Which dentist should I believe???? - Dental Health Message Board

jlh2605 · 03-02-2006, 05:38 AM

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?

SportHorse · 03-02-2006, 06:57 AM

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

jlh2605 · 03-02-2006, 07:33 AM

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!!!

kitkat77 · 03-02-2006, 10:26 AM

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!

xXxTheJenxXx · 03-02-2006, 04:48 PM

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.