• Dental Phobia Support

    Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.

    Register now to access all the features of the forum.

Did my dentist damage my gums unnecessarily?

L

Leafgreen

Junior member
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Messages
1
Dear Dentist,

Thank you in advance for your help. I have tried to prepare this email by looking up proper terms. I am a lay person.

In June 2009 a dentist performed the advanced cleaning procedure they identified as a full mouth debridement, 4355. The dentist also measured the distance between the enamel and the gum. This was painful as the measurement device pressed into what I assume was soft enamel or dentin.

The reason for my concern and my question here follows. Before the cleaning, my gums completely filled the gaps between my maxilla 7, 8, 9 and 10. After the cleaning, between 9 and 10, a 1.5 millimeter gap exists. And, between 9 and 8, and between 8 and 7, a 0.5 mm gap exists. In other words it appears that the dentist created gaps during the cleaning process, and accelerated the process of receding gums. :scared: I definitely had a lot of blood when I rinses after the cleaning. Did the dentist make a mistake?

The dentist recommended that I come back for the second part of the cleaning including having the undersides of my gums cleaned. Another dentist during another previous appointment recommended the same. Based on the apparent damage to my gums, I have ignored this. I have not had my teeth cleaned since.

Best wishes,
Leafgreen ;)
 
Hello
I expect that the appearance of 'gaps' between the teeth was most likely caused by the removal of the calculus/tartar which was around the neck of these teeth. Once it is removed- it often then feels like gaps have appeared. Obviously it an essential part of the process of healing and recovery to remove it. I usually pre-warn patients that after a cleaning it may feel like the teeth are 'chipped' or that there are gaps. I also warn patients that the teeth may feel a bit more mobile for a while as the calculus which is causing the gum problem essentially spints the teeth together.
Its impossible to know without looking, but it is my guess that everything with your treatment is ok, and that this is what has happened.
Kind regards
Dr Mike
 
Back
Top