Hello everyone, here is my story. Sorry it is a long post but I just do not know where else to turn to..

This April, my doctor found a very loose tooth (upper incisor #8) due to bone loss. The tooth is in perfect condition and apart from looseness I do not have any other discomfort. I was told to pull it out since there is no support for it.

However, I am not really convinced that the tooth had to go. I started some herbal therapy and the tooth started firming up a bit. But it was not completely tight. My herbal therapy is still not completed.

During the holidays, since I had to attend several parties, I decided to bond it to the adjacent teeth just a bit so I could attend parties free of fear. My regular dentist was on vacation. I went and saw someone (I got the name from my insurance list) to have this bonding done.

This doctor, did not bother to listen to me. She directly started working on my tooth, while I was still thinking that she was just taking a look. I kept raising my hand to tell her not to close the gaps between my teeth but she said ‘You can’t ask me anything now. I am already working on your tooth’.

She totally ignored the fact that I have periodontis and it is very important for me to keep the gums clean and closing the gaps is not an option for me. She totally ignored the fact that she needs to do the job in such a way that I can still laugh after that.

She sprayed that material all over my tooth (as opposed to just the sides) and in the gaps (as opposed to just the bottom of the teeth) and in the front (as opposed to the back side).


Now I look like I had some food in my front teeth so I cannot laugh at all.

I cannot clean the gums with the inter dental brush that I am supposed to use everyday. (can’t even use the floss).

This extra and unnecessary material on the top of my tooth is not letting me clean my tooth so I have no idea what is happening to that tooth.

This material is soooo close to my gum, it is irritating my gums and I started getting some foul smell already.

She forgot to ask me if I use night guard and now it does not fit me any more and I am getting severe jaw pain. (I clench my teeth in the night)

She went on vacation after she did this procedure so I had to go and see her back up. He said any attempt to remove that material from under the gums would knock off the tooth.

I just do not know what to do. I just hate to look at myself in the mirror. I stopped laughing. I am not sure what kind of decay is happening to my gums and the tooth.

This procedure cost me $540. Nothing is covered by the insurance.

My regular dentist will be back on 1/4/06 and I am sure she would charge hell lot of money to remove this (if she can, that is)..

Is there anything I can do? I have been avoiding taking this tooth off and spent like $1500 in herbal therapy which seem to be working. I still have 3-4 months to go before I fully see the result.

I am losing my sleep over this. I am sooooo angry and upset.

Oh wow, Kusum.
I am so sorry to hear about your loose tooth situation.

Unfortunate for those of us with perio problems, but once a tooth
has become real loose, it generally is just a matter of time before
it will come out. Good luck with the herbal therapy if you
choose to continue it though I am thinking to remove the bonding
material will have a negative impact on the loose tooth, and possibly
require immediate removal of it.
My only suggestion would be, have you tried a threader to aid
with flossing. Sometimes those things can help in tight, tight places.

Good luck,
and Happy New Year!
~Debbie~

Thanks Debbie,

I am just soooooo upset because I still need to try herbal therapy for 3 more months (not that I am 100% sure it will work but I just wanted to give it a chance before I pull the tooth out) and this doctor made the tooth look sooooo ugly that I have to pull it out or avoid all kinds of social interactions.

The bonding is chipping in the gaps between my teeth and those spikes are hurting me.

I wish there is a way to sue this doctor.... She is not supposed to do this for a periodontal patient.

Thanks for the reply to my other questions. How advanced is your perio? Have you lost bone inspite of dental cleanings?

Thanks

Wow! that sounds like a real drag! The dentist told me I was gonna loose my front tooth (it was a FANG) for years-I begged him to just give me antibiotics so I could keep it- and I kept it for 7 yrs-it was a long ol' fang, but I didn't care as long as I kept my tooth (ha)
Every time I went in there, they would feel it and wiggle it, and I said "Yeah- it's loose!" Disgusting old fang that was causing me a lot of problems`I can't believe I wanted to keep it all these years- and neither did they!
They were like, "Are you CRAZY??"
I said, "Yeah.."
It's my front tooth...
Fang as it was-it was about half way out my head, and they said it was just tissue supported-but every time it flared up, I BEGGED for antibiotics just so I could keep it-LOL!
Big mistake- that thing was so diseased..I'm glad it's finally gone, cos it was messing with my sinuses and everything..
How vain am I that I want to keep a diseased FANG?? It was disgusting.. But I was so vain and wanted to keep it in my head..
YUK!!!
I looked like dumb, too-it was like hanging half way down, And was Sooo LONG, it interfered with my talking and everything..
I miss my fang... LOL!
Sorry I didn't help you-I'm just going off on my own little rant..
But I feel for you! Sounds like a DRAG!
Go see your reg dentist when he/she gets back, and maybe they can fix it!!

Kusum,
I am not sure how advanced my perio is.... (and I don't want to know...in dental withdrawal haha) I had full mouth surgery years ago,
somewhere around 1990, and was told then I could probably keep my teeth
8 to 10 years.
When sonic care toothbrushes first came out, my dentist recommended one for
me, and I am thinking maybe it is part of the reason I have not yet had to get
full dentures. That and getting cleanings every 3 months...alternating between
regular dentist and periodontist.
Also, in two days I will celebrate 10 months of not smoking and both dental
professionals tell me that could help even more to keep the remaining teeth.
Hope so as I continue my battle with perio disease!
Both parents had perio and full mouth dentures, and I am hoping I can beat the
odds and keep (at least some of) my teeth.

Cheers,
~Debbie~

Hi Debbie - I too have perio problems. I am undergoing gum surgery - only 2 more upper sides to go!! I had a molar (last one) that was loose due to bone loss and couldn't be saved. My gum disease progressed because my ex-dentist didn't watch me closely enough, even thought I went for cleanings every 4 months. Now I will have my teeth cleaned at the perio.
Why don't you go back to your original dentist? I'm sure there is a solution for your problem.

This sounds like an awful situation. I too have perio disease and have had some loose teeth here and there. So far, aside from the original ones which were removed, the others seem to be hanging in there. I am not sure what they are hanging on but i did have bone implants done when i had my flap surgery. As for this dentist, it does not sound like she did a good job at all....from what you describe, the job she did was inferior even if you had not had perio disease, you say it is already chipping off. I have never had tooth bonding but am sure it should not be chipping so soon. I would definitely report this to your insurance company who recomended this dentist to you and like the others think you should follow up with your regular dentist when she returns. I surely hope they will find a solution for you where you can undo what has been done without further damaging your fragile tooth. And good luck with the herbs. Let us know what finally happens. This experience has certainly messed up what would have been a happy holiday party for you. But there will be many more parties to go to and smile at in the future.

Hi Lateeth,

Thanks for the reply. I am not sure if you remember me, but we did exchange quite a bit of information sometime aroung August last year.

I did go to my original dentist and she said trying to take it off would knock off the tooth. So I am just keeping it hoping that it would chip off soon. (Good that she did such an inferior job - I sure will report this to whoever I shoudl report to).

I have not heard from you after you had your bone grafts. Did they help you? Do you see improved bone now?

I had a very interesting conversation with my naturopathic today. Please check my latest post and let me know what you think..

Good to meet someone who thinks like me. If I could keep this tooth for seven years, I consider myself very fortunate. (I will be 50 by then and it is some what an acceptable age to lose a tooth. Is it not? :))

So how did you finally lose your fang?


Wow! that sounds like a real drag! The dentist told me I was gonna loose my front tooth (it was a FANG) for years-I begged him to just give me antibiotics so I could keep it- and I kept it for 7 yrs-it was a long ol' fang, but I didn't care as long as I kept my tooth (ha)
Every time I went in there, they would feel it and wiggle it, and I said "Yeah- it's loose!" Disgusting old fang that was causing me a lot of problems`I can't believe I wanted to keep it all these years- and neither did they!
They were like, "Are you CRAZY??"
I said, "Yeah.."
It's my front tooth...
Fang as it was-it was about half way out my head, and they said it was just tissue supported-but every time it flared up, I BEGGED for antibiotics just so I could keep it-LOL!
Big mistake- that thing was so diseased..I'm glad it's finally gone, cos it was messing with my sinuses and everything..
How vain am I that I want to keep a diseased FANG?? It was disgusting.. But I was so vain and wanted to keep it in my head..
YUK!!!
I looked like dumb, too-it was like hanging half way down, And was Sooo LONG, it interfered with my talking and everything..
I miss my fang... LOL!
Sorry I didn't help you-I'm just going off on my own little rant..
But I feel for you! Sounds like a DRAG!
Go see your reg dentist when he/she gets back, and maybe they can fix it!!

Debbie, I am so glad that you quit smoking. I know how difficult it could be. Looks like you kept your teeth more than 10 years. When I was first diagnosed with perio (juvinile perio), back in 1994, I was told that I would lose all my teeth by 96. I still have them. So I believe it is not an exact science. Good luck. I strongly believe, it is mostly related to stress arising from helplessness and suppressed anger.

Kusum,
I am not sure how advanced my perio is.... (and I don't want to know...in dental withdrawal haha) I had full mouth surgery years ago,
somewhere around 1990, and was told then I could probably keep my teeth
8 to 10 years.
When sonic care toothbrushes first came out, my dentist recommended one for
me, and I am thinking maybe it is part of the reason I have not yet had to get
full dentures. That and getting cleanings every 3 months...alternating between
regular dentist and periodontist.
Also, in two days I will celebrate 10 months of not smoking and both dental
professionals tell me that could help even more to keep the remaining teeth.
Hope so as I continue my battle with perio disease!
Both parents had perio and full mouth dentures, and I am hoping I can beat the
odds and keep (at least some of) my teeth.

Cheers,
~Debbie~