dental crown Archives - Kokopelli Family & Cosmetic Dentistry

Is She Going to Lose This Tooth?

Posted on May 24, 2025 by writeradmin.

I damaged a front tooth while on vacation. The emergency dentist did a root canal treatment. When I got home, my dentist checked it out and said everything looked good. He then put a dental crown on it, which he said was necessary. A couple of years later, the tooth became very sensitive to hot and cold. The dentist checked it out and said that nothing is wrong with it. He even did an x-ray. The problem is that the tooth was really hurting, but he just sent me home. Now the tooth has stopped hurting, but I’m worried that I’m going to lose it. What do I do?

Catie

Dear Catie,

Woman holding her jaw in pain and in need of an emergency dentist

I’m glad you wrote. I can tell you are very scared.. I want to put your mind at ease. If you had a root canal treatment on your front tooth, than it would not be the tooth having pain to the hot or cold. Sometimes when there is a molar that has a root canal treatment, there can be extra canals that get missed. On a front tooth, that doesn’t happen. That means the emergency dentist removed all the nerve from that tooth, so it won’t be the one with the pain.

If you go back to the original accident, it is very likely that the adjacent front tooth was also damaged. It is common for a traumatized tooth to not act up for years. If it has stopped hurting, then one of two things has happened. Either the damaged tooth has recovered or the pulp inside the tooth is dying. If it is dying, it will start to turn darker.

You’ll have to check the tooth with an x-ray every year or so. If it does die, you’ll need another root canal treatment and dental crown. But, as long as you keep an eye on the tooth, it can be saved even if it needs a root canal.

This blog is brought to you by Ahwatukee Dentist Dr. Harveer Kaur.

Affording Dental Care without Insurance

Posted on June 4, 2019 by writeradmin.

My new job doesn’t have dental insurance and I’m looking for ideas of affording dental care without it. Any pro tips?

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

Affordable Dental Care

The best way to save money on dental care is by first making sure you are diligent with your preventative care. That means brushing twice and flossing once. It’s also important you see your dentist regularly. You can save tons of money by catching decay early. That costs significantly less than if you leave it and end up needing a root canal treatment and dental crown.

Another thing you can do is an internet search using the term “affordable dentist‘. These are usually dentists who are willing to work with patients. Either they will have in-house payment plans or they will be work through Care Credit, which is a low or no -interest medical credit card.

Be aware, there is a difference between cheap and affordable dental care. It is always better to pay a little more for quality work which lasts than it is to get cheap work which ends up being shoddy and needs to be replaced more often. Or worse, leaves you with a serious infection.

There are countless horror stories of people using the cheapest dentist only to end up needing expensive medical care as a result.

This blog is brought to you by Ahwatukee Dentist Dr. Harveer Kaur.

Can an Adult Tooth be Saved?

Posted on April 13, 2019 by writeradmin.

I have a tooth which was hit with a baseball. It’s feeling loose now. Can this be saved?

Ben

Dear Ben,

man holding jaw in need of an emergency dentist

Often a loose adult tooth can be saved. You’ll need to get to a dentist quickly. If you don’t have a regular dentist, do an internet search for “an emergency dentist“. These are general dentists who are willing to see non-established patients quickly in situations such as yours.

The dentist will do x-rays to see if there is internal damage. If there is they’ll do a root canal treatment and dental crown. If there’s not, they will likely just splint the tooth until th ligaments are healed and the tooth is safe on its own again.

If a Tooth is Knocked Out

It likely doesn’t feel like it right now, but you are lucky the tooth wasn’t knocked out. When that happens, the chances of saving the tooth go down significantly.

You’d have to get to the dentist within 30 minutes to have the best chance to save the tooth. You’ll want to hold it by the crown not the root. It’s also imperative to keep it moist while traveling to the dentist. Put it between your cheek and gums or gently place it in a cup of milk.

If a Tooth Can’t be Saved

Sometimes a tooth can’t be saved. When that happens it is time to look at tooth replacements. Fortunately, there are great tooth replacements these days. Getting a dental implant is like having a healthy natural tooth again. It’s permanent. You can eat and drink, brush and floss normally.

I don’t think you’ll have to worry about this as long as you get to the dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Ahwatukee Dentist Dr. Harveer Kaur.

Affordable Dentist Charging Me for Mistakes

Posted on August 31, 2018 by writeradmin.

I will admit I price shopped when I needed a dental crown. I’m beginning to think this was a mistake. I’ve had to have this dental crown rebonded on four different times and the dentist charges me a visit fee every time. He says I’m getting a discount because he’s not charging me a procedure fee, just some “chair time”. Am I wrong for thinking he should be fixing this for free?

Karlyn

Dear Karlyn,

A dental crown being placed onto a prepared tooth.

When a crown is bonded correctly, it stays put.

Many people confuse cheap dentistry with affordable dentistry. As you’re unfortunately discovering, there’s a big difference. To answer your question, yes, he should fix this for free. It’s his mistake. In fact, I’m questioning his competence. Most dentists go their whole careers without a crown falling off, let alone having the same crown fall off four different times. That’s unheard of.

It sounds to me like he has no idea how bonding works, which is a rather basic service learned in dental school. I wouldn’t bother going back. If it falls off again, ask for a refund. If he gives you a problem with that tell him you’ll report him to the dental board. This will be the fifth time your crown has fallen off and that certainly wouldn’t meet the ethical standard of functional dental care.

What to Look for in an Affordable Dentist

You’ll want someone who gives you alternative treatment options. For instance, with a tooth replacement, while a dental implant is an ideal treatment, a dental bridge is a perfectly acceptable alternative. Some patients can’t afford even that, so a dentist should make sure they know about their other options such as a removable partial denture without pressuring them to get the better treatment. Of course, they can tell you the pros and cons, but leave the decision to the patients.

Also, look for a dentist willing to work with you on payments. Whether they have in-house payment plans or work through Care Credit, they should have a way for patients who don’t have all the money up front to still get the care they need.

This blog is brought to you by Ahwatukee Dentist Dr. Harveer Kaur.