dental floss stuck

[UW09]

I was flossing about an hr ago and floss got stuck between 29 and 30. The space between the two had always been tight and now with the floss stuck in there it's really bugging the crap outta me. My bite feels totally off (it's pushing the other teeth so 28 seems to be hitting 5 at a weird angle). I've tried "reflossing" but the floss keeps breaking because it's too tight...any tips or should I just wait it out?

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[DrJeff]

I actually had a piece of trapped floss a few years ago in a patient where I ended up having to remove the filling and replace it to get the floss out.

Chances are if with reflossing you can't remove it, there's a serious edge on that filling and that getting it replaced may be in your long term best interest(and mental sanity). When a filling starts to break down, you can often end up with some crazy edges on it that can only be descibed as being like a barbed fish hook.

Good luck!

 

[SuperC]

You could also try having a classmate wedge it for you and then re-floss. It could be wildly uncomfortable however.
-C

 

[rals]

You could also try having a classmate wedge it for you and then re-floss. It could be wildly uncomfortable however.
-C

I second the wedge idea... gl!

 

[aphistis]

You could also try having a classmate wedge it for you and then re-floss. It could be wildly uncomfortable however.
-C

Nah. They could just give a carbocaine block if it was too uncomfortable--or better yet, just infiltrate some magic juice/septocaine.

 

[DrJeff]

Oh lets just cut to the chase and get it over with. Extract the tooth and put an implant in!

 

[crazy_sherm]

Oh lets just cut to the chase and get it over with. Extract the tooth and put an implant in!

I dunno, we just reviewed a case like this last week in class. I think block resection or partial mandibulotomy might be in order. They can just graft a piece of his fibula into his face, good as new.

 

[Jone]

Try giving it a day and then re-flossing. The floss could very well act kind of like an ortho band separator, which will lighten the interproximal contact. After you get rid of the floss, the teeth should shift back into place. Happened to me once!

 

[red88m]

Did you try using a floss threader and coming UP through the contact?

 

[UW09]

There wasn't as much pressure this morning (although I still felt it and knew the floss was still stuck). After I got back from class I totally forgot about it but then thought about it just now...tried to floss the area to see if it was still there...when I did this the annoying pressure came back up which means the floss must've crawled up a little and I pushed it down again ...I don't think I've ever used a floss threader (I don't think it would go in anyway since the area is so tight anyway, even without the stuck floss).

I'm predental btw and took off from work (I work with a bunch of dental students) to study for finals so I'm on my own for now