Shadow on X-ray on roof of mouth.

[MerryInthechelseahotel]

I had a check at the dentist today and complained about my two front teeth. Behind them I get a very bad taste. That is the only symptom. The dentist took an X-ray and saw a shadow and wants to refer me to the hospital. I was so shocked, I was expecting him to say "you need to pay more attention to cleaning that area!" I never even asked him who I would be referred to and how long the appointment might be. Does anyone have any experience of this or have any ideas?

[QueenJulian]

Hi Merry, bumping this for you in the hope someone will be along to give you some advice. What I will say though is try not to google as you'll scare yourself silly and if it was me, I'd write a list of questions you want to ask then call the dentist as soon as the surgery is open.

[MerryInthechelseahotel]

Thank you QueenJulian I appreciate it too late about the googling though!

[MerryInthechelseahotel]

Thank you Itsmine I've no pain at all unfortunately, as that would put my mind at rest! Good idea about phoning them. I might try that on Monday.

[Mrsmorton]

You will almost certainly be referred to oral and maxillofacial surgery. A shadowy here is very often a cyst, there's a nerve canal between the front teeth (nasopalatine canal or incisive canal) that occasionally produces cysts. They're nothing to worry about. Try not to google too much, if it was something the dentist thought you needed to worry about you'd be seen very soon. I've seen a couple of things I was really worried about and the patent was seen in out patients within three days and all was fine. (A colleague did send someone straight to the consultant with what turned out to be a cornflake, that was when we were students but even then the consultant was happy!).

The x rays we take in the surgery are good at diagnosing some things but they are just a flat image of a snapshot in time.

[MerryInthechelseahotel]

Thanks for your answers. I really didn't know that Itsmine that shadows can just disappear. I hope that is the case.

Thanks MrsMorton I actually nearly sent you a pm instead of starting this thread as even though you don't know me, I have read you are a dentist! They certainly didn't say anything about time so I think that must bode well.