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Ask the Patch Pro: Local Dentists Answer Your Questions

Our panel of experts are waiting in the comments to answer questions about healthy teeth and dental hygiene in the latest installment of Ask the Patch Pro.

It's time for another edition of Ask the Patch Pro, where each week we tackle a different topic and open up the comments section for questions. Our team of experts stop in to help you out and answer your questions.

This week, since Trick-or-Treaters just finished filled their bags full of sugary treats, we're talking all about healthy teeth. Patch wants to help you get your questions answered, but we needed some help.

We've compiled a team of experts to help us out. Meet the experts:

If you have a question for the dentists, ask below in our comment section and one of our experts will answer! 

If you consider yourself a local expert and would like to be added to the list, let us know! jordan.lanham@patch.com

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Teresa November 1, 2012 at 12:38 pm
I had a root canal on a tooth about 11 years ago. About a month ago that tooth started causing some discomfort, especially when I drink/eat something hot such as hot chocolate, soup, etc. Is it possible that something has gone awry with the root canal after all of these years?
Kalen Ponche (Editor) November 1, 2012 at 12:55 pm
What happens if you get a cavity when you are pregnant? Can it be filled or do you have to wait until you deliver?
Julie Brown Patton (Editor) November 1, 2012 at 01:00 pm
How do toothpastes designed for sensitive teeth work differently than "typical" toothpastes?
John Boain, DDS November 1, 2012 at 02:14 pm
Root canals have about an 85% success rate over 10 years, so yes it can fail, but with the symptoms you are having I would be looking at neighboring teeth since there should not be any temperature sensitivity with a tooth that has had a root canal. Have you had an exam?
John Boain, DDS November 1, 2012 at 02:18 pm
Yes. Certain anesthetics should be avoided but it can be done.
John Boain, DDS November 1, 2012 at 02:24 pm
They have the ingredient, potassium nitrate, which has been shown to decrease sensitivity. It works especially well when there is recession. I have seen mixed results but worth trying as a conservative approach to decreasing sensitivity
Heidi L. November 1, 2012 at 02:30 pm
My thirteen year old daughter will need implants because three of her primary teeth (#'s 6, 11 and 26) do not have Adult teeth - at all. We have been told she will have to wait until she is sixteen or older - and now some other teeth are coming down into the wrong spaces and will need to be moved with braces later. What is the average age to put in tooth implants?
Jordan Lanham (Editor) November 1, 2012 at 02:37 pm
FYI: We have another expert added to the list, welcome to the conversation Dr. Daniel Autry!
John Boain, DDS November 1, 2012 at 02:53 pm
That is a great question! There are a lot of suggestions in the literature as to determining the correct time to place an implant in an adolescent, from bone scans to simply a chronological age. What you have been told is not necessarily wrong. My suggestion is to get into the right hands, someone that has experience and training in implant dentistry. The orthodontics is an unfortunate sequelae to missing teeth.
rebecca siscel d.d.s. November 1, 2012 at 05:59 pm
The symptoms could also be coming from a surrounding tooth.
Duc Tang, DDS November 1, 2012 at 10:08 pm
As Drs. Boain and Siscel has stated, other teeth in the surrounding area may need attention. But in reference to your question, yes root canals can fail over time. There may be additional anatomy that needs to be treated, there would be cracks along the roots, or leakage could have occurred resulting in a reinfection of the root canal space.
Duc Tang, DDS November 1, 2012 at 10:13 pm
Excellent question Heidi. Average age is hard to determine because everyone's growth is different. Generally implants should be placed when the child's facial bony structures growth have settled down. There are many ways to determine this. But, after 16 is reasonable, although we have seen people wait until they are 18. I don't know your daughter's specific situation, but there may be other options besides implants. For example if the alignment and spacing is reasonable, orthodontics can be used to close up the spaces, and the premolar be restored to look like a canine. Hope this helps.
Seeunmo November 2, 2012 at 07:51 am
Is it proper procedure to use the filling material to fill a crown around the gum line if it does not fit properly?
Duc Tang, DDS November 2, 2012 at 10:33 am
Seeunmo. Every crown is different, so it's hard to comment on specific procedures without an evaluation. Generally, a crown that does not fit, is remade. But there are situations where a conservative crown does not go all the way down to the gum line. And there could be a small lesion at the gum line, which could then be filled with a filling material. An exam would be helpful.
mark November 16, 2012 at 11:46 am
Thanks for giving the experts list to http://www.freedentistfinder.com
Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Jim Frain June 17, 2013 at 08:17 am
I rest my case that there are nearly not enough comments on articles that we read in the Patch...IRead More asked for a comment, got no comment.
Jim Frain June 13, 2013 at 04:55 pm
This is an important opportunity for all residents who want to have input on Civic Park and theRead More changes that they want to see now that Civic Hall is gone. The men and women of the city council and parks department who are making these decisions need to hear from us.
Patrick Breyne June 18, 2013 at 09:05 am
The O'Fallon Parks and Recreation Advisory board encourages all residents to come out on the 20th toRead More view the proposed plans for Civic Park & Civic Hall. A couple of great ideas will be presented keeping in mind both the history of Civic Hall/Park and the current and future recreation needs of all of the the citizens of O'Fallon. We need your input!
Jim Frain June 14, 2013 at 10:59 am
This will be a wonderful ceremony and a fitting tribute to the brave and honorable men and women whoRead More served their country in the Vietnam War. I look forward to seeing many O'Fallon Veteran's and residents attending the ceremony on June 22nd.
Jordan Lanham (Editor) June 11, 2013 at 02:46 pm
Thanks for the reminder Jim! Sounds like the perfect concert to kick off summer!
Jim Frain June 12, 2013 at 09:05 am
A Great "Love the Beatles" crowd last night at Civic Park...We all had fun...the City ofRead More O'Fallon does a great job in putting a nice, relaxing and family oriented concert for all of us. O'Fallon Jammin' is a great thing to do every tuesday all summer.
Jim Frain June 7, 2013 at 12:51 pm
We all need to get out there to cheer the Rascals on to some long extended victories!
Mike Kromer June 7, 2013 at 08:52 pm
Agreed...love watching a good ballgame, even a bad one, on a warm summer evening!
Joe Barker (Editor) June 3, 2013 at 03:31 pm
She's on vacation at the moment. When she returns she'll still be here, but in a different role.Read More Instead of just working with O'Fallon, she'll be working with multiple Patch sites across St. Louis. While she's doing other things, Tammy Duncan and I will be posting often around here. Basically Jordan is still very much involved, but she just won't be writing as many stories.
Malarkey Jones June 4, 2013 at 01:05 pm
We've been away from O'fallon for a couple years but plan to return next summer...please tell meRead More they have put in a Chick-Fil-A in O'fallon!! That is fantastic news...can't wait to get back home and see what has changes since we left!
Jason and Mike standing in front of Extreme Gun Care
Michael Linhardt June 4, 2013 at 09:18 am
Congrats! I've met Jason and he is a super nice guy with tons of knowledge about their products.
E. Holloway June 4, 2013 at 10:55 am
Gourew? Try Guru.
Jim Pepper June 3, 2013 at 08:15 am
Joe, any chance they have figured out how to port the past news stories over yet?
Joe Barker (Editor) June 3, 2013 at 09:58 am
@ Jim Pepper -- No word yet. Most of the stories came over just fine, but the stories from earlyRead More last week seem to be stuck. All I know is they are working on it.
Daniel 'Cubby' Moynihan June 4, 2013 at 02:18 am
Just a heads up... while browsing on my phone I have to click leave a comment link above instead ofRead More the box which is typical... just an fyi