Any dentists/dental-knowledgeable people around? WWYD here?

[Patienceisntvirtuous]

Some time ago I went for a check up. Was X-Rayed etc, told that nothing was wrong but one of my old fillings might need replacing soon just because It's old, nothing wrong with it currently but that 'we may as well get it done' so I booked in and had this old amalgam filling taken out and a new one put in.

It never settled-it was very painful afterwards but I thought they quite often are. When a few weeks had passed and it was still painful I went back and they ground it down somewhat. I don't really understnad what they meant but they said that it was quite a lot of filling and it may be 'catching'.

Not long after this I was in absolute agony, could not drink anything hot or cold unless I was scrupulously careful to not get it on that side of my mouth, for weeks!

One morning I woke up and the pain was just unbearable. This was over xmas. I got an emergency appointment where they X-rayed it, couldn't find anything wrong with it but took an impression to do a mouth guard for me 'that may or may not work' and said that I might need a root canal 'which may or may not work' either.

Over time the pain subsided and I thought I'd got lucky (I didn't ever collect the mouth guard and they refused to post it to me-my dentist is a 2 hr drive away) but over the past few days I've had an odd taste in my mouth and my tooth just feels weird. Not painful just not quite normal. If I touch the gum associated with that tooth it feels odd, too-not painful just odd in a way I am struggling to describe.

I rang the dentist and they said to come in on an emergency appointment. I booked today off and then the actual dentist himself (not my usual one) rang back -said I'd need either the tooth removing or a root canal-which would I prefer? I said neither and I was livid as my tooth was absolutely fine before they fucked about with it replaced the filling. I also said as I am not actually in pain, to which he replied that there's no point coming in today as they were just going to perhaps take some of the nerve out and 'dress' the tooth but I'd still have to come back in and either have the root canal or have the tooth removed.

I am so upset and angry! The expense, pain- travelling back and forth to dentist, and now more of the same-I've never had a root canal, only a couple of fillings in my whole life (I'm in my 40s) and now they've done this.

Some friends have suggested I get a second opinion and see if this tooth actually NEEDS a root canal/removal according to another dentist.
Some have suggested I sue this dentist-stating they did the filling unnecessarily just to get £ out of me and left me in pain.

Ugh.
Can anyone help?

As an aside It's a private dentist, if that's important.

Following. I have had similar and I can’t eat on that side at the moment.

Very odd to remove/replace a filling just because it's old. By virtue of it being old and causing no problems it's doing well. If it was cracked / leaking that's one thing but it doesn't sound like it was!

I would definitely seek a second opinion.

You do not replace fillings unless there is an issue, I was a dental nurse when young. I recently had a check up. I have a very ancient filling of almost 40 years old, it has the tiniest chip, no issue. It’s just being watched and kept an eye on.

What tooth is it?

The catching thing means the filling was too high so every time you chew or grind your teeth together and when sleeping especially your jaw is not closing completely and may be a bit off kilter. Mouth guards are used for people that grind their teeth at night for pain reasons for a condition called TMJ, tempro mandibular joint dysfunction. It can cause awful jaw, face and neck pain and headaches. I grind my teeth when stressed at night and get pain a couple of times a year as so infrequent I do not bother with a mouth guard.

I have covid and feel a bit crap so I hope that all makes sense.
I would want a second opinion no idea how you sue a dentist though.

Thank you both. It is definitely what they said, It's old so we may as well replace it as it'll need doing at some point!

Would the 'catching' cause pain? Because that's what they decided was causing the pain, doesn't seem it would but I'm no expert!

I don't grind my teeth as far as I know.

It's a back molar.

Op I don't know what to say but I think you need to find a new dentist. I was having doubts about the one I went to last year and having been to a different one since I'm in shock at how bad my first one was (and gutted because I found him on fb through a mum's group where everyone goings on about how brilliant and cheap he is). Best of luck with it all, I hate teeth!

This exact thing happened to me after I had an old filling replaced on their recommendation and I ended up having the tooth removed because I couldn't bear the pain or the thought of them digging around again. I would definitely get a second opinion.

I had a filling which felt loose - went back to the (NHS) dentist who did it - twice over a year and he said there was nothing wrong. One afternoon had an excruciating pain which was so bad I asked my (private) dentist then boyfriend to have a look - he poked the filling, it fell straight out (!) to reveal a lot of decay and infection underneath! I had a root filling which was fine for about 18 months then that got infected so I had to have another one. Its been fine ever since.

I was warned that the reason root fillings don't always work (if the dentist is good then 95% do apparently!) is that the roots are teeny tiny and can't always be properly cleaned. If a microbe gets stuck in the very bottom it can grow over time and cause problems. Sounds like your private dentist went to the same place as my NHS dentist! Hope you get it sorted quickly. x

If a filling is very deep, removing/replacing it may have exposed the pulp (inner nerve), in which case generally yes root canal treatment would be needed. (In the same way before a very big filling the patient should be warned root canal treatment might be required). The dentist should always make the patient aware of this when doing a deeper filling.

Do you have copies of their pre-op x ray for the tooth in question?

I am wondering if I should ask for copies of the X Rays and pre-appointment stuff before going to a new dentist and asking them for their opinion. Or perhaps I could just go for a checkup at a new dentist, not tell them anything at all and see what they say. I'm booked in for the root canal in May, now so I've got a bit of time.

Also I rang the dentist back and asked them for antibiotics to at least help stave off the infection or stop one forming at all. They originally refused saying they'd have to see me but I wasn't having it and they relented and posted me some (along with the mouth guard which I haven't used as I am worried it'll irritate the tooth more and perhaps cause an infection to escalate-having typed that, perhaps I should use it as it may help the tooth? Ugh, don't know?) so I have been taking those and hopefully they'll help. I hate being on antibiotics but this is a necessary reason I think.

Apologies, I've been really busy and not got back to the thread in good time-but sincere thank you to everyone who has responded!

It sounds like they irritated the nerve when they did the new filling, the nerve got so irritated that it died and now the tooth is probably dying.

I would find a root canal specialist and go and go and see them for a second opinion.

Sounds like the nerve has died after having the old filling replaced. Unfortunately, it can happen and the dead nerve is now causing the tooth chronic inflammation/possible infection. It’s likely that your dentist is now correct with the current options, root canal treatment (not always successful) or extraction. Very unlikely that anything else will work long term, sorry.

I have had the exact same scenario, I did have the root canal, sought a second opinion and needed it. They said in their view they did the right thing trying to save the tooth with the initial filling and sometimes it happens. It was bloody horrible and if it's at the back personally I'd just have it out. Mine was in a more prominent location so cosmetically I didn't want it removed but if it was at the back then yeah I'd definitely consider that. Considerably cheaper too!

If I have it removed I'll have to get an implant I think. Depending on what it looks like. I am so mad with them! Grr. Another thing on my never ending list of things to sort out but I will find a root canal specialist and/or a different private dentist and ask them to have a look. Thanks so much for all your help everyone.

A couple more questions-should I get a second opinion via telling a new dentist the truth? About what's happened-or should I just go in like any normal new patient and just ask for a checkup.

I have requested the X Rays from my current dentist.
Has anyone any experience of an implant-I am assuming I'd have to wait a while after extraction before getting an implant anyway.
How do they anaesthatise you for an implant?
Also my dentist has a 'pain free' claim. They call themselves 'Home of Pain Free dentistry' but left me in absolute agony. So annoyed. It has crossed my mind to take this further as it didn't need doing.

Just coming back to my old thread to say that I went to a different dentist for a second opinion. They said I had been very unfortunate as he could see that the filling I had was a 'low risk' one but unfortunately this has happened. He steered me away from getting an implant. Told me that your own teeth are always better for your mouth. Said It's probably stopped hurting now because the nerves/tooth are dying and that it'll start giving me grief again at some point. I am due to go back to my dentist in April to get the treatment (probably a root canal) done.

WIBU to ask for a different dentist to the one who fucked it up put me in so much pain with the filling last time? Or should I just accept that we all make mistakes, it wasn't her fault, and let her root canal me (if that's deemed necessary as I am not sure yet)?

Hi OP, I’ve just had a root canal for a tooth where an old filling decayed and a cavity formed behind. I had it done with the root canal specialist and I am really glad I paid extra for this. Can you have yours done by the specialist?

If you are going to a private dentist, is there a reason that you are travelling two hours away? (Of course you might live very rurally etc.)
I live in a smallish place and there are a few private dentists. If I wasn’t happy, I’d move.

@Useruseruserusee How would I go about that, will my own dentist have a speciaist? I guess I can look on the website. Thank you-going to do that now!
@Mouthfulofquiz because they use the wand rather than needles. I cannot have needles in my mouth. I find the pain excruciating, and they make me faint 9 times out of ten. I've tried all sorts to get used to it and I just cannot put myself through it any more. :) I have tried to find a closer dentist who have the wand, to no avail unfortunately.

There doesn't seem to be a root canal specialist at the dentist I go to. I guess I could email them and ask, and if there is, ask that that's who I see?
I just don't want any more pain or damage to the tooth.

I'm about to go back and see the dentist that did this to my tooth. I've said I want a consultation before the root canal. I don't think I want the same dentist doing a root canal, who did this, I can't see that there's a root canal specialist at my dentist but would it necessarily stipulate that on the website?

I'm going to ask how they're going to uphold their' pain free' claim when my gum is so tender following this incident which has caused me so much pain and stress, while carrying out this treatment, if that's what they're wanting to do. And I'm going to tell tell in no uncertain terms how upset I am! Thanks again for all who have helped.