Am I right to be so worried? Dental OPG

[BroadBeanie]

The dentist has referred me for a dental X-ray at the hospital. She didn’t really say why other than one of my wisdom teeth has a weird cavity in that it it is at the side of the tooth rather than were you would normally expect.

Anyway, the X-ray appointment has come through and it is in 2 weeks. I’m on a 2 week wait for a suspected cancer referal for a different health issue and the speed of this X-ray is freaking me out. Everything other than cancer seems to take so long to be seen by anyone in the NHS.

Am I just being a complete anxious mess for being worried about this like my DH seems to think? Or could the OPG be needed because of a suspected more sinister reason? Would they have told me if it was?

I tried calling the dental practice today but didn’t really help. The receptionist said when it’s urgent they see people quickly. This didn’t help my anxiety. (She couldn’t see my notes and the dentist in question is now on holiday).

I wouldn’t be concerned. The opg is just a better xray than the ones they do at the dentist and the cone ones (with the awful thing in your mouth) can’t really reach right to the back of your wisdom teeth. It will be because the dentist doesn’t have the OPG machine there. Our referrals are done usually within a week or two just a quick appointment

Thank you - why would an X-ray be needed of the tooth? They have already filled it even though the cavity was sideways so seems a bit odd. But obviously I know nothing about teeth

Just to see how far the decay goes down? Make sure they’ve filled it adequately? Make sure there’s nothing going on at the root etc. it’s a picture of your whole mouth, jaw to jaw so just an all round picture of your teeth really
I hope that’s put your mind at rest x