Archives for October 2021

High Resistance to Novocain

Posted on October 30, 2021 by writeradmin.

I need some advice. Dental appointments are a complete nightmare for me. My dentist has never been able to get me numb before. It didn’t matter how many shots he gave me, I would still be in agony. As a result, as you can imagine, I need a lot of work done. Is there any way to help me with this? I’d really love to get control of my dental health. I’m desperate because my mouth is a mess and it is getting embarrassing.

Marie

Dear Marie,

I want to first give you some peace in knowing that there is a solution to what you are going through. I am sorry you have had to endure so many painful appointments. There are quiet a few dentists who do not yet know there is a very real connection between dental anxiety and the ineffecutalness of numbing medication. By that I mean, the higher your dental anxiety, the less likely the numbing medication is to work. That sounds like a terrible inverse, doesn’t it? Here is the good news. There is a fix.

What you need is a dentist who offers dental sedation. This will allow you to have a pain-free/anxiety-free dental appointment. How it works is the medication relaxes you, which in turn keeps your body from metabolizing the numbing medication too quickly. Given the number of painful appointments you have, I am going recommend you find a dentist who offers oral conscious sedation.

This is a stronger medication. It is administered by a pill. However, it is so powerful that you will need to have someone drive you to and fron your appoinment as well as stay with you for a few hours after your appointment. There is an additional benefit to you as well. Using oral conscious sedation will allow you to get more work done at each appointment, giving you the ability to get your oral health care under control faster.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Dental Implants with a Metal Allergy

Posted on October 17, 2021 by writeradmin.

I am starting to get up there in years. Recently, I have lost a couple of back teeth. I live in terror of losing a front tooth. I don’t want to be one of those people who wears dentures. The problem I face is that I have some serious metal allergies. After some testing, it turns out I am allergic to nickel, cobalt, and tin. Is there any chance I could still have a dental implant? Do they make metal-free dental implants?

Chauncie

Dear Chauncie,

I am sorry about your recent tooth loss. That is always discouraging. I have good news for you. In fact, double good news for you. First, we’ll start with traditional dental implants. These are made from titanium. Not only was it not listed on your allergies, but it is one of the most bio-compatible metals around. It has been used for decades in prosthetics. Not just with dental implants, but also things like hip replacements. There is very little chance you would have any reaction to these. However, you could always get tested specifically for titanium just to be certain.

The second bit of good news is your second option. There are metal-free dental implants these days. Now, there is a zirconia option. This is very strong and will serve you well if you go that way. The only obstacle you may face is that not as many dentists offer this option. It is not because it is inferior, but more because we do not have as much data on its longevity. That is because they have not been around as long.

If you decide to go with the metal-free option, you may have to do some searching. I would start by looking for a holistic dentist. They are much more willing to work around patient’s allergies. Just be certain they also have post-doctoral training in dental implants. That is very importnat.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.