Hi there,

I have been getting dental work done for the first time in my life. I have a great fear of anything mouth-related, mainly because I have TMJ - I can't keep my mouth wide open for any long period of time - and my jaw pain can bring on a chain reaction that causes hideous migraines.

I'm having all my cavities (which all but 1 are shallow) done with lasers.

I have gone four times in the last month, still have two more appts to go until I am finished. As I have more work done, I am in more pain. I can not eat any solids, I can't chew! It started after the first four teeth were lasered and filled and got worse as I got more done. Now, I am taking the max dose of motrin and aleve and am still in pain.

I experience a searing, sharp, almost electric shock pain in my teeth and my gums are super sensitive to anything hot or cold.

The thing is, the dentist DX'd me with gingivitis (sp) and keeps telling me that is the cause of my pain (when really, the discomfort started after he was finished that awful gum pick test on me during my initial exam over a month ago). He said that it's only due to my gum disease and that the pain will fade within a few days. That never happened. It got worse and worse. I complained more. Now he says it's still due to my gums but won't go away until I have this elaborate, expensive gum procedure done (some kind of planing and scaling, I think he called it).

What I get upset about is that if I have this gum disease, wouldn't I have been in pain before? I have never EVER experienced a tooth ache or any kind of gum sensitivity UNTIL I started getting treatment!!

I couldn't eat Christmas dinner. I've been living on room temp mashed potatoes and apple sauce. I can't even press my tongue down on some of the teeth, the pain is so shocking, it jolts me.

Anyone out there have any idea why this is happening and what I can do about it? Has anyone else had this kind of reaction to laser treatments?

I don't go back until mid Jan. I don't know what to do, I'm a bit panicky.

I wanted to mention that I also seem to have at least four large sore spots in my mouth, ulser type things, two are on my tongue, the side that he worked on last. Why would that be happening? Did he laser my tongue by accident? Was it that tongue presser, did it cut me?

I'm in so much pain and discomfort. Any help, advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!!

Hi again... Um, does anyone know of anything I can do for this? Anyone experience this and it got better??

Since I posted this I've been put on penicillan (sp) in case I have an infection. In case. I went for a check up due to all the pain I'm in and the dentist did the tapping test and air/water test and since somehow they didn't bother me, he doesn't know why I'm having so much difficulty eating. He said the tapping test is what always kills patients and it did nothing for me. But it's not the same as when I eat something hard, like gravely, for example. If I have to bite down on something solid, esp in the middle of my teeth that have been worked on, it's sooooo painful. Sugar and cold hurts too. It shocks me instantly and tears roll down my face. PLEASE, can anyone relate to this or have any advice on what I should do? I go back in a week and a half for the last four teeth the be lasered and filled. I'm dreading it big time. And my jaw, it still hurts and swells up when I chew or talk for a while. I'm done the antibiotic, now just loading up on motrin or aleve every few hours. It's really upsetting me.

Anyone!? :-( Can someone advise me on what next to say to the dentist in order to get proper help??

Amby: I have no idea what's going on with you but after reading your message, if I were you, I wouldn't go back to get the rest done. Go get a 2nd opinion or go to an ENT (ear, nose and throat) doctor. Good luck to you poor thing!

What do you mean you're having "cavities done with lasers?" Explain exactly what you had done, ok? Yes; you are a poor thing. I really feel sorry for you.
My father, God rest his soul, said that "dentists are the lowest form of human life." I never said it! He said it! I certainly do not agree with him. But I also know that, yes, they are only human. They Can make mistakes. And they also go to seminars to "learn the latest techniques." And SOMEONE has to be their first patient (or victim , whatever) :yawn: Just as with any trade: dentistry takes PRACTICE.

Thank you both very much for responding.

I actually go back tomorrow morning to get the last four done. It's been so difficult for me. I'm over the "I can't stand these mashed potatoes anymore!" All I care about now is getting back to my normal, pain free mouth.

To explain what I had done -

14 "shallow" cavities were found. I had two then four fillings done at a time with a laser - meaning no drill was involved, I had all the new technology stuff done, with the lasers, no niccotene, etc. It's much quicker and relatively painless (until of course the next day, for me)

The dentist lasers out the cavity, he then fills it with some enamel stuff that looks just like the tooth. This dental practice is a place that is 100% "high tech denistry"...they have TV commericals, good reputations, they were recommended, etc.

They are very nice but all this pain has made me feel so awful about the whole thing. I am absolutely dreading tomorrow. They can be as nice as can be but the fact that I've NEVER had any dental or gum pain in my life before this, and now, after they supposedly are fixing my teeth, I'm suffering so much...It's really maddening! I wish I never went in the first place, but, I know they had to be taken care of before they got worse. Right?

So. I'm scared I'll never be able to bite down again on something hard or crumby or cold or hot or sugary. I wonder if my jaw pain will ever go away on it's on. My TMJ hadn't bothered me in so long. I warned them about it, they said I shouldn't be worried about it. Ha. I wonder if they will never find what is wrong with me, if they will just keep saying it's my supposed gum disease that they found (that pic test showed my some of my pockets were higher than the norm) and that it should "fade away in time".

Which reminds me, when they did that gum disease test on me with the pic, it hurt very much and made my gums bleed a lot. After that, they haven't been the same either. They ache, throb, burn, are super sensitive, bleed - and the dentist keeps saying it's because of my gingivitis. But if I have had this disease, why is is just now bothering me so much? AFTER they did the test!? Why now would I have such a searing, shocking pain?? Wouldn't I have always felt it? It just doesn't make sense to me. It's like they don't know why and keep blaming it on this gum crap disease I have!

I went back for a check up due to my complaining of pain, and they put me on antibiotics... Then later the called in motrin 800 for the pain. The motrin does NOTHING for the teeth pain and sensitivity and throbbing. It does work, however, for my jaw - it makes the swelling go down and allows me to move it without pain. I am going to have to get more, of course, they only gave me 5 days worth. I don't want to have to take meds forever in order to eat and sleep, though.

One more thing is that out of the blue, my teeth, esp the four or five front bottom and two top front (that were NOT worked on, have nothing wrong with them, are straight and clean) will start throbbing and feel like a searing hot pin is going into their gums. What the hell could that be?!

I'm so lost. Furious. Sad. I don't know what to do.

I'm not gonna be as nice as I have been to them tomorrow - I'm not going to worry about being polite. I must demand they help me, right? I have to get them to figure this out and in the mean while give me something that will help with all this discomfort??

Thanks for any help anyone can give. Thanks just for listening.

hi, I just got your reply. Maybe they didn't put a DESENSITIZER in the teeth underneath the fillings?? :nono: I doubt they'd ever admit to it so you are going to have to get a second opinion. The second opinion will xray your lasered teeth and very possibly know what if anything was ommited.
Good Luck and please get back here after you have a second opinion, ok?

Thanks for the replies, they are appreciated.

I actually saw my dentists associate, and told him everything, he took xrays, examined me, gave me his opinion, etc. He said that my pain and sensitivity is either due to the shock of the teeth and gums being worked on (plus my so-called gum disease) OR my teeth are negativly reacting to the type of fillings I have (they aren't metal, they are the same color as my teeth, a type of enamel or something) He said to give it a month (which it's been) to see if they get any better, and if not, I could choose to have them all removed (fillings) and replaced with the basic metal ones, free of charge.

I haven't had any replaced because they have gotten better. Not 100%. But better. Still though, there's these two teeth, bottom right, that had shallow cavities, cleaned out with partical spray and filled with the enamel stuff, and they hurt like hell when something cold or hot hits them, plus, I notice it's very easy to get food stuck between them ever since they worked on me. Why?!

I had no teeth/gum pain ever until I started getting them fixed. How can they possibly blame my teeth pain/gum sensitivity on my gum disease when, if I had this disease, I should have had the pain all along? They diagnose me, work on me, and then I get all the pain. It can't be from this gum problem I supposedly have 'cos I would have felt it before my dental work, right??

Ah. I just want relief. I'm lucky, the pain isn't as intense and I've been able to eat solids again, just very carefully.

I'm still getting stuff done - it's such a slow process! They're on my last tooth to be worked on, the one that was seriously decayed (root canal needed).
Right now I have a temp cap on and am just waiting it out til my next appt.

Isn't dental work FUN?!

<<sigh>>

BTW, one more thing regarding my TMJ/Jaw pain/stiffness...

After every appt, my jaw would be very sore, feel almost out of place, and swollen. The sides of my mouth even got chapped, cracked and split, and had redness for days. Every time, I'd go home, and be in so much pain more from my jaw then the teeth that were worked on. With every appt came more stiffness and a locked feeling. After each one I felt more and more panicky, that I would push my jaw over it's limit and get it locked or throw it out of alignment. (knock on wood, that hasn't happened)

I placed hot compresses on my face, took motrin, and the swelling and stiffness eventually went away - even after this latest visit when I couldn't even open my mouth wide enough to brush my teeth for a week - my jaw eventually healed and was able to open again. Right now, I'm almost totally able to open my mouth to yawn big. That's great 'cos I was real scared that I would have to postpone my next appt on the 22nd.

So to those suffering from the jaw pain and soreness and stiffness, wait it out, it does get better (as long as it's just from holding it open long for the dentist and you have mild TMJ/TMD) If you're anything like me, I know it's very scary and you want to panic and quit the rest of your procedures, but that doesn't help as the stress and tension really builds in your jaw muscles and letting the rest of the work go will only make matters worse in the long run. Stay relaxed, drink your meals, don't try to open your mouth wide to yawn or talk. Ask your dentist for prescription strength motrin, it worked wonders on my jaw (did more for my jaw pain than for my teeth pain).

I'm thankful for this board, it's a great thing to be able to communicate with others who are experiencing the same stuff.

:)

Hi Amby. Gosh, you've been through a lot. I did too. You can read about it if you want, it's posted somewhere in here. Bottom line, I made my dentist take the enamel filling out and put back in the silver one. I think my body was just rejecting it. You might want to think about putting the silver back in. I'm sorry about your TMJ. That is not a fun thing to have. When's your next appointment?

Hi debberd2, how ya doing?

My next appt is this Tuesday, the 22nd. It should be where I'm getting the new crown I guess they call it? Right now I've got a temp on the tooth that had the root canal (not as bad as I thought it'd be, really just horrible on my jaw). Thankfully, I've had no gum pain or bleeding from the area (he warned me that since they sliced away at the gumline, I'd probably have soreness and bleeding).

Yeah, I feel like I've been through a lot! lol I'm sorry you have too, I feel ya. It's not something I ever want to go through again. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Tues will be my last appt until I get word on if my insurance will cover the gum scaling and planing procedure (or maybe I'll call them myself to see if they're gonna help pay for it, though the thought of more visits make me cringe).

How does your tooth feel after getting it replaced with metal? Are you happy you did that? Was it rough getting the other filling removed (how exactly do they do that?)

I'm hoping it won't come to that, 'cos I feel my teeth have been through enough. I read somewhere that you want the minmum amount of work done, that the least little procedure disturbs teeth/their structure.

They didn't even really ask what kind I wanted... they basically told. I remember my dentists assistant telling me that they do the enamel to everyone who has shallow cavities, regardless if they request it or not for looks.
She said, why drill the tooth when it's not necessary? Plus, this practice prides themselves on being "high tech" and "pain free denistry", so they like to stay away from drilling and mercury. I guess that's a good thing.

Hi Amby: Are we ever going to be done??? I noticed after getting the metal put back in. The root canal pain (it's been one month today) is really angering me (as you understand). I don't know why it's bothering me so much when the tooth is supposed to be dead. Still waiting a bit before I go spend more $$$ to get the crown. How did it go last Tuesday???