I see my daughter has already signed up and posted here......unfortunately it won't let me make my own account, because we're using the same computer, so I guess I'll just post under this one and explain to my daughter later.

Anyway, here goes. I hadn't been to the dentist in a long time, probably 15 years or so (yes, I know it's bad!), but recently I got a toothache that just wouldn't go away so I had to face my fears and go. So I found out I have 6 cavities - yikes! But it has been a long time since I went, and I did suspect I had at least 3 or 4 before I went from looking at my teeth in the mirror.

Anyway, I went today to have the first two filled, the one that's been giving me the toothache and another in the same quadrant and it was a different dentist doing the fillings. She had a good look around, and then said that she thinks I need even more done!!! The first dentist told me I had quite a few teeth with what looked like very early decay, but we would just keep an eye on them and see what happened. This second dentist today had a good poke and prod and says that some of them really do need filled now, that she wouldn't be happy leaving them because they're actually deeper than they look. So my question is - who do I believe? I'd like to believe the first dentist, because let's face it, although being told you have 6 cavities is bad, it's not as bad as being told you have 11!!!! However, if they're just going to get worse and need fillings later, I'd rather have them done now when they're not causing any problems, and when I'm getting a whole load of work done anyway. It wouldn't be any extra injections this way, I'm getting work done in all four quadrants anyway. But do they actually need fillings or not?

Did either of them do actual xrays of the teeth in question? I think I'd be a little hesitant to just go poking and drilling without confirmation of how serious it is. It wouldn't be too nice to think its just a minor cavity, go drilling and find out its something a lot more serious (ie, a root canal). xrays would be a good idea to really know what you are dealing with. Also, I think I would go for having a cavity filled sooner than later - better than letting it turn into something serious. And like you say, better to have it all done while you are already numbed up ;)

The first dentist did do x-rays of all my teeth, because it had been so long since I was last there. That's how he picked up a couple of cavities in between the teeth. He did show me the x-rays, pointed out the 6 cavities, and they must be fairly big because they were pretty obvious even to my untrained eye!!! He did say that the tooth that had been bothering me MIGHT need a root canal, but that they'd try to save it just with a large filling - well that was done yesterday and it seems to have done the job.

When I asked the second dentist about the x-rays she said that they're not very good for detecting early cavities on the biting surfaces of the teeth, they're better for detecting cavities between the teeth. And she said that the early cavities on the biting surfaces of my teeth are mainly picked up by visual examination and if the explorer "sticks" in the teeth, which in my case it apparently did. I've tried to look on the internet, but haven't had much luck, I'm still very confused as to which dentist to believe!!!

Believe them both.

It sounds like the first dentist is aware that there certainly can be other problems but he's not in a hurry to fix them. He'd rather fix the obvious now, and then wait til the others become real problems or show up on the xray. This also ensures that the patient who has been avoiding regular visits, returns.

The second dentist is more proactive and would rather get it all done while your mouth is already frozen. Small cavities without treatment will only get worse in time. Better to treat them now when the work would be less invasive.

It's a personal choice and I'd opt for dentist #2!!! Good luck!

My advice would be to believe the second one. Just start with the worst problems first. They should be able to give you a list of what needs to be done and it should start with the worst problems first. It can be spaced out. That is what my dentist did for me. I have to have about $5800.00 worth of work done on my teeth and I am spacing it out over the next six months. I also did not go for a while (five years). Live and learn. I used to go to a dentist that would only fix a tooth or two at a time and I think it is better to just get it done and over with as soon as possible. A small cavity can get big fast and then a lot of times you end up needing a root canal which is not 100% affective, it has a 10% failure rate. Good luck on what ever you decide to do.

Go for the second dentist, but make sure that you don't leave it 15 years next time! A check-up every year is sufficient.

I think I'd go with dentist #2 also. Sounds like both gave you good advice, its now just a matter of personal decision. Glad to hear that the tooth that was causing you problems has responded well to the filling!

Yeah, I had a "small" cavity that turned HUGE crater like in one year, and I opted to have it pulled-it was a back molar-but caused a lot of pain overnight, and I had little or no warning that it was getting that big! So get all the baby ones fixed, maybe you can space it out over a year or so even, since you do still have time..

Hi! I would go with dentist number 2 also.... just to avoid any of the small cavities turning into a big cavity, which could need a root canal (both expensive und not a sure fix). I remember years ago reading an article where readers digest sent one man to many different dentists and getting as many different opinions as dentists!

I see my daughter has already signed up and posted here......unfortunately it won't let me make my own account, because we're using the same computer, so I guess I'll just post under this one and explain to my daughter later.

Anyway, here goes. I hadn't been to the dentist in a long time, probably 15 years or so (yes, I know it's bad!), but recently I got a toothache that just wouldn't go away so I had to face my fears and go. So I found out I have 6 cavities - yikes! But it has been a long time since I went, and I did suspect I had at least 3 or 4 before I went from looking at my teeth in the mirror.

Anyway, I went today to have the first two filled, the one that's been giving me the toothache and another in the same quadrant and it was a different dentist doing the fillings. She had a good look around, and then said that she thinks I need even more done!!! The first dentist told me I had quite a few teeth with what looked like very early decay, but we would just keep an eye on them and see what happened. This second dentist today had a good poke and prod and says that some of them really do need filled now, that she wouldn't be happy leaving them because they're actually deeper than they look. So my question is - who do I believe? I'd like to believe the first dentist, because let's face it, although being told you have 6 cavities is bad, it's not as bad as being told you have 11!!!! However, if they're just going to get worse and need fillings later, I'd rather have them done now when they're not causing any problems, and when I'm getting a whole load of work done anyway. It wouldn't be any extra injections this way, I'm getting work done in all four quadrants anyway. But do they actually need fillings or not?


When person comes into a dental office, and it has been a long time, the chances are that after the pain is taken care of they may not return for an equally long time.

So do you have the small fillings treated as well as the larger ones, I would suggest that you treat all, and then be thankful that you can go so long without having to have dental treatment.

I just wanted to add that it might be a good idea to ask for composite or white fillings instead of the silver kind. Even though they're making them without mercury these days it's really not so healthy to have the metal in your mouth. A study along time ago found that women who had the silver fillings removed had higher T Cell count( a part of your immune system.) than when the fillings were in the mouth. I'm having mine removed. If you decide to have them removed be sure your dentist knows not to vaporize them and take proper precautions. A lot of dentists don't!

Is the 2nd dentist part of a clinic?

Thanks everyone for your advice. I guess I have to just bite the bullet and get them all done........11 fillings........man, that's a lot of work (not to mention money - between my 11 cavities and my daughter's 5 we're going to end up bankrupt!!) Oh well, 2 down, 9 to go, and the worst one has already been done thankfully.

In answer to the question above, both dentists are in the same practice, there are 4 of them altogether in the practice, and I assumed I'd be seeing the same one throughout my treatment, but he was off ill when I went to have the first fillings done and since I was in pain, rather than cancel my appointment they squeezed me in with on of the others, who then decided I needed more work than originally planned.

Thanks everyone for your advice. I guess I have to just bite the bullet and get them all done........11 fillings........man, that's a lot of work (not to mention money - between my 11 cavities and my daughter's 5 we're going to end up bankrupt!!) Oh well, 2 down, 9 to go, and the worst one has already been done thankfully.

In answer to the question above, both dentists are in the same practice, there are 4 of them altogether in the practice, and I assumed I'd be seeing the same one throughout my treatment, but he was off ill when I went to have the first fillings done and since I was in pain, rather than cancel my appointment they squeezed me in with on of the others, who then decided I needed more work than originally planned.

Believe me I know what you are going through. I am in the process of getting $5800.00 worth of work done as we speak. Started with a toothache, went in to find out I had cracked the tooth to the nerve and had to have an emergency root canal, waiting for crown. I then decided I had better get my teeth cleaned and x-rays only to find out I have some more cracked teeth that need fixed and another root canal on another tooth for a cavity that was touching the nerve. All in all I had 4 cavities and 5 cracked teeth. 3 done 6 to go.