Q&A about Dentistry-Answered by a qualified Goan Dentist

Goandentist

Please do not ask for personal appointments on this forum. This thread is for queries and advice on dentistry only.

Regards

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Dr. Ambert Pimenta
www.goadentist.com

The India Mike Dental thread

cyberhippie

Very noble of you Goandentist!! IM appreciates it!!

Tomi

Hi Doc.

I most likely will have to have two crowns made, for molars in the back of the mouth, different quadrants.

I will be spending two weeks in Kolkata, then go away for about 5 weeks, then back to Kolkata for a couple of days before I return home.

My basic question is, is two weeks enough time to get crowns made? Related questions: Is there a difference between porcelain and gold crowns as far as time is concerned? What if I need root canals? Can I have a temporary prosthetic while I am away for that long a period and then get the final crown fitted in only two days? My gums and bone are fine, but I indulge in a fair amount of bruxism unfortunately.

I will have additional information from my dentist here soon, including x-rays, what she feels the proper plan of attack is, whether I need a root canal, etc., and I can bring that to Kolkata to show the dentist there if it can help and save some time.

I feel that the saving in money and the experience are worth the effort.

Thanks for this wonderful thread.

PS If you can suggest how to go about finding a good dentist in Kolkata (before I get there, if possible), or know someone there, I would appreciate the info, by PM if you feel it is not appropriate here.

Goandentist

Hi Tomi,

Most dental surgeries in India will give you a porcelain crown in 7-10 days, though we in Goa do it a lot quicker ( about 3 days ). Yes, you can have the root canal done and have a temporary crown placed for 3-4 weeks, but you must be a little careful using it as its not really meant to take masticatory pressures.

Porcelain or Gold crowns will take approximately the same time to prepare, but a lot will depend on what lab your dentist in Calcutta uses. The more committed the lab to the dentist, the faster your job will be done.

Another way to save money, dont take the X-rays back home, in India they will cost about 100 Rs to do and can be taken and processed in 10 min flat.

Also many surgeries now offer a one sitting root canal that takes about 2 hours from start to finish including the final restoration, so you dont need to waste time there either. The key to getting your work done is to find a dentist with good equipment and willing to take on your case and finishing up in time.

Fitting of crowns can be done in 15-20 min after they are ready, so 2 days is a lot of time !

Regards

Tomi

As usual, very informative and thorough. You are a great asset to IM.

I know about the quickness of x-rays and the like in India. My friend with pneumonia could get x-rays and blood tests, all interpreted by radiologists and lab people, back at the doctor's desk in a couple of hours, for very little money.

Do you or does anybody else in Indiamike have a dentist or dental clinic to recommend in Kolkata (a web site would be nice)? I have already found a few through Google and the like, but it's hard to judge the quality, reliability, and turnaround time. My plan is to book an appointment before I get there, if possible.

Thanks again.

SeentheLight

I know this isn't a dental question. It's a dental statement.

My dentist was one of my ex-husband's mistresses !!!!!

Goandentist

Well it takes all kinds of people to make this world go round, including dentists !!

SeentheLight

This dentist has sold me Optident which means that transparent plastic moulds of my teeth have been made and I squeeze a minute amount of whitening gel into these and wear the moulds for 2 hours (no talking ).

I was told not to expect instant results and whitening would occur slowly.
sometimes after this treatment my teeth ache horribly. Pls tell me the reason why. Is enamel being removed by the gel? I hope not!

I am afraid to proceed with the treatment in case I do irreparable damage to my tooth enamel.

Thank you in anticipation.... very kind to devote yr time to the likes of me

Goandentist

Hi,

Whitening does not damage the enamel in any way. If you are suffering from sensitive teeth , then whitening is not for you. Its best not to use the gel as the concentration may be too strong for you. Also you may have recession around your gums exposing your root surface which could also give you sensitivity ; alternately if your teeth are worn out on the occlusal surface ( the top ) or nearer to the gums ( cervical ), you may be experiencing dentinal hypersensitivity. The Dentine ( below the enamel ) had also fine nerve endings that cause sensitivity.

My recommendation is to treat the sensitive teeth first, then do the whitening if you can. Use a product called GC Tooth Mousse, also sold as Recaldent Tooth Mousse. It will get rid of sensitivity as it works on the concept of remineralisation of the tooth.

Regards

nedhopkins

I have full dental implants, placed over five titanium anchors and screws on top, six on bottom. Some observations:

1. Titanium anchors should be implanted by an oral surgeon, not a dentist or other dental practitioner. Similarly, the teeth should be prepared by a prosthodontist.

2. There are several methods. The best and most expensive (developed in Sweden over a generation ago) is Brannemark. The cheaper ones often fail; that is, the anchors dislodge from the jawbone.

3. The Brannemark system -- for several teeth, at least -- requires the implantation of anchors in the jaw; covering them up; waiting three to six months before reopening the gums and readying them for the screws and teeth that will be attached.

4. Though one Brannemark system allows the patient to remove the prosthesis, it is not recommended. Instead, the patient will need to visit his prosthodontist each year for cleaning.

5. The teeth (acrylic) sometimes break off. Patients are advised not to bite into hard substances with their front teeth.

6. The teeth -- like any dental prosthesis -- are unlikely to last much more than a decade. They will then need to be replaced.

7. Costs, at least in the U.S., are high -- and not covered by any dental plan I know of. My initial costs were paid by an in-house/employer benefit. They ran $15,000 for the oral surgery; $20,000 for the prosthesis; then another $5,000 to line the backs of the teeth with gold to keep them from breaking off.

Nick-H

It is a bit of a grey area, I would have thought, what the practitioner calls himself!

However I would strongly agree that implants require specialist skills, traning and experience and, also, some committment to after-care.

Hygene is of prime importance. My London practitioner explained to me that while taking out a tooth is also surgery, it is about things coming out --- the tooth, the bloodflow, etc. Implants is about things going in, and you do not want a coating of microbes on that thing!

My dentist here in Chennai is a 'prosthodontist'. He also specialises in implants. I have had so much treatment from this man in the past two years that I would not hesitate to have an implant done by him if/when necessary.

I very much regret the GBP2,600 that I spent on two implants/3-tooth-bridge in London! It would have cost 1/3 or 1/2 that here.

At the time, my decision was based on the thoughts that, even with great hygene for the op, my immune system was not that used to India in general and, with several visits required over several months,the cost would have been much increased by the air fares. My daydream of living here was hardly even a dream then - how things can change in a couple of years!

Implants is a speciality. it is a bit like the difference between someone who can put a plaster cast on your broken arm and someone who can open it up and pin the bits together (probably a dreadful analogy, I'll have the IM Doctors telling me off...).

Ned; you have a very expensive mouth! You are so lucky to have had those costs paid for you! <envy> <envy> <envy>

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Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

nedhopkins

Yes, Nick: I have an expensive mouth. Happily, someone else paid for it. I'd have been hard pressed to come up with that much money, certainly within an 18-month period.

I do believe, however, that the qualifications of a dental practitioner -- dentist, periodontist, oral surgeon, prosthodontist -- are more than just what he calls himself. In the U S, at least, certification as an oral surgeon requires three to five years' education and training beyond the D D S degree.

Nick-H

Yes, Ned, I think on reflection that you are absolutely right.

SeentheLight

A million thanks for explaining about sensitive teeth.

Regards,

Goandentist

Good to hear about your personal experiences !

Regards