Need medical advice? Go to Jazzfanz!!!

[green]

Also, this is why it's so important to trust your Doctor. They are supposed to know what's best but in most cases there are multiple ways to treat every condition, and each may be effective. You have to trust them because someone may have the same problem but different treatment.

It's ok to shop around. It's ok to ask questions. Ask if your decay was big. Have him show you the X-ray. Ask if it could have been prevented. If you don't like their response, find another Dr.

If you don't trust your Dr then you won't be happy with the outcome no matter how good/bad they are.

 

[green]

And you usually get what you pay for. I'd recommend a Dr that owns his office, is maybe a little more than average expense, and you are comfortable with.

 

[Scat]

Go to the specialist, you probably need a root canal.

Some background here:

Your mouth is disgusting (not just you, but everyone's). We fill it with food, we put all sorts of crap in it (and those of you who don't wash your hands after the bathroom, you literally put crap in your mouth when you touch something then stick it in your mouth, or chew on your nails, etc).

Point is, there is a TON of bacteria. Then you don't brush or floss and you get a cavity. The thing about bacteria, is it is really small. We have methods to get rid of the bacteria, but they are not fool proof. They work most of the time. Sometimes, before you even go to the dentist, the bacteria is already in the nerve. It may not hurt, but it doesn't mean it isn't infected. So, you go to the dentist, everything feels ok. The dentist tells you that you need a filling, you get it done. Unfortunately, the bacteria had already made it to the nerve, and you need a root canal.

That sucks.

Next, every filling you get done is a surgery. It's not cool surgery that you get flowers and dinner from your neighbors, but it is surgery. Sometimes you have surgery on your tooth and the tooth just gives up, the nerve dies, you have pain and you need a rct.

Those aren't the dentist's fault. It's called **** happens and unfortunately it happened to you.

Everyone could put dentist's out of business right now if you would eat right, drink water, and brush and floss. But we don't (me included), we get cavities and I still have a job.

NOW, (if you made it this far), on to your situation.

A couple of things could have happened:

1 - the decay was close to the nerve, the dentist tried to do you a solid and fill it when he should have done the root canal from day one. Maybe the dentist did an absolutely amazing job on your filling and it's a miracle it lasted this long before the root canal. I don't do people "solids" like this, because then when I do a great job and it doesn't work, somehow it's my fault. I'd have to see the X-ray to know if this was a possibility.

2 - the decay seemed small, the dentist cleaned the decay out, but unfortunately the bacteria was already deep enough into the tooth that a root canal needed to happen.

3 - your dentist is a hack, ****ed you up, and now is pawning you off on a specialist. That could happen, but it happens A LOT less than you think. Odds are, 99 times out of 100, it was one of the first two options.

The root canal isn't a bad procedure, it will probably be expensive, you will need a crown and buildup afterwards. Your other option could be pulling the tooth.

Also, this is why it's so important to trust your Doctor. They are supposed to know what's best but in most cases there are multiple ways to treat every condition, and each may be effective. You have to trust them because someone may have the same problem but different treatment.

It's ok to shop around. It's ok to ask questions. Ask if your decay was big. Have him show you the X-ray. Ask if it could have been prevented. If you don't like their response, find another Dr.

If you don't trust your Dr then you won't be happy with the outcome no matter how good/bad they are.

And you usually get what you pay for. I'd recommend a Dr that owns his office, is maybe a little more than average expense, and you are comfortable with.

Wow, what a great treatise regarding "Obamacare". Well done Green. I am impressed... seriously.

 

[b_line]

I have a pretty similar situation going on right now. Going on four years of a sore tooth. And now I'm dealing with tmj issues after the second replacement filling.

Effing sucks. Good luck.

 

[Boris]

I would recommend to stop posting immediately and get to a new dentist.
Then take time off from the internet while you mend and age gracefully.

Have a heart. Much better he gets a 10 inch diamond drill bit and roots out this problem once and for all.

 

[Deleted member 365]

Go to the specialist, you probably need a root canal.

Some background here:

Your mouth is disgusting (not just you, but everyone's). We fill it with food, we put all sorts of crap in it (and those of you who don't wash your hands after the bathroom, you literally put crap in your mouth when you touch something then stick it in your mouth, or chew on your nails, etc).

Point is, there is a TON of bacteria. Then you don't brush or floss and you get a cavity. The thing about bacteria, is it is really small. We have methods to get rid of the bacteria, but they are not fool proof. They work most of the time. Sometimes, before you even go to the dentist, the bacteria is already in the nerve. It may not hurt, but it doesn't mean it isn't infected. So, you go to the dentist, everything feels ok. The dentist tells you that you need a filling, you get it done. Unfortunately, the bacteria had already made it to the nerve, and you need a root canal.

That sucks.

Next, every filling you get done is a surgery. It's not cool surgery that you get flowers and dinner from your neighbors, but it is surgery. Sometimes you have surgery on your tooth and the tooth just gives up, the nerve dies, you have pain and you need a rct.

Those aren't the dentist's fault. It's called **** happens and unfortunately it happened to you.

Everyone could put dentist's out of business right now if you would eat right, drink water, and brush and floss. But we don't (me included), we get cavities and I still have a job.

NOW, (if you made it this far), on to your situation.

A couple of things could have happened:

1 - the decay was close to the nerve, the dentist tried to do you a solid and fill it when he should have done the root canal from day one. Maybe the dentist did an absolutely amazing job on your filling and it's a miracle it lasted this long before the root canal. I don't do people "solids" like this, because then when I do a great job and it doesn't work, somehow it's my fault. I'd have to see the X-ray to know if this was a possibility.

2 - the decay seemed small, the dentist cleaned the decay out, but unfortunately the bacteria was already deep enough into the tooth that a root canal needed to happen.

3 - your dentist is a hack, ****ed you up, and now is pawning you off on a specialist. That could happen, but it happens A LOT less than you think. Odds are, 99 times out of 100, it was one of the first two options.

The root canal isn't a bad procedure, it will probably be expensive, you will need a crown and buildup afterwards. Your other option could be pulling the tooth.

Thanks.

However, I don't know if this changes things much. But this tooth is the one that already had a root canal performed about 12 years ago. The infection it appears is above the tooth (since it's the upper moler). It's been senitive for about 2 years and downright painful for the past 12 months.

 

[Deleted member 365]

Here's a pic of my x ray

I guess the shadow areas above my crown show an infection?

View attachment 4819

 

[green]

Yes, it does. That X-ray changes everything. Back in the day, we believed that that tooth had three canals and every once in a blue moon, 4 canals. When I went through school we started to realize that tooth has 4 canals most of the time and three only once in a blue moon.

It looks like you've only had three canals filled. I'd bet it's a missed canal that's had bacteria forever that's finally decided to give you trouble. Credit to the doc who did the crown to have it last as long as it did.

There's a chance of fracture as well and it's tough to see a fracture in an X-ray like this, but the shadowing at the apex (tip) of that root points to a missed canal.

There are very few general dentists that can fix it because it's not smart $$$ wise to buy the equipment to do the job. Endodontists fix this every day.

 

[♪alt13]

Here's a pic of my x ray

I guess the shadow areas above my crown show an infection?

View attachment 4819

After seeing your x-ray it's clear that a mini jellyfish has embedded itself in one of your toes. There's no easy answer but I would recommend removing the toe. It will be cheaper than removing the jellyfish and you will avoid a similar problem in the future. If it feels awkward to be missing a toe, just take a baby carrot and slide it in between your remaining toes before you put your socks on. It's a good thing you came here for medical advice. Most "real" doctors probably would have given you a misdiagnosis.

 

[Deleted member 365]

Yes, it does. That X-ray changes everything. Back in the day, we believed that that tooth had three canals and every once in a blue moon, 4 canals. When I went through school we started to realize that tooth has 4 canals most of the time and three only once in a blue moon.

It looks like you've only had three canals filled. I'd bet it's a missed canal that's had bacteria forever that's finally decided to give you trouble. Credit to the doc who did the crown to have it last as long as it did.

There's a chance of fracture as well and it's tough to see a fracture in an X-ray like this, but the shadowing at the apex (tip) of that root points to a missed canal.

There are very few general dentists that can fix it because it's not smart $$$ wise to buy the equipment to do the job. Endodontists fix this every day.

So after I see an endodontist, how likely is it that I'll have to get a new crown?

 

[fishonjazz]

After seeing your x-ray it's clear that a mini jellyfish has embedded itself in one of your toes. There's no easy answer but I would recommend removing the toe. It will be cheaper than removing the jellyfish and you will avoid a similar problem in the future. If it feels awkward to be missing a toe, just take a baby carrot and slide it in between your remaining toes before you put your socks on. It's a good thing you came here for medical advice. Most "real" doctors probably would have given you a misdiagnosis.

Lol

 

[green]

So after I see an endodontist, how likely is it that I'll have to get a new crown?

Not very. Probably 10%. Most of the time they can go through the existing crown, no sweat. Then you repair the crown and life goes on.