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Original poster

Really worried after my visit to the dentist today, can anyone advise?

54 replies

spacecadet · 15/03/2006 12:58

I went for my usual check up today, and to my horror the dentist said id lost half a tooth!, he took a picture and showed me the still and basically i have a filling in one of my top back molars and one side of the tooth has cracked, dropped off and the filling is exposed. the dentist said id lost most of the tooth and had to be careful that the filling didnt come out, he said the filling was already crumbling and hed have to refill it and seal round, trouble is, he cant do it for 4 months and when i asked about possible dangers with the filling, he just gave me a leaflet, but im very worried about possible effects from having the filling exposed, im also worried it will just drop out, or i might swallow it!

OP posts:
Original poster
spacecadet · 15/03/2006 14:29

what a `miserable time for you loobie

OP posts:
CHICagoMUM · 15/03/2006 14:33

Would say that you are going to either need root canal treatment or the tooth removed. I would phone up and tell them its not settling and get an appt fairly soon. (and yes I am a dentist).

CHICagoMUM · 15/03/2006 14:35

It sounds as though you got decay beneath the filing which undermined it hence it broke. The decay is obviously very near the nerve, so although it has been dressed with a sedative the nerve isn't settling so it will need to be removed (root canal treatment)0 or if you don't want to do that the other option is to have the whole tooth removed.

Boopert · 15/03/2006 14:37

Ohh Chicago, can i just ask....what age should a child be seen by dentist? Blush
And will injections cause me major palpatations.... (VERY scared of dentists...)

desperateSCOUSEwife · 15/03/2006 14:38

sorry for thread hijack
boopert are your towels washedGrin
lol

Loobie · 15/03/2006 14:40

CM i have an appointment for april to see to the original broken filling anyway,do you think i will be able to wait till then or am i asking for more trouble??
Reading about root treatment on some other threads dont sound very nice at all would rather just go sytraight for pulling the tooth to be honest.

Boopert · 15/03/2006 14:41

PMSL! No, had to take a day off from wasting water and go to work.... Dh is keeping his eye on me.
But tomorrow i'll make sure i do at least 8 and leave the taps running....Grin

Original poster
spacecadet · 15/03/2006 14:42

boopert im not a dentsit obviously but i always take mine as soon as they have a substantial amount of teeth, dd is 19 months and she was seen for the first time today.

OP posts:
desperateSCOUSEwife · 15/03/2006 14:42

ok boopert Grin

CHICagoMUM · 15/03/2006 14:43

I generally start seeing kids from 2 onwards but advise parents to bring them (just at check up appointments) along to their own appts from birth.

Injections contain adrenaline so can case palpitations especially if you are already nervous. Dentists do carry anaesthetics that don't contain adrenaline so ask if that can be used instead.

starlover · 15/03/2006 14:43

loobie i was shit-scared of root canal treatment. everyone i know has had probs with it....

but my dentist reassured me and it was fine! in fact, it was soooooo easy and pain-free that I even persuaded my dentist-phobic friend to get hers done and hers is fine too!

would definitely say have the root canal rather than tooth pulled (which is what i tried to get my dentist to do! lol)

Boopert · 15/03/2006 14:44

Thankyou very much. Will now be brave and find a dentist....

Original poster
spacecadet · 15/03/2006 14:44

CM- you should have your own q and a thread!Grin

OP posts:
jasper · 15/03/2006 14:45

sc if the tooth is not sore it will probably be fine for 4 months, particularly as you had not noticed it was broken.
On no account ring back asking to be seen sooner claiming you are in pain. People do this at our practice and it completely clouds the diagnosis (the treatment for a sore broken tooth and a painless one is not the same)

I broke a cusp off my back tooth when pg with my daughter. I eventualy got it fixed when she was 4! Not that I recommend waiting that long but you know what they say about the cobbler's kids Grin

CHICagoMUM · 15/03/2006 14:45

All further questions will be answered \link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1375&threadid=155477&stamp=060315144353\here} Grin .

Original poster
spacecadet · 15/03/2006 14:46

lol-just seen that you already have CM!

OP posts:
jasper · 15/03/2006 14:47

there is currently a worldwide shortage of adrenaline free anaesthetic. Most of the practices I know have run out. CM let me know if you have a source.

CHICagoMUM · 15/03/2006 14:49

No source atm Jasper but we have a large stock (for once the incompetence of our ordering system has benfitted us) but once that runs out ?????

starlover · 15/03/2006 14:50

why is there a shortage?

Boopert · 15/03/2006 14:56

Oh thats me buggered then.....

jasper · 15/03/2006 15:02

the shortage is worldwide. I expect to see some on Ebay soon Smile

starlover · 15/03/2006 15:03

but why? now i have to google and find out what's happened to all the drugs and where they are! lol

CHICagoMUM · 15/03/2006 15:05

Jasper, are you still working in the nhs? If so what is your take on the new scheme? Our pct have given us an offer 20% less than our current earnings Angry .

Boopert · 15/03/2006 15:06

Where can you find a decent nhs dentist? Thats nice?? And gentle???

starlover · 15/03/2006 15:06

oh they've just stopped making it.. nothing sinister... how boring! lol

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