I am quite worried about what’s going on. I will be the first to admit I do not like going to the dentist. I avoid it as much as possible. A couple of weeks ago I started getting a toothache. I went to see a dentist who is new to the area and has cheaper prices. He did an x-ray and said the tooth has a massive cavity under a previous filling. He also said he wouldn’t be sure if he could save the tooth until he got in there. He said if it had to be removed he would provide either a dental implant or a bridge. I have a few questions. Is it normal for a tooth to go bad this quickly? I am not good at the dentist at the best of times. If the tooth has to be removed, should I have it done at a hospital? Finally, which tooth replacement do you recommend?
Cady
Dear Cady,
Before you move forward on this I want you to get a second opinion. If your tooth was really as bad as he indicated, it would be a dental emergency and you would have been in pain for quite some time.
Plus, if the cavity was really that large he would not have needed an x-ray. There would have been a large hole and the filling likely would have fallen out.
When you get a second opinion make sure it is a blind second opinion. That means you don’t tell the second dentist who the dentist was or what he recommended for treatment. You want his unbiased opinion.
About Your Dental Anxiety
You are not alone in your fear of the dentist. The good news is, even if you had to have your tooth extracted (which I’m not convinced of) you won’t need to go to a hospital to have it done.
Instead, I would see a sedation dentist. Depending on the level of your anxiety you can either do nitrous oxide or oral conscious sedation. With the right sedation, you can get an anxiety-free appointment.
Replacing a Tooth
The top-of-the-line tooth replacement option would be the dental implant. However, if any of the adjacent teeth are in need of dental work, like a crown, it may make more sense to get a dental bridge. If the adjacent teeth are healthy, then go with the dental implant.
This blog is brought to you by Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.