Molar Mutilation - Dental Health Message Board

antoni · 07-18-2002, 02:54 PM

So I went to the prosthodontists yesterday(I have a second opinion tomorrow).
I know many of you have heard my story of the bad time I've had with (9)air abrasion tooth shaving and microfillings gone awry.

The prosthodontist told me that my molars are not "normal" in that they are "too short" and don't touch my top molars. In other words they don't fit right together. THus all the bite problems, tooth shifting weak bite etc;

I know many of you have mocked me and wondered how fillings could cause so much damage well I'll explain:

The air abrasion micro decay removal process operates(before the early decay creates a hole in your tooth) by putting a hole in your tooth and removing a chunk of the enamel/dentin just to get at the microdecay. The filling that is put into the tooth not only fills the new hole but the surface of the tooth(creating an occlusal imbalance so to speak if not done correctly).

Now never in my wildest nightmares did I know that this was done to my teeth -- bonding is usually best done on the front teeth(like if you have a chip). The back chewing molars don't withstand the pressure as well.

SO two of the bottom molars need "more bonding" material put on them at a cost of $450.00 per filling not to mention the prosthodontist fee for the bite adjustment as needed -- TOTAL COST --- $2000.00. Of course I'm maxed out on my dental insurance.

So the end is that I am enslaved to molar maintenance for the rest of my life if I want to have a regular bite. Now I ask why was this even done??? Molars could have survived with just a little brown on them.
It was done to keep me a paying victim of a quack dental system till my dying days(unless I get them pulled before -- like you said Deb47). I won't be able to afford maintenance on them.

I hope someone is spared the evils of the air abrasion molar microfilling experience I have gone through.

rhody · 07-18-2002, 04:10 PM

Antoni,

Sorry to hear about the bad experience. I hope this dentist can do a good job of fixing your teeth. I guess I'm so lucky to have had a good dentist when he converted my mercury-silver dental amalgams to white fillings.

I have been following your stories. It sounds like so much like a nightmare.

Again, I hope everything can be repaired and you feel better.

SherryElaine · 07-18-2002, 05:29 PM

Antoni, I can relate some what, I had a silver filling replaced with a white one and it made my bite a little off and I went back to dentist and he took more off it and really felt like too much cause other teeth were bumping that usually didn't so I went to another dentist to get my bite checked out and he adjusted my bite on oposite side to match and cost me $175.00 just for that. It still got on my nerves some but finally got use to it.

One worse than that was one time about 20 years ago I went to dentist to have wisdom tooth extracted and wound up in the ER with an oral surgeon finishing the job. I called the Dental Board to complain about the dentist and found out he was just a student with no license and should not of even been working on me with out supervision. So now when I walk in an office I look for their license and check to see if they even graduated from dental school.

I was at the dentist office today with an on going problem with a tooth with 3 root canals done to it in the last 18 months and now they say go see a peridontist for a possible extraction and implant.

I am the only one in my family with real teeth and always thought I was the smart one but now beginning to think my family were smarter to extract every problem tooth and go false.

Good Luck to you, I really do feel for you and understand the mental stress that dentist and dental problems cause.

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Sher

Deb47 · 07-18-2002, 11:25 PM

Hi, Antoni. I know you probably hate me; but after reading your post it made me wonder if you shouldn't instead go for crowns on those molars. This will heighten the teeth; and hopefully your bite can be corrected this way. Wouldn't this be better than to pay such a high fee for just building up the teeth? But, if the building up is said to last for years and years, that's another matter. I am very familiar with the bite being wrong. I had a bridge put on today...my dentist told me to wait till Monday; if it still doesn't feel right, to come back, and he'll adjust the bite. My bite definately is off; but not by a lot. I probably could live with the way it is, now. Usually, when I would get a crown put on, the dentist would adjust the bite then and there for me...but this time, I was told I had to wait. I really AM sorry you are having problems. It doesn't make me happy to see anyone suffer with their teeth. I should not have jumped on you like that. Obviously, you were having problems, or you wouldn't have posted so much about it.
If nothing else, you put out a warning, not to get that new air abrasion treatment for cavities. I apoligise for my rudeness....these boards are a place we can "vent"; and I sure have done my share of that in the past! Good luck to you...Deb47

antoni · 07-22-2002, 01:50 PM

Thanks Deb,
Hows your bite with the bridge????

No actually when I read your previous post I laughed and laughed -- it cheers me up. When I start thinking about the teeth too much I think what is the alternative just get them pulled. It would make life more livable than being molar obsessessed.

It will cost quite a bit but I am hoping this will last ten years. The prosthodontist said if they wear out in a few years there's other materials like porcelain that will last longer at that point I will try some different material. So it's not the end of the world.

Also, do to my anger I am going after the dentist who did the procedure -- although I'm sure he will lie or ignore me, but I feel he's the one who should have to pay. I mean I have to get all this work done and it's just a little over a year???? I have contacted the office about getting some sort of refund -- but it's in my dreams!!!But I feel better making a stink about it...

I'll post if the prosthodontist really do a good job in restoring the bite -- hopefully it won't backfire and be a scam for the money. But I mean whenever someone has multiple crowns or bridges, whatever done the bite is crucial and that' what they are experts at.

[This message has been edited by antoni (edited 07-22-2002).]