Patient: Good morning, Doctor. It is Anna Nowak speaking. I would like to make an appointment with you as soon as possible.

Doctor: Good morning. Is it really an emergency?

Patient: Yes, it is. I think I broke a tooth. I can feel with a tip of my tongue that a piece of a tooth comes off. And I can not eat, because it hurts me while I’m biting on it.

Doctor: I understand. Please, come to my surgery today at 7 p.m. I should be available then.

Patient: Thank you very much. I’ll be there.

 A few hours later

Patient: Good evening. I have scheduled a visit at 7 p.m.

Doctor: Yes, I remember. I’ll be right back with you.

10 minutes later

Doctor: I invite you to my office and please take a sit on the chair immediately. I’ll examine you momentarily.

Doctor: Well, yes. The cusp is broken off, but it hasn’t seperated completely yet. I’ll numb the area and I will remove the moving piece of the tooth. Then I will be able to tell you more.

Patient: I understand. But the tooth does not need to be extracted?

Doctor: We will know that in a moment.

Patient: Ok. Let’s do it then.

After a while

Doctor: It’s not too bad. The crown is not deeply broken. I think I will have no problem with rebuilding it. However we will have to make the crown. And before doing this, it is necessary to take an X­‍‑ray, because the tooth is a treated with root canal. I hope that everything will be fine. Today I’ll place dressing and I will schedule next appointment.

Patient: I understand. And can I go for a weekend to the sea?

Doctor: Of course. Nothing bad should happen. The dressing should not fall out, but if this happened, please do not panic. Nothing bad will happen because of it.

Patient: Thank you, Doctor. You’ve calmed me down a bit.

Doctor: I’m glad. Like I said, take some X­‍‑rays, please.

Patient: And can I brush my teeth?

Doctor: Of course. Please brush your teeth as usual. Also, you can eat normally, but wait for about two hours, when anesthesia stops working.

Patient: Great. So when can I come again?

Doctor: Exactly in a week, also at the same time as today. And please come with an X­‍‑rays photo.

Patient: Of course. Again thank you very much. Goodbye.

Doctor: Goodbye.

VOCABULARY PRACTICE

Read the sentences below. Decide if they are True or False

1. Grinding or clenching one’s teeth adds pressure to the crown and may result in a crack. T/F
2. A cracked dental crown is serious emergency, so the patient shouldn’t wait and must contact with a dentist immediately. T/F
3. Repairs to a cracked dental crown vary depending on the size and severity of the damage. T/F
4. Sometimes dentist can simply smooth and reshape the remaining crown. T/F
5. If the entire top of the tooth is broken off the dentist cannot save the tooth. T/F
6. If the tooth is seriously damaged the dentist may recommend permanent crowns which are made from metal, porcelain fused to metal, all resin, or all ceramic. T/F
7. Ceramic crowns are the strongest and the most resistant to demage. T/F
8. Porcelain and resin crowns can be made to look nearly identical to the original tooth. T/F
9. Getting a crown usually requires just a single visit. T/F
10. Before getting a crown X­‍‑rays are recommended to check the roots of the tooth and surrounding bone. T/F

Match words from the table with their definitions

…............... – a device used to anchor a very large dental filling. It’s placed inside a canal and ait provides a structure onto which a crown can be built up.

…................ – it’s a type of a trauma to the tooth during which a small part of tooth was broken off.

…................. – it’s a technique used by dentists to repair a chipped/broken front tooth or a tooth which can be seen while smiling. The dentist will use a tooth­‍‑colored composite resin which makes the tooth look more natural.

…................. – this injury to the tooth structure can range from minor (involving chipping of the outer tooth layers called enamel and dentin) to severe (involving vertical, diagonal, or horizontal fractures of the tooth and/or root).

…................. – it is the portion of the tooth that is visible in the mouth.

…................. – a pointed, sharp part of a tooth.

…................. – this is a yellowish in colour, protective layer of a tooth.

…................. – it is the outermost white, hard and protective surface of the tooth.

Rearrange the following pieces of advice to form self­‍‑care measures

1. painful / painkillers / if / use / the tooth / some / is / OTC /

…........................................................................................................................................................

2. or the inside of / or jagged edge / if / has / the break / wax paraffin / sugarless / with / caused / a sharp / it / , cover / your tongue / or / chewing gum / from cutting / to keep / it / your lip or cheek / a piece of /

…........................................................................................................................................................

…........................................................................................................................................................

3. if / must / you / eat / and avoid / foods / biting down / soft / on the broken tooth / eat,

…........................................................................................................................................................

4. or broken / a more / a badly / procedure / tooth may / damaged /require / lengthy / and costly /

…........................................................................................................................................................
5. and measure / dental / in some / the extent / fractures / X­‍‑rays / instances, / can / locate, / of tooth / help to diagnose, /

…........................................................................................................................................................
6. does not need / care / to be protected / a crowned tooth / tooth / or gum disease / still needs / any special / but the underlying / from decay

…........................................................................................................................................................

…........................................................................................................................................................


Lesson 67 - answers