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Medical Forum / General / Dentistry / March 2005Need advice on missing filling
I have a very old amalgam filling on an upper molar that has basicly disintegrated. I'm three months away from being able to use my new company's dental plan. Any problems with me using something like Dentemp or Temparin, for a temp fix until I can get it covered by insurance? I feel no discomfort at any time, so I'm assuming the root nerve isn't exposed. Thanks, Jeff >I have a very old amalgam filling on an upper molar that has basicly >disintegrated. I'm three months away from being able to use my new >company's dental plan. Any problems with me using something like >Dentemp or Temparin, for a temp fix until I can get it covered by >insurance? I feel no discomfort at any time, so I'm assuming the root >nerve isn't exposed. Nope. okay. Joel >Thanks, >Jeff There is no way to tell over the internet if waiting is going to be OK or not. An X-ray would help, but even that might not tell the whole story. For that matter, it is entirely possible that the decay is already beyond a simple repair. Pain is a likely sign that a root canal or extraction is on the horizon. However, lack of pain is not a clear indicator that 'the root nerve isn't exposed'. Lot's of patients show up with teeth that are 'bombed' beyond a simple filling with no pain present. Best of luck, Fawks > I have a very old amalgam filling on an upper molar that has basicly > disintegrated. I'm three months away from being able to use my new [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Thanks, > Jeff And,,,,,,,,,,,, many times we see a patient who waited 2 months too long and gets to receive root canal treatment. Had they been in a few months earlier, they would have had a filling instead. > There is no way to tell over the internet if waiting is going to be > OK or not. An X-ray would help, but even that might not tell the [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >> nerve isn't exposed. Thanks, >> Jeff >And,,,,,,,,,,,, many times we see a patient who waited 2 months too long and >gets to receive root canal treatment. Had they been in a few months >earlier, they would have had a filling instead. ABSOLUTELY That's the key for ALL dental preventative strategies ..... Joel M. Eichen DDS >>And,,,,,,,,,,,, many times we see a patient who waited 2 months too long >>and [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Joel M. Eichen DDS But,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Joel,,,,,,,,,,,,,, you previously said basically: "no problem to wait months before getting it taken care of".  Signature~+--~+--~+--~+--~+-- Stephen Mancuso, D.D.S. Troy, Michigan, USA .................................................... This posting is intended for informational or conversational purposes only. Always seek the opinion of a licensed dental professional before acting on the advice or opinion expressed here. Only a dentist who has examined you in person can diagnose your problems and make decisions which will affect your health. ...................... >>>And,,,,,,,,,,,, many times we see a patient who waited 2 months too long >>>and [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >But,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Joel,,,,,,,,,,,,,, you previously said basically: >"no problem to wait months before getting it taken care of". REPLY Ahah. You are a careful reader! Yes, prevention is important, but in the case where the insurance kicks in within two months, and its an open cavity, I have not seen where that would lead to a major problem. ' Joel For a small hole, I would agree with you, but for many holes big enough to cavitate inwards, a few months can make the difference between spending $1500 on root canal treatment and crown, or getting a big filling for $180 Signature~+--~+--~+--~+--~+-- Stephen Mancuso, D.D.S. Troy, Michigan, USA .................................................... This posting is intended for informational or conversational purposes only. Always seek the opinion of a licensed dental professional before acting on the advice or opinion expressed here. Only a dentist who has examined you in person can diagnose your problems and make decisions which will affect your health. ...................... > >>>>And,,,,,,,,,,,, many times we see a patient who waited 2 months too long [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Joel >For a small hole, I would agree with you, but for many holes big enough to >cavitate inwards, a few months can make the difference between spending >$1500 on root canal treatment and crown, or getting a big filling for $180 Agree 100% Precisely. An alternative would be inducing anesthesia, removing decay, and filling with zinc oxide and eugenol. When the insurance kicks in, plane down the surface, build up with zinc phosphate or carboxylate cement, and place your amalgam. Oooooops! sorry Clinton Zimmerman, I meant to say composite! Joel Joel Thanks to all for the responses. I realize there can be differing of opinions on something like this. I would only ask what the difference would be with paying to have a temp filling installed ( over $100 incl. office visit ), vs. putting one in myself? The material is essentially the same( formulated by a dentist as I understand it). Please educate me on this. I'm not trying to avoid dental care, just trying to save some precious coin now, while at the a same time, not causing myself further pain and coin later. My dentist will get his fee, just a little later. Jeff > >>>And,,,,,,,,,,,, many times we see a patient who waited 2 months too long > >>>and [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Joel >Thanks to all for the responses. I realize there can be differing of >opinions on something like this. I would only ask what the difference >would be with paying to have a temp filling installed ( over $100 incl. >office visit ), vs. putting one in myself? $99? > The material is essentially >the same( formulated by a dentist as I understand it). Please educate [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] >> >> Joel You get to do whatever you want with your tooth. You just need to know the risks and then you will have to live with that decision. If you waited too long and then need root canal treatment and crown, or extraction and implant, don't try blaming anyone but yourself. For the cost of taking a friend to a professional football game for the afternoon, you could have it taken care of properly. > Thanks to all for the responses. I realize there can be differing of > opinions on something like this. I would only ask what the difference [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] >> >> Joel Dr Steve, we gamble with many things in life. The question should always be is the payoff worth the gamble, and can we afford to loose. If missing a football game can save me the possible expense of a root canal, logic says I should skip the football game ( unless of course it's the Super Bowl ). Since I choose not to subsidize professional sports with my hard earned dollars, I will need to come up with a different substitution. Now I just need to find a competent dentist in the Eugene area. >You get to do whatever you want with your tooth. You just need to know the >risks and then you will have to live with that decision. If you waited too >long and then need root canal treatment and crown, or extraction and >implant, don't try blaming anyone but yourself. For the cost of taking a >friend to a professional football game for the afternoon, you could have it >taken care of properly. The Lions suck, alas so do the Redskins... -- W_B wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com Take out the G'RBAGE I would only ask what the difference > would be with paying to have a temp filling installed ( over $100 incl. > office visit ), vs. putting one in myself? > > Jeff The dentist would normally numb the tooth, remove the decay, and then place the temporary filling. This would pretty much halt any further decay. Do-it-yourself treatment just places a blob of temporary material over all of the decay. It will not be sealed and the decay process can continue. Again, I don't know how serious your problem is over the internet. The tooth may already be hopeless. The tooth may already need a root canal, but be salvagable. The tooth may only need a filling today, but need a root canal in 6 more weeks. The tooth may not need anything more than a filling if treated in the next year. Fawks |
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