should be.

[WealthAndDemocracy]

8. The crown didn't come unglued.

The tooth fractured and broke off. Broke the screws too. Shit happens.

This is a good dentist. I've been going to him for 25 years. His reputation is impeccable. I trust him.

It was $49 bucks. I'm lucky.

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. Oh, I see - I thought it was just unglued

Actually brought some of the tooth with, eh?

Hopefully the dentist is right- though since the tooth is already dead, the only thing to worry about would be getting food up underneath and causing an infection, and sounds like he's pretty confident that's not the case.

(though I say that as someone who is not a dentist - just surmising),.

[WealthAndDemocracy]

10. I'm sorry, I was not very clear in my original post

The tooth was good, but it fractured and part of the tooth was inside the crown that I had in my hand that I handed to him. The "tooth" that I handed to him when I sat in the chair.

In addition, the screws that were originally in the real tooth part also broke when the tooth did, and they were protruding out of the real tooth part that was still in my jaw. They were like sewing needles and were cutting my tongue.

He said teeth actually endure tens of thousands of pounds of pressure and we don't realize how much stress they endure, and it just caused a stress fracture for whatever reason to this tooth, and it broke.

Like a broken arm, if you will. A good bone that developed a stress fractured and then snapped.

It must have been just waiting to fall out. I was just eating a tune sandwich. How hard is that?

[izzie]

6. I have made a pact with my dentist.

When I died he is going to put a yellow rose between my teeth so every one can see how good they are and I am going to let him put a sign on my chest with his ad.

[WealthAndDemocracy]

11. My tooth and my jaw hurts. Give me a cyber pain pill or a shot of whiskey

I know, I'm being a big baby. My face is swollen. It hurts.

Ouch.

[Rhiannon12866]

12. Yes, you are very lucky

I lost a crown one time, eating a popcorn cake. The problems were never-ending and I was told that I needed a new one, since the one I lost was old and no longer fit. I have since had the tooth removed, since it cracked, and was supposed to have a permanent replacement put in last year. I have dental insurance, but it still would have cost me $1500, which I figured I could have used to feed my dog, Sheena, for ten years. I don't know why dentistry is so damn expensive. I have a friend who is paying it off on time and another who keeps putting it off, like me. I guess what we need is one of those great candidates like Kucinich or Gephardt or Kerry who have a plan for universal health care.:-)