Archives for February 2018

Is Pain After Cosmetic Bonding Normal?

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woman taking ibuprofen after cosmetic bonding

I went in for what my dentist assured me was a simple cosmetic bonding procedure about three weeks ago. As soon as the anesthetic wore off after it, my whole upper left side (the area he worked on) began throbbing. I called the dentist that night and he told me to take ibuprofen and that it would probably clear up in a day or so. I could tell by his tone that he was not happy I bothered him with it. Although he didn’t outright say it, the implication was that this is normal and that I should just deal with it. The ibuprofen works, but as soon as it starts wearing off, I become very aware of my tooth again. I put up with this for about a week and then insisted that the dentist at least look at it. They obliged and took some x-rays, but the dentist said there was nothing wrong with it and told me to give it time. Now it’s been close to a month and still no relief. Is there still a chance this is going to fade? What should I be asking my dentist to do for me at this point?

Thank you,

Sienna,

 

Dear Sienna,

It sounds like you’re experiencing an abnormal response and the tooth will likely require additional treatment. It’s concerning the doctor isn’t taking a more proactive approach here. If a tooth hurts, there is always something wrong- it’s never ok to dismiss a patient and tell them they’re fine when they’re reporting pain.

Some Patients Experience Sensitivity After Cosmetic Bonding

Only you know your true level of discomfort. Pain is not a normal response, but sometimes sensitivity or discomfort can be.

Discomfort Around the Injection Site

You might feel an achiness around your injection site or, if a nerve is grazed/ hit during the injection, that can create some soreness too. This usually diminishes within a few days, but could last a couple of weeks or more.

Tooth Sensitivity

The nerves of your tooth can also get irritated by the vibrations of the handpiece or by being worked on. In these cases, ibuprofen is ideal because it helps calm the inflammation and gives the tooth a chance to settle. However, it’s generally characterized by more of a dull ache than a throbbing pain, and will generally dissipate within a few days or weeks. Others may notice sensitivity to temperature changes and such. While most people have no issues at all, it’s common enough that dentists will see it every so often, and it’s fairly normal to take a “wait and see” approach because the vast majority of patients will see improvement with no additional treatment.

Pain After Cosmetic Bonding is Not Normal

If you’re having the kind of pain that keeps you up at night, stops you from eating, or prevents you from engaging in your daily routine, it usually signifies something is wrong. It could be that the nerve is dying or that something else is wrong with the work the dentist did. He should be the one taking action here, though. If you’re in pain, schedule another appointment and be frank with him about what your feeling and be as specific as possible. Make note of any triggers that make you feel better or worse, times of day you notice it more, or any other details you can remember. He should be able to tell you why he thinks it’s happening. If not, and he offers no solutions again, please find another dentist to give you a proper diagnosis.

 

This blog is sponsored by Uveneer, a template system that helps dentists create beautiful chairside veneers with ease.

Best Direct Composite Veneers Technique for Aesthetics?

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Articulated hand artist model for Direct Composite Veneers Technique

I have invested a fair amount of time and money into tying to find the best direct composite veneers technique for me, and it seems no matter which method I’m using, I fail to replicate the results others seem to be able to produce with relative ease and swiftness. When it comes to the mechanics of it and following the processes, I do fine, but I spend hours correcting minor defects, only to have the patient come back a week or two later requesting additional adjustments, which sometimes falls into a routine of seeing them repeatedly. I can appreciate the situation. I can. At the same time, I’m ready to give up on doing chairside veneers and just stick with porcelain because it seems more like this will always be a losing battle; that there will always be something wrong with the work to them. Is there a better direct composite veneers technique I can be applying to make sure the aesthetics are more on point or perhaps a particular course I could be taking that will help me streamline the process?

-Done with chairside in DC

 

Dear Done with Chairside,

Don’t lose heart. It’s good that you’re looking for other options. More often than not, dentists seem to think they have superior cosmetic dentistry skills, but a quick glance at their before and after photos will reveal the truth. Overconfidence is a killer. It’s often said that only 10% of dentists actually have the artistry to do beautiful cosmetic work. The rest either don’t have it or have to work incredibly hard to develop it.

Start by Changing Your Mindset

The fact that you’re not overconfident is good because it means that you’re still striving to do better, but the tone of your letter suggests that you may be approaching things from the standpoint of anticipated failure. How are you behaving while patients are in the chair? Do they sense your apprehension? Do you volunteer up the possibility that they may be unsatisfied with the service you’re providing? If so, you very well could be psychologically priming them to be unhappy with the results.

Begin each consultation with a discussion about what the patient wants to see. Make notes about specific things they say, whether it’s in regard to shade or shape. Ultimately, these are the things the patient will be looking for first when they see themselves in the mirror after treatment. If you have accomplished those goals, you will have likely met any and all objectives the patient has, which means the procedure was a success. If you are mindful of your language before and after treatment and take a moment during the big reveal to discuss how the patient’s smile met their initial expectations, you instead prime them to love their new smile. That’s not to say you should end them off with work you aren’t proud of, but it does sound like you’re stacking the deck against yourself from the start.

Use Tools to Enhance Your Direct Composite Veneers Technique

You mention making “minor adjustments,” which sounds more like a shape issue than a shade issue, but you didn’t go into details about what you’ve been going back to correct. Without that info, it’s tough to say what kind of course, method, or tool would be most helpful. However, it does sound like you may be a good candidate for something like Uveneer, particularly if it’s the timing, shape, or alignment you’re struggling with.

 

This blog is sponsored by Uveneer, maker of a chairside veneer template system for dentists.

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