Backstory is that when I was a teenager my parents took me to a dentist, who was later struck-off or whatever they call it. She insisted on filling all my lower molars, telling my parents it was because I had 'dimples' that would inevitably lead to cavities. She then proceeded to remove so much tooth that I was left with mainly filling, with a thin shell of tooth around them.
I am now in my mid/late forties. In my twenties the corner of one my back left molar broke off. I had no pain and never have had, so didn't go to the dentist.
Then, about 7 years ago, the second to back molar on my right needed a root canal. I am terrified of dentists and resistant to local anaesthetic (family is just being investigated for Ehlers Danlos) but managed to get through it - just - with the help of a very nice dentist, (who actually said my teeth were in very good shape, especially for someone that actively avoids dentists ).
I had the root canal done during my maternity exemption, they left it with a temporary filling on top and I was due to go back for a crown, but was ill and by the time I was able to go back my exemption had ended and I couldn't afford to have it done. The temporary filling only fell out last summer, although the filling in the main part of the tooth is intact, it was the top bit in place of the crown that fell out. Again, we were broke and it wasn't causing any problems so I didn't go to get it fixed.
Part of the filling from the top of the back right molar came away late last year, but there was so much amalgam there that there was no hole and I never developed any pain from it. Then, a few weeks ago the corner broke off that tooth, again, no pain or problems and I couldn't pluck up courage to go and get it looked at. Then, this morning the corner came off the other molar on my left - no pain or problems with it and it was only the top of the corner.
Sooo, essentially, all four of my back molars (excluding my wisdom teeth) are damaged, three with corners that have broken off from around the mega fillings and one that had a root canal done 7 years ago, but has no filling or crown on the top.
I know I need to go and get this lot looked at. Quite apart from anything else I have sharp edges on both sides and of course there's the potential food/drink may get past the exposed filling edges and cause decay and/or infection.
But ... beside the financial implications, I am simply too scared to go. The nice dentist has left and the other one at our local dentist is downright rude and intimidating (haven't seen her myself, but have been told about her by lots of people).
I'm worried they will tell me they can't do anything or that I will need all those teeth drilled out and either crowned or root canalled, then crowned and I don't think I can cope with going through all that. I think the teeth have been weakened so much that this is just going to keep happening until I end up in a lot of pain or with abcesses and infections.
Not even sure why I'm posting really. Partly to see if any dentists can advise me and also in the hope there are some other people who are scared of dentists but have managed to get past it and have dental work done.
Any support/advice would be appreciated.
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General health
Help! Broken molars - anaesthetic resistance and fear of dentists.
11 replies
moosemama · 13/04/2016 16:06
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