Sometimes You Should Not Trust a Dentist

Posted on by .

I went to a new dentist because I’d been having a bit of tooth pain. I recently was tranfered and my regular dentist is three hour away now. The new dentist did an x-ray and said that there is decay on a tooth that already has a filling. He then proceeded to say that only about 10% of the tooth is viable and it would need to be extracted. He had me schedule the extraction appointment right then and said after the extraction, I’d need to schedule another appointment for bone grafting and a dental implant.

I am all for taking care of dental decay, but I just have a weird feeling that this is overkill. Am I right in thinking that something is hinky here or are my doubts because I am uncomfortable with what is forthcoming? I’ve never lost a tooth before and it would be disingenuous to say that it doesn’t bother me.

Brandy

Dear Brandy,

Man in pain grabbing his jaw.

Bear in mind that I have not examined you, but I do think you have a right to be sceptical here. If the decay and infection had gotten that bad you would not be just now feeling some pain. You would have been having pain for months. An additional issue here is the amount of decay he is saying. If that were accurate, he would not have needed an x-ray to show him. It would be obvious. In fact, it would be very likely that the filling would have fallen into the decayed tooth.

My suggestion is that you cancel this extraction appointment and get a second opinion. There are dentists who will work in non-established patients in the case of dental emergencies the same day. When you do go, make sure it is a blind second opinion. Don’t tell them who the dentist is that diagnosed you or what he said. Just tell them exactly what you told the original dentist. This way their opinion is unbiased.

I suspect you will be able to save the tooth. However, if it turns out the tooth really does need to be extracted, then a dental implant is the best replacement option. Just take some time and make sure you get a qualified dentist to do the procedure. It is not adeqately taught in dental school and does require some post-doctoral training.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Can I Save My Teeth?

Posted on by .

I have a filling on two teeth which are adjacent to each other. I started having pain with those teeth. Eventually, the pain got so bad that I went to see a dentist. I will admit to not liking to go unless it is necessary. I do get one cleaning a year, but that’s about all I can handle. The dentist did an x-ray and told me that there is an abscess and the teeth will need to be pulled. I’m sort of a wreck over this. I don’t like the idea of not having those teeth. Is there any way to save them?

Kelly

Dear Kelly,

woman grabbing her jaw in pain

I am sorry you are in so much pain. What I would like you to do is get a second opinion on these teeth. Just because you have an abscessed tooth does not mean that the tooth has to be extracted. Unless the tooth is too far gone to be saved, the typical solution is to do a root canal treatment. This cleans out the infected pulp of the tooth. In most cases, you will also need a dental crown but this allows you to save your tooth.

I’m having some doubts that your teeth are as far gone as to necessitate an extraction. If they were that bad I do not think an x-ray would even have been necessary. To be honest, some dentists are just more willing to put in the work to save teeth than others.

You mentioned that you do not like going to the dentist. That is usually a sign of dental anxiety and is more common than people realize. When you get your second opinion, I would like you to see a sedation dentist. They can provide you with some medication which will allow you to feel completely relaxed in the dental chair.

If it does turn out that you need your teeth extracted, you will want to replace them as soon as possible. If you don’t, the adjacent teeth will drift and tip into the empty space, which can lead to painful TMJ Disorder. If it comes to that, the best tooth replacement is a dental implant.

Don’t put off getting this double checked. You do not want it to turn into a dental emergency.
This blog is brought to you by Marietta Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.
Click here to read about our free virtual smile makeover consultation.

Her Dentist Said Everything Is Fine, But it’s NOT!

Posted on by .

I’m hoping you can give me some guidance. I’ve never had a cavity before so I don’t know what a cavity feels like but am wondering if I’ve developed my first one. I had a check-up just a month ago and my dentist said everything looked fine, so it would have to be pretty new. It is a bit hard to describe but feels a bit like someone is pulling my back teeth and then letting go. It only lasts a short time, but it is distracting and I don’t want to ignore if anything is wrong. My husband says I grind my teeth when I’m sleeping. Could that be it? Or is this what a cavity feels like?

Miranda

Dear Miranda,

a woman holding her jaw from TMJ pain

I know you said everything was fine at your last check-up, but if you are a tooth grinder, everything is not fine. I’m worried you are not getting adequate care. Some discount clinics only focus on cavities and don’t pay attention to important issues such as gum disease, bruxism (teeth grinding and clenching) or other occlusion issues such as TMJ Disorder. Overlooking these things can cause serious long-term problems.

I haven’t examined you and wish I had an x-ray to look at, but what you are describing does not sound like decay to me. The two possibilities that come to mind immediately are gum disease or damage from the grinding. Either one of these would need to be dealt with and the sooner the better.

If You Are Grinding Your TEeth

Grinding your teeth is an urgent matter, especially if you’ve been doing it for a while. You can end up cracking your teeth or grinding them down to nubs. This will cause you to need a full mouth reconstruction which requires placing a porcelain crown on every tooth.

There is a simple fix for this which can save your teeth. Your dentist can make a custom-fitted night guard. This will protect your teeth from the grinding as well as pressure if you clench. It’s much better to get a night guard than to leave your teeth unprotected and end up having to spend tens of thousands of dollars crowning every tooth.

If You Have Gum Disease

Gum disease is also serious. If left untreated, your teeth will eventually fall out. Then you’ll need expensive tooth replacement options, such as dental implants.

As I said earlier, I’m not sure you’re getting adequate care from your current dentist. I’d like you to see another one, sooner rather than later.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.