debberd2

Hi zuzu: Yes, my dentist of 13 years told me I needed to replace my 25 year old metal filling that never bothered me. I trusted him and said o.k. I'm 38 years old and have only one cavity/filling. Everyone I talked to said it's no big deal, so what the heck, right? WRONG! Got it replaced on 10/6/04 with a porcelain filling. Couldn't eat on it, my jaw where my mouth opens was killing me and soon thereafter, my lower jaw and then through the cheek into the left eye (very back left upper tooth). Went back to him 3-4 times to get it "ground down". Was at a trade show for work on the 30th and had to leave because my jaw pain was so bad I couldn't talk or anything. When I did eat, I had extreme metal/electric taste and would get extreme shivers down my spine. Called my childhood dentist who recommended antibiotics and a pain pill. I ended up dry-heaving from the pain pill that night which really upset me since that means the jaw was extended. Read a website on TMJ and it scared the heck out of me. Called the original dentist again and he said I needed to get a night guard. They did that for me within 24 hours. Wore it at night and even here at work (with an ice pack on my face). Told everyone at work that I couldn't talk, etc. It was horrible. And, it didn't help. Took some more days off work to ice and heat and relax, didn't help. Was in tears every single day. Would wake me up in the middle of the night. Went to an oral surgeon and had the round the head xray and he claimed I did not have TMJ and that I pulled the sterno muscle (forgot technical name). Went to my doctor who perscribed a muscle relaxes, which seemed to help a smidgeon. (sorry this is so long, but I'm actually leaving some stuff out!!!). I've had at least 5 xrays that showed no crack in the tooth (from the replacement filling) and was told that time will heal. By January, I'd had it. The shivers were the worst, I tell you: Stepping on a rock and having it grind in the cement; someone's zipper on a metal table; watching a movie with someone flipping eggs with a metal spatula; it's so hard to explain. At my birthday party I made everyone uses plastic forks!!! Made an appointment with my childhood dentist to have the darn thing taken out and put metal back in. He didn't think that was the problem, but Dr. Debbie (that's me) decided that my body was rejecting the porcelain filling. He took it out (horrible shivers during that procedure, had to peel me out of the chair) and he put in a temporary filling that he uses on children and the elderly. For 2 days I felt almost normal. Then it was back. He said I needed a root canal. Wasn't ready for more trauma so waited. Had that horrible procedure done on the 24th of Feb. The endodontist said I should be able to eat on it within a day or so. Nope! Took over 2 weeks! The tooth had 4 roots and he said it was full of blood, the inflammation was so bad. I believe that's why the area around/in my jaw was so sore. I am finally able to almost eat like I did on Oct. 5th, but it still throbs a bit after. I know I need to go get the crown, but I'm truly anxious about traumatizing the whole thing and I know I can't go through this again. How long should I wait from getting the root canal before getting the crown? Thanks for listening. Are you sorry you asked? :-)