What's going on with my tooth?
Discussion
I had a deep filling in my lower left molar maybe a year or two ago. It always felt a bit funny afterwards, sensitive when eating soft but crunchy foods like cornflakes and crisps, and now that feeling has been replaced by prolonged sensitivity. It has the same feeling of a sensitive tooth all the time, rather than being sensitive to eating certain things, and I'm always aware of it because that feeling is always there.
Over the past year I've mentioned it at my two check-ups and have had x-rays and bite tests done and they can't see anything wrong. Having had a root canal in the tooth above it last year I don't want to entertain the thought that this one is going the same way. The dentist said it could be because the filling is close to the nerve and that any further problems would eventually present themselves, but since the sensation has changed over time I'm worried that the nerve is dying.
What do you think?
Over the past year I've mentioned it at my two check-ups and have had x-rays and bite tests done and they can't see anything wrong. Having had a root canal in the tooth above it last year I don't want to entertain the thought that this one is going the same way. The dentist said it could be because the filling is close to the nerve and that any further problems would eventually present themselves, but since the sensation has changed over time I'm worried that the nerve is dying.
What do you think?
I had this a few weeks ago - filling close to tooth and nerve had been damaged - had to have a root canal.
Like you I went in a couple of times and they didn't do anything - in the end he did a test where he put something on my tooth - like a piece of cotton wool (think it had strong alcohol or something) - all the other teeth could feel the coldness of it but this one tooth couldnt which told him it was nerve damage.
Like you I went in a couple of times and they didn't do anything - in the end he did a test where he put something on my tooth - like a piece of cotton wool (think it had strong alcohol or something) - all the other teeth could feel the coldness of it but this one tooth couldnt which told him it was nerve damage.
Three possibilities:
1) If it's a composite (white filling) it could be leaky-filling would need redoing.
2)The neck of the tooth is sensitive due to exposure of dentinal tubules- needs fluoride varnish (dentist) and Sensodyne tooth paste.
3) The nerve is inflamed. Removing the composite and placing a dressing for a few weeks may calm it down otherwise it's irreversible and needs RCT.
4) Dead nerve as above (although it doesn't sound like it to me).-Needs RCT
Is the tooth sensitive to cold/sweet things or more when you bite on it or just all the time on its own? Does it ever wake you at night or is it ever worse in the morning?
Did the dentist put something cold on the tooth? What was the result?
Did he tap on the tooth? What was the result?
1) If it's a composite (white filling) it could be leaky-filling would need redoing.
2)The neck of the tooth is sensitive due to exposure of dentinal tubules- needs fluoride varnish (dentist) and Sensodyne tooth paste.
3) The nerve is inflamed. Removing the composite and placing a dressing for a few weeks may calm it down otherwise it's irreversible and needs RCT.
4) Dead nerve as above (although it doesn't sound like it to me).-Needs RCT
Is the tooth sensitive to cold/sweet things or more when you bite on it or just all the time on its own? Does it ever wake you at night or is it ever worse in the morning?
Did the dentist put something cold on the tooth? What was the result?
Did he tap on the tooth? What was the result?
Edited by Driller on Saturday 22 February 13:06
Oh sorry, I forgot about this.
I went the other day and he did none of the above, he didn't tap on it or put anything cold on it. He just said the same as always - "can't find anything wrong with it. If there is something wrong eventually it'll get bad enough that we will know what to do"
It doesn't wake me up, it's not like toothache, I don't know to describe it other than sensitivity inside my tooth. Sometimes it's persistent for days, this week I haven't felt it at all. I don't know about the feeling when biting on it, I don't eat on that side of my mouth as I have an RCT that needs a crown directly above it so I dare not eat with it.
I've actually just told my dentist that I'm changing to a new one as it happens, this one charges me too much and never seems to take my concerns on board. I've been telling him about this tooth for probably a year and it hasn't really been looked into. Now I've just been told I need two fillings on my back teeth and he said "I've known about them for ages, I've just been waiting to see what they do." Now it's £550 because they've developed into large fillings. I assume he could've fixed them last year when he saw them, but then he wouldn't have made £550
Can I tap my own tooth and put something cold on it, or does it need to be done by a dentist?
I went the other day and he did none of the above, he didn't tap on it or put anything cold on it. He just said the same as always - "can't find anything wrong with it. If there is something wrong eventually it'll get bad enough that we will know what to do"
It doesn't wake me up, it's not like toothache, I don't know to describe it other than sensitivity inside my tooth. Sometimes it's persistent for days, this week I haven't felt it at all. I don't know about the feeling when biting on it, I don't eat on that side of my mouth as I have an RCT that needs a crown directly above it so I dare not eat with it.
I've actually just told my dentist that I'm changing to a new one as it happens, this one charges me too much and never seems to take my concerns on board. I've been telling him about this tooth for probably a year and it hasn't really been looked into. Now I've just been told I need two fillings on my back teeth and he said "I've known about them for ages, I've just been waiting to see what they do." Now it's £550 because they've developed into large fillings. I assume he could've fixed them last year when he saw them, but then he wouldn't have made £550
Can I tap my own tooth and put something cold on it, or does it need to be done by a dentist?
That was a private one I've been seeing, hence the £550 filling! He's won awards and hosts dentistry lectures in America, and I started going to him after seeing him on a BBC documentary. I think he's more like a teeth artist than a dentist though.
It's my dream to have porcelain veneers, and my dentist gave a girl (Lauren Luke) them for free because she was famous on Youtube. They also give discounts to people handsome enough to feature in their smile gallery and allow prints of themselves to be put up on the practice walls. Sadly I'm both ugly and non-famous so I could never afford to get them
Driller is a dentist, he'll tell us about the cold test next time he posts
It's my dream to have porcelain veneers, and my dentist gave a girl (Lauren Luke) them for free because she was famous on Youtube. They also give discounts to people handsome enough to feature in their smile gallery and allow prints of themselves to be put up on the practice walls. Sadly I'm both ugly and non-famous so I could never afford to get them
Driller is a dentist, he'll tell us about the cold test next time he posts
Edited by Mercury00 on Thursday 27th February 09:01
The cold test is to see if the nerve of the tooth is alive or not. It is a pretty crude and simple test and the result has to be taken in conjunction with other tests to arrive at a diagnosis.
Ethyl chloride used to be used but now we have sprays in a can which get much colder. Down to about -50 centigrade if the advertising is to be believed.
Ethyl chloride used to be used but now we have sprays in a can which get much colder. Down to about -50 centigrade if the advertising is to be believed.
k that, my teeth are all sensitive as it is. Minus 50 degrees sound like agony! Haha, oh right. Well yes I can feel cold, it seems no more or less sensitive to cold than the other teeth. Am I allowed access to the x-rays that I've had taken of the tooth? I mean is there a rule which says I can have them if I request them?
Edited by Mercury00 on Thursday 27th February 13:47
Did that include the cap? It should only be £49 for root canal on it's own.
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/nhs-dental-band-charge...
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/nhs-dental-band-charge...
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