Advice Needed

TheBody

Hi all. I've an issue I'd like opinions on.

I'm luckly enough to have great teeth. I'm 32 years old and never had a filling. The only dental work I've had is an impacted wisdon tooth removed 3 years ago (in the dental hospital in Dublin). I haven't missed my annual checkup in 10 years. I've been going to the same dentist all this time and always found her to be excellent. Having said that, all she has done is say my teeth are great and give them a scale and polish.

In the last year I moved down the country and am now just over an hour from my usual dentist. Last week I had a dull pain in my left jaw. I decided to try a dentist closer to home to check out the problem. This new dentist said I have a massive cavity in the back tooth on the top (on the left) and will require root canal treatment. He said it would have taken years to get this big and is amazed that my usual dentist didn't see it. He gave me antibiotics and painkillers and sent me on my way to think about it.

What I'm wondering is did my regular dentist really screw up? Should my regular dentist have spotted it or could the cavity have occured in the year since I've been last? I'm furious that I'm facing a bill of €500 odd for a root canal that should have been avoided. At any rate I made an appointment with my regular dentist to give her the chance to explain herself.

Sorry for the long post!!

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Was your previous dentist taking X-rays every few check up to check for decay?

TheBody

Camden Immense Grail wrote: »

Was your previous dentist taking X-rays every few check up to check for decay?

To the best of my recollection, the last time time I had an x-ray on my teeth was 2-3 years ago and I think that was to check on how the extraction on the wisdom tooth went. I was definitely getting lots of x-rays back then because the dentist was concerned about the wisdon tooth rotting the tooth beside it. Perhaps she neglected the others because she was concentrating on the wisdon tooth. Should x-rays be taken each year? For what it's worth, the new dentist was amazed that it wasn't spotted earlier. I just don't know who to believe. As I said earlier, I have always been happy with my old dentist and I know nothing about the new dentist.

Thanks for your reply.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Decay can develop quickly from not detectable to cavitated in a short period, if you didn't have any other filling there would be little to raise the suspicion of the previous dentist. Sounds like that dentist was looking after your teeth, I would travel back to them to get an opinion as they know your teeth better than this new dentist.

TheBody

Camden Immense Grail wrote: »

Decay can develop quickly from not detectable to cavitated in a short period, if you didn't have any other filling there would be little to raise the suspicion of the previous dentist. Sounds like that dentist was looking after your teeth, I would travel back to them to get an opinion as they know your teeth better than this new dentist.

As I said I always though my old dentist was excellent. She would make you feel like you were the only patient she had. Really gentle and friendly.

So it is possible that on the date of my last check up (June 2012) there would be no noticable decay and now require a root canal?

I have an appointment with my old dentist on Tuesday.

I really appreciate the reply.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

One dentist idea of a root canal is anothers filling. Dentists opinions differ. People who change dentist often get more treatment than those that dont. Best visit you regular dentist and explain the story and ask for a second opinion.

TheBody

Thanks again for all your help.