Very quick question re. polishing strips.

[sudzs]

I have a crown on a lower premolar, with a rough edge right next to its neighbouring tooth. My dentist twice tried to smooth it using disks but after I got home after the second visit, the rough edge was really irritating the side of my tongue, even more so than before. The dentist more or less said he had done his best and that he could not get at the rough bit as it is between the two teeth and he can't get in there with any instruments. The solution, he said might have to be replace the crown or remove the filling from the tooth to gain access.

But it has been suggested to me on a US dental website that he could use polishing or finishing strips to get in there and smooth it off. So my question is, are these polishing strips widely available to and used by UK dentists? And will they fit in between the teeth? I can floss easily enough there, it might be a bit tight but I can get the floss in there!

Thanks to anyone who reads as I must be boring you all to tears with my various threads about this troublesome crown!

 

[sudzs]

Anyone? Please!

 

[Gordon]

Yes, polishing strips are widely available on this side of the pond. Not sure how effective they would be at polishing a crown though, they're really meant for polishing fillings, which are much softer.

 

[sudzs]

OK! Thanks a mill gordon.

Do you think it could ever be possible that a rough edge on a crown could NOT be smoothed because of it's position? If it is irritating my tongue then it must be accessable to a dentist to smooth it off... or am I wrong??

I don't know what I'm going to do if this guy can't sort me out tomorrow. The last day I was there withthe same problem he said there wasn't much more he could do. But if I can feel the edge with my fingernail then surely he can smooth it, can't he???

 

[Gordon]

Yeah, I'd think if you can get a nail on it, the dentist should be able to get something in there.

 

[sudzs]

Well you are of course right about the polishing strips! Not a chance of them having any effect!

So the dentist had another go with the disks and did his best along that edge. But unfortunately he seems to have hit the amalgam filling that is right beside the crown and has scuffed it or something and not the irritation to my tongue is tenfold.

Just on the offchance that my tongue has been sensitised over the last while I am keeping the area covered until the tongue feels completely better and then will see how things are. But what used to be beautiful smooth amalgam is now rough and scratchy. Can something like that be smoothed?

I cannot believe I am so unlucky - have I hit on 3 (THREE!!!) dud dentists in a row?! I'm beginning to feel like a neurotic!!!


Anyway, thanks yet again to all for the help and advice and a very Happy Christmas and peaceful New Year to all!

 

[Gordon]

Finishing strips work very well for amalgam.

Here's a wee thought, go to the chemist and buy yourself some Orabase gel, dry the tongue off as best you can and apply a thickish coating of it when you're going to bed, it should protect your tongue from the rough area and stop you waking with a sore tongue.

 

[sudzs]

Finishing strips work very well for amalgam.

Here's a wee thought, go to the chemist and buy yourself some Orabase gel, dry the tongue off as best you can and apply a thickish coating of it when you're going to bed, it should protect your tongue from the rough area and stop you waking with a sore tongue.

What a relief, the amalgam can be polished! I think I am going to have to go to yet another dentist though as I have lost all confidence and more importantly, trust in my current dentist. He really does seem more interested in pushing a new crown than fixing the one I have just a few months. I can't believe that smoothing off the area is an impossible job and the now the irritation is so much worse than ever thanks to the scuffing of the amalgam. Could he have done that damage without noticing??

Anyway, I will try the Orabase gel Gordon, thanks for the suggestion. I'm still using tiny pieces of gum (suger-free of course and chewed to the point of tastelessness!!) but I take it off for eating and then forget to replace it and an hour later the side of my tongue feels terrible.

Will let you know if and when I get it sorted!