Did my retainer crack my teeth?

efam99

I had an essix (full plastic retainer - extremely stiff type - the hardest available plastic) I was wearing post orthodontics. I had all of my old fillings replaced on both the upper and lower (the last two molars on both arches and both sides).

The fillings are very large and were basically called "core build-up". She said something to the effect that the teeth are prepped for future onlays after I get retreated orthodontically (again) (long story).

When the retainer was put in, my original, it was pressing the tooth to the point that it was like taking pliers and squeezing the teeth. It hurt upon the slightest touch.

I asked my dentist if this was dangerous, if I would crack the tooth (the old fillings had cracked some teeth and were leaking). She said no.

Eventually the retainer fit - but, I notice when the retainer is out, my teeth hurts - almost as if I need the pressure.

Here's my hypothesis which is causing me anxiety. I'm wondering if the forcing of the retainer eventually caused the pressure to releive itself through an additional crack underneath the bonding (some bonding is on the external part of the tooth where the external visible cracks were). So, when the retainer is out, the crack spreads apart from the relief of the pressure and that the chewing on these teeth (all chewing hurts internally) is the flexing of the cracks and irritating of the pulp/nerve.

The restorations were extensive - I have emailable diagnostics if there are any dentists here.

I'm very concerned and anxious that I may have caused damage because I can't understand why my retainer eventually fit perfectly when it clearly didn't fit (so much pressure) and now the pressure is gone and my teeth hurt when it's out. Some areas of the tooth don't hurt when I chew, some, it's constant. It's been 4 months.

My question is this - how do we diagnose? Do we have to go back in there and remove more tooth structure which will eventually need a crown (her treatment plan was inlays and onlays)? I'm very anti-crown because I don't like the look of a cap - unless they can somehow make sure there are no margins and no soft tissue recession that I typically see around crowns. I'm only in my young 40's and have a lot of years left.

She said that she did not think (initially at time of problem) that the plastic retainer could squeeze the tooth so hard (despite the significant pain) to cause cracks - but just normal physics say it has to go someplace.

She's 3,000 miles from me (went to her because she's a big name in dentistry).

I'm hoping I didn't cause my own problem and she's right - but, my teeth hurt - $8,000 later (and only temporaries). I'm really trying hard to avoid root canal/crowns. Should I go straight to onlay/inlays if she goes in again and let the ortho deal with bonding to it (they said that during debonding the porcelin - which she wants to use in all the onlays/inlays - will fail/crack).

I'm not opposed to crowns if it's the last resort but I want it to look so real around the soft tissues (papilla, gumline) that it looks like it's growing right out of my mouth - for aesthetic purposes. I have yet to see a crown accomplish this.

A lot in one post.

Thank you in advance.