Pain after filling - crown or root canal (or both)?

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zichova@gmail.com - 19 May 2006 18:56 GMT

Hi,

here's my story: I am 26 and most of the 9 fillings I have I got during
elementary school, so they're some 15-20 years old. They're all
amalgams. I moved to Atlanta, got a new dental plan and a new dentist.
This new dentist gave me a list of 7 fillings that needed replacement.
I thought it was just because the amalgams were old, so I said, OK,
let's start with the right side.

The dentist removed amalgam fillings in #2, 30 and 31, and replaced
them with white composites. Looked great, until I ate. I had a sharp
pain in #31 with each bite. The other two teeth were fine. I came back
to the dentist, she first shaped the filling in #2, and put a sealant
on top of the filling on #31. Still in her office, when I pressed on
the #31 with my finger, it still shot pain (less than before, but
still). She said, let's give it a week and we'll see. When I got home,
I realized suddenly had the same pain in #2.

I waited a week, now with 2 teeth aching, and then called in for
another appoinment. While waiting for the appoinment, #30 began
shooting the same kind of pain down the tooth like the other two. My
appoinment is coming up in 3 days.

I really wish I had never had the amalgams removed in the first place.
I feel that my teeth were OK before (at least they didn't hurt at all).
I can't imagine all of a sudden getting three crowns.

I would appreciate if someone could tell me what my options are.

1. Will removing the white composites and replacing them back with
amalgams help?
2. Will I need a root canal (or better, three root canals)?
3. Will I need crows?
4. Will I need root canals AND crowns?
5. Should the dentist charge the insurance company or should I demand
that she fixes that for free (I guess she didn't do it on purpose, but
still... it's kind of her fault)?

I just feel that I'm too young to have all this work done (root canals
and crowns), and really, with those old amalgams, I had no problems at
all. I'm certainly not going to let her replace the remaining fillings
from her to-do list.

Thanks a lot for any help!

Adela

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Bill - 19 May 2006 20:17 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 42 lines]
>
> Adela

________________________________

I hope you chose this dentist by careful selection by recommendations
from your family and friends, acquaintances at work or from your church
-- people you know you can trust.

If you make a selection ONLY because the dentist is on your "dental
plan," may God help you.

Dental plans take any dentist who signs up. That's no recommendation at
all.

Good dentists, poor dentists, and the best dentist in town can all be
on your dental plan (unless it's an HMO-type capitation plan, and then
the best dentists usually don't sign up). In order to tell who is
worthy of your consideration, you have to ask about the dentist's
reputation, and ask patients who have had a lot of experience with the
dentist.

Fillings don't need to be replaced unless they actually show cracks,
decay, or leakage of oral fluids. Age alone is not enough reason,
because the replacement of any filling enlarges the filling and weakens
the tooth.

Composite resin fillings are VERY "technique-sensitive." That means
they have to be done very carefully according to an exact plan, or
there's a lot that can go wrong. They are much more difficult for a
dentist to place correctly than the old-fashioned amalgam fillings were
back in their day.

Sometimes the bonding process does not "take" properly, and the filling
can cause pain, requiring replacement of the filling. I don't know if
that is the case with your new fillings, but you should ask your
dentist at the next appointment.

Best regards,
- dentaldoc

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