Tooth Talk

Toronto dentist Jay Rabinovitch provides dental information

One of the most common problems patients bring to the office is sensitivity to chewing or biting.  It doesn’t happen every time they eat.  They know what area of the mouth it’s coming from, but it’s hard for them to identify exactly which tooth.
First of all, let me explain why it’s hard to pinpoint exactly which tooth is the problem.  It is due to a phenomenon known as ‘referral of pain’.  All of your teeth have nerves that are offshoots of a larger main nerve.  When one nerve fires, signals may get confused or crossed and any of the offshoots may be felt as the source.  The only thing you know for sure is which side it’s on.  You may even confuse top to bottom.
Biting sensitivity usually means there is a crack somewhere in the offending tooth.  When you chew or bite, the forces involved are bending or flexing a part of the tooth, resulting in a pain signal.  If the angle of the force doesn’t cause movement of the cracked area, no pain is felt.  That’s why the pain isn’t always there.
There are tests your dentist can perform to identify where the crack is and propose a treatment to remedy the situation.  Sometimes removing a small portion of the cracked area and placing a filling is enough to stop the flexing/bending and relieve the pain.  Other times a crown or cap may be necessary.  On occasion, the crack extends to such an extent that the tooth can’t be saved.  As always, if extraction is the only treatment recommended; always discuss the various treatments available to you regarding tooth replacement and the consequences of the “do nothing option’.

Although dentists do not take the Hippocratic Oath upon graduation, everyone in our office practices by the central Hippocratic ideal of ‘above all else , do no harm’.  It is for this reason that although many patients had expressed an interest in the Zoom bleaching system, we didn’t offer this service until the third generation of Zoom came into being.  Issues of post bleaching sensitivity and longevity of results held us back.  When the third generation of Zoom (ZoomAP) was introduced, we brought our regional sales rep into the office and collectively gave her the third degree regarding our reservations.  Her responses satisfied our concerns.  However, before bringing the system into our office, I decided that I would have to be the trial patient.  I can’t advise my patients to do anything differently than that which I would prescribe for myself or my family.  When all was said and done, I had only minor intermittent tingling during the procedure and no post procedure sensitivity whatsoever.  I am happy with the colour change and can now, with confidence, recommend Zoom whitening to those patients who express an interest.  Always remember that although Zoom whitening is safe and effective, it still may not be an appropriate treatment for everyone and all treatment options should be considered and discussed before any final decision are made.