BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap

Subject: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 01:33 AM

Folks, 15 minutes or so ago it became Friday---New Years Eve. I'm about ready to turn in for the night. I was flossing my teeth, and managed to destroy (pull off) a gold molar cap. I've saved it, but if I can't get in to see the dentist today and have to wait 'til Monday, what should I shove into the hole in the tooth that might allow me to function until then???---Happy New Year.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Peace
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 01:42 AM

Art,

PM jimmyt. He's a dentist.

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Peace
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 01:49 AM

Art,

I just PMed jimmyt, and if he's about he'll get to this thread pdq. Good man is jimmy.

All that holds a cap on to the point is glue. The question is, what kind of glue. I would avoid an epoxy, because you're gonna have to get the cap off again. You need somesort of adhesive that is nontoxic and will hold for a few days. Also, it has to be something you can get your hands on soon. Do you have any all-night hospitals where you are? They may have the phone number of a dentist who will see you right away, and you can get it done right by a pro.

I will look on the net to see if I can find anything that will be of help. Back asap.

Bruce

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Peace
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 01:56 AM

If jimmy doesn't get here soon, here's something that may help.

"DR. JERRY GORDON
Denture adhesive, a multipurpose tool

Over time, dentists have learned that many patients use denture adhesives to improve the comfort and fit of their dentures. I see nothing wrong with patients using a modest amount of denture adhesive, but draw the line when that use becomes excessive.

The practice of dentistry is truly a learning experience. There is the learning dentists receive from dental school, residency, practical experience, peers, and from dental journals. There is also another great source of learning that dentists see everyday, their patients. A nice example of this is in the use of denture adhesive, like Fixadent. Denture adhesives are useful in helping to keep full and partial dentures stable, but are also handy in keeping permanent or temporary crowns (caps) and bridges (a series of joined crowns) in place.



That stuff is available over-the-counter in pharmacies. If you have an all-night one handy, or a friend who has dentures and uses the stuff--Bob's yer uncle.

I had that happen to me once, and what I do know is this.

1) The stub (pointy thing the cap goes on) has to be dry as does the inside of the cap. Then add the Fixadent (or whatever stuff you can get).

2) When you push the cap back on, hold it for a few minutes, or take some foled up gauze and 'bite' on it to make sure the tooth seats securely.

3) If it's gone wehen you wake up in the morning, DO NOT FLUSH THE TOILET.

Sorry, Art. I know this isn't funny, and that last statement wasn't meant to be.

Bruce

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: open mike
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 02:00 AM

clove oil helps if you hjave dental pain...
how about sticking it back on with chewing gum?
ouch. hope it doesn't hurt.

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Peace
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 03:05 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Morticia
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 09:15 AM

Jimmy has gone away for a week or so, he said so in chat. Sorry Art.

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Rapparee
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 09:39 AM

Fixadent or Polident, Art.

This happened to me in Galway, Ireland. Fortunately, I'd asked the dentist before I left what to do, so I went into a Chemist's and, not knowing what was available in Ireland, asked for "denture adhesive." The lady didn't know what I was talking about, so I said, "Like you use to glue false teeth in place." She said, "Oh, like Polident or Fixadent!"

Dry the place with rolled-up gauze and put the adhesived crown back on it. Bite down for on a roll of gauze (or something like it) for a few minutes, until the adhesive is set.

If you use too much glue it won't hurt you if you swallow it, but it's even neater to fake a cough and spit out a big chunk of it. You can tell people who annoy you it's lung tissue.

If there is pain, take a teaspoon of whisky or vodka and hold it in your mouth at the place where the crown came off. Pour it out of the spoon first, of course. This acts as a short-term topical anesthetic.

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 11:04 AM

Thanks folks!!

I really appreciate the advice. I just talked to the dentist's office and he's gone until Monday---our 38th anniversary. No pain and not sensitive. And I didn't swallow it. It's in a cup on my desk. Can't hurt me to eat less over the New Years break.

I've stuffed some hard candy in there and it's working passably well for the moment. (joke)

Again, thank you all. Not driving now gets in the way here of doing much about it. Being in a wheelchair doesn't help much either. (Carol doesn't drive either now.) PLUS: the 2 cabs have quit for the duration so Emil and Gary, the two drivers, gan party and recover. Such is life in Peru, Illinois. I love it. No music here either. Yes, I must be a sadist.

Love,

Art

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Peace
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 11:17 AM

Family Pharmacy
[phone]
920 O St

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Peace
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 11:19 AM

Maybe explain the situation. Bet they'd deliver for ya.

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 06:16 PM

Yep, they would. Thanks for finding that but I just sent them $800.00 for the balance on last months meds. They are our regular pharmacy--3 blocks away. Good people.

Art

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Auggie
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 07:23 PM

Glad to hear you're doing OK Art.I've been doing this dentist thing since the late seventies (never could play well enough to lose the day job) and if I weren't somewhat over 300 miles away I'd come over and do it for you tonight. It would be a small gesture compared to the enjoyment I got from listening to you and your contemporaries back in the day on Lincoln Ave.

Most drug stores stock little tubes of temporary cement, which is the best treatment choice. The denture adhesive ideas work ok tho the gel types can be a little thick and leave your tooth feeling too high afterwards. The powder type works better,but only if it's damp, and accidentally swallowing the crown, or worse aspirating it, is a significant concern. Don't do the expoxy or superglue route. Both make it dang near impossible to get the crown back off later, and if it's an older crown your dentist will likely want to know what's going on under it (i.e. did it come off due to decay?).

If it doesn't hurt, isn't an aesthetic issue and travel is difficult, then leaving it off till Monday would be my choice.
You know, if you gotta have a body part thats not working properly over a holiday, teeth are a much better choice than say lungs, heart, liver.

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: GUEST,Auggie,
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 09:23 PM

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 09:40 PM

Auggie,

Thanks so much for your kind remembrances of the the Chi-town Lincoln Ave folk scene. Those were great times and I have nothing but great memories of all of it--except for one lady...

Auggie, all of my half way decent photos I took over the years of the folk revival people are up on the web at:

http://rudegnu.com/art_thieme.html

There you'll be asked for a user name and a password. Just enter the word mudcat for both and the doors ought to open wide. MANY of those were taken when you were there I am pretty sure.

All the best,

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Jan 05 - 07:20 PM

I have a crown on my front tooth, it came off and my dentist charged me £95 to put it back in. I thought he'd at least use a good dental fixative, wouldn't you have thought so too? Did he? No. He got a tube of ordinary superglue (Uhu variety I believe), put a dab on the peg, dried my gap with cottonwool and plugged the tooth back in.

£95 for 5 mins work and a 99p tube of glue. Boy am *I* in the wrong job!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Rapparee
Date: 01 Jan 05 - 07:56 PM

Superglue is also being used in surgery. And for revealing fingerprints on items.

I don't know if you can use it to reveal fingerprints on body parts after surgery.

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 02 Jan 05 - 05:01 PM

Wasn't superglue developed as a skin adhesive, for faster sealing of wounds on the battlefield?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Auggie
Date: 02 Jan 05 - 06:15 PM

95 pounds to recement a crown? Thats like what,$180 American? And you get to do it with superglue?

Man, I'm practicing in the wrong country.

Just out of curiosity, I thought you guys had national health care over there to cover this kind of stuff.

My apologies to Liz the Squeak on behalf of the entire profession.

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 02 Jan 05 - 09:04 PM

NHS only covers certain people for dentistry, like, those on benefits, those on low incomes (they get a supplement) or those under 16, under 18 in full time education, over 65 and those who are pregnant.

I was in none of those categories. £95 represents my disposable income for 2.5 months.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 Jan 05 - 09:39 PM

So, Liz, if I was a pregnant 66 year old with a low income and on benefits I'd get a lot of free dental care????

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: open mike
Date: 03 Jan 05 - 01:14 AM

"over 65 and those who are pregnant."
it's a sure bet that they don't have to shell out much for this
category of folks!!

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Jan 05 - 05:36 AM

£95 is still pricy, Liz. I'd change my dentist if I were you! I suspect he/she has charged you a non-NHS price. My front crown has come out a couple of times in the last 20 years and each time my dentist just charges me the standard check-up price and fixes it back in with proper dental stuff. £5-ish if I remember rightly.

Oh - just looked up an NHS charge list - A whole new porcelain crown is less than £60. Clearest I could find was Oxfordshires but I believe the NHS prices are the same nationwide. See http://www.oxfordshire.nhs.uk/documents/dentalfees.pdf for confirmation.


DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 Jan 05 - 06:57 PM

Try a) looking up London prices and b) registering with a dentist that actually lives in the same borough as the patient... not an easy task!

I can't apply for NHS charges because I'm not on any benefits.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: jimmyt
Date: 03 Jan 05 - 07:53 PM

Liz, seems like the logical thing is to get your surgery, jump on British Air flight 2227 to Atlanta, let us pick you up at the airport, give you a complete going over, we will eat and drink and sing, I will deposit you back on flight 2226 and Paul will never be the wiser! jimmyt

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: jimmyt
Date: 03 Jan 05 - 07:54 PM

Art, sorry I have been away from computer til today Hope you got fixed up jimmyt

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jan 05 - 08:29 PM

Liz I don't think you need to be on benefits to get NHS prices. An NHS surgery only has this price list for all the patients. Every London borough should have a few NHS dentists.

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 04 Jan 05 - 03:58 AM

You definitely don't need to be on any benefits to get NHS prices - Just an NHS dentist! Trouble is there is a massive shortage of dentists in the UK and ones that are happy to be paid NHS rates by the government are getting to be rarer that hen's teeth. (Pun intended). Doesn't help at all in the US of course. How did it go anyway, Art?

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Jan 05 - 05:03 AM

If you swallow it, don't bother looking for it later... stomach acid will dissolve it! (Query.. why doesn't it do that to corn or pine nuts?)

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Cluin
Date: 04 Jan 05 - 03:39 PM

I've seen temporary filling stuff in little tubes at the drug stores. You're supposed to squeeze it into the cavity to last until the dentist can see you.

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 12:41 AM

Yesterday, Jan 3rd, our 38th anniversary, my dentist polished up my dislodged filling/cap. smoothed of the part on which I'd caught the floss that pulled it off, put some adhesive on and popped it right back in. I was out in 15 minutes.

Thanks to you all for your help!!

Art

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: Peace
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 12:47 AM

It's nothin', Art, nothin' that wouldn't have been done by any common, ordinary, average everyday simple saviours of North America's destiny.

Glad you're back to 100%.

BM

Subject: RE: BS: Just lost a gold tooth cap
From: open mike
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 02:00 AM

congrats and happy anniversary!