Should It Stay Or Should It Go?

“The Tooth And Nothing But The Tooth”

By Chris “Dr Smile Maker” Branfield

Should It Stay Or Should It Go?

Hello again, I hope that you are well. Well, it was my 20th wedding anniversary the other week. Time really flies. Mrs B has done well putting up with me for that long, she deserves a medal!

Inspiration From The Radio

I was listening to the radio, radio 2 in fact, and they played “should `I stay or should I go“ by the Clash. That was it, my inspiration for writing this month. When is it time to lose a tooth rather than try and save it? There are many factors to making this decision and it’s not just the dentist’s decision in some cases.

Is the tooth painful? Is it a straightforward procedure to save it or is it tricky, very technical and time consuming? It is a useful tooth or redundant so you won’t miss it? Can you see it or not? The decision whether to remove or not is based on these questions but also people have different philosophies, attitudes, wants and needs so not everybody will want the same thing in similar situations. Everyone is an individual so us dental lot need to listen.

All Cracked Up And Decision Made

There is one situation when the decision sorts itself out there and then. This is when there a vertical fracture of the root. This is one of the most common reasons that I place implants, to replace a fractured root that had a post in it.

Teeth with cracks can be saved with a covering like an onlay or crown that wraps around to protect and hold it together but once the crack has gone down the root and under the bone it’s had it.

It’s a bit mad but I’ve seen loads recently. It’s most common with teeth that had a lot done to them but you can see it virgin teeth that have not been touched.

It´s such a shame but this one has had it.

 It could be a hard seed or an olive stone. It tends to be people with a deep, heavy bite. It’s that heart sinking moment when you see one half of the tooth moving and the other half not.

A Couple Of Beauties Here

In situations like these, unfortunately, there is only one thing to do and that’s remove. 

Doing so as early as possible means that there is more chance of a successful replacement especially with an implant.

I’m missing the first Hull City home game as I’m off to Cornwall with the family in the caravan. 

Hope it’s a good start to the season.

Until next time.   Take care and be good.

Up & Down A Mountain- A Hobbit’s Tale

“The Tooth And Nothing But The Tooth”

By Chris “Dr Smile Maker” Branfield

Up & Down A Mountain- A Hobbit’s Tale

Wow, what a 2 weeks that was.  Phew!!  I travelled to Morocco with my son, Edward to meet up with fellow Dental Mavericks (Dental Mavericks is a charity that I am a founder member and trustee of).  This was my 7th time going over to get children out of pain and the 2nd time in Asni working with The Eve Branson Foundation. 

As usual there was some bureaucratic and political nonsense to overcome so we lost half a day.  BUT, we cracked on and saw loads of kids.  We saw about 340 children, actively treated 170 to get out of pain.  That’s somewhere in the region of 400 teeth taken out.

Edward looking after a little one

After Teeth Out - Pain Free Dentistry

Then A Mountain To Climb

As a fund raiser we had decided to do a sponsored Mountain climb, as you do.
This turned out to be the hardest thing I have ever done.  We set off in the 40 degrees heat from Imil on a 6 hours steady climb to the Refuge (basecamp at 3000m)

Before The Crack Of Dawn

We went to bed in a mixed dormitory of bunk beds with no space in between so there were approximately 40 people.  Oh, we didn’t sleep. It was awful.  Anyway, up before daylight, head-torch on and crampons on. Yes crampons on!!  There was quite a lot of snow.  It was a long hard slog and after a time the snow disappeared.  I could feel the altitude effects of nausea and headache.

Always Worse Coming Down

I was rubbish coming down.  There was a lot of loose scree and I kept losing my feet.  I landed right on a rock, OUCH!  When we got to the snow again it was softer and slippy, we ended up coming down on our bottoms for good bit as it was safer.  After up and down the summit it was a steady trek down to Imil, it felt never ending.  A 14 hour day all together. Well, the next few days were interesting trying to walk.  Edward was fine as he has youth on his side.

All safe and sound in the end.  I went straight to a 3 day dental implant conference in Glasgow, I was so stiff!! That’s dedication for you. What an anorak!

I said there was quite a bit of snow

Edward and I at the top

Thank You, You’re Great

A massive thank you to all who have sponsored us
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/castleparkdentalcare  if would like to sponsor us or pop in for cuppa.

Until next time.

Take care and be good.

Castle Park - Supporting B1G1

What a birthday. Celebrating 8 wonderful years. 64 million smiles. from B1G1.