getting a top molar filled next Wednesday :(

I've had this tooth worked on afew times in the last 15 years and now i need it re-done due to part of the filling having broken off. I had an Amalgam put in last time as she said it would last longer, this time she says she will wait until i get it done to decide if it will be a composite or amalgam so that isn't helping. I have alot of fear and now i know how they do both as i've had other teeth done, but also worried how i will go through with it as i find the dental dam and metal band they put on the tooth very uncomfortable. My other fear is i have a swollen sinus on that side of my face and it can make breathing difficult so i am worried i won't be able to breathe. How am I going to get it done with all this fear? I know I've done it before but it's been afew years and she doesn't ask me any questions on how to make it easier for me. Help!

Dear nutzforcats,

first of all, YOU are the one who decides which filling you would like to do. It's your teeth and your health and both materials have its pros and cons. Your dentist might wish to use a particular material for some specific reason and if so, she should be able to explain you the background of the decision so that you can agree or not. I can only encourage you to inform yourself and get an idea about what would you like to have. Here is a link of the FAQ section here on the fillings, it might serve you as a first source of information about which options you have: https://www.dentalfearcentral.org/faq/fillings/
Breathing through the dental dam is actually easy. If you imagine having a filling done without the dam, then there would be a lot of water and debris in your mouth so that you wouldn't be able to breathe through the mouth anyway. So the way to go would be to breathe through your nose, which is the way to go with the dam too. I found training this at home helpful - I would just lie down on the floor or my bed and exercise breathing through my nose with widely opened mouth until it felt natural and more or less comfortable. It's good to make sure that nobody sees you doing this as it is quite weird, but helps a lot. Another thing that helped me when it comes to dealing with the rubber dam is to close my eyes while it gets placed so I don't see my dentist approaching me with anything thats involved in the process. I had found out that once the rubber dam is on it's place, it's not too bad as I do not see it, it's more the sight of it and the corresponding thoughts that scare me.
The part with swollen sinus .. do you have difficulties to breathe through your nose currently? If so, a good chat with your dentist might be beneficial for you to find a way to breathe comfortably.

Hope this helped a bit, do keep us posted and keeping my fingers crossed for your treatment.

I"m trying to be brave and am trying to stay positive so that i can get through this. I hope she will ask me some questions before we start but am trying to figure out what is most important to ask her about. Thanks for the info., i'd prefer an amalgam as i've read they last longer and it is usually over sooner but will ask her. My other white fillings are between my teeth so they've lasted longer due to not having to chew on them. My dentist rarely gives me instructions after a filling but i've read i shouldn't chew on that side for the first day and no hot/cold drinks/foods, either. I am usually careful for afew days as i don't want it redone. I thought once a filling was hard, i could eat as normal - I don't eat really hard food but what food should i avoid with a filling on a molar?

My appt. is wed. 2pm as i wanted to eat a light lunch as i won't be able to eat much that night. As of right now, i dread the band on my tooth the most and keeping my mouth open but hopefully i can get past that like last time and know i have to do it to get it over with.

Thinking of you , please let us know how you are doing and how it went!

well, i got bad news. once she saw the tooth, she had to give me a root canal (quick) and put a temp. filling on it, now i have to find someone who can do a root canal with sedation in my area and do it soon, which is stressful. My mouth is now sore as the freezing is coming out, so i'm not doing well at all. I guess i will have to stick with soft foods,what should i avoid?

Avoid chewing on that side of your mouth as well. Did you end up needing a root canal because you having pain or temperature sensitivity? Were you having any symptoms?

Sorry to read this, I wished things would work better for you. Hope you can find a dentist who offers iv sedation as soon as possible...

Having a hard time finding a dentist who offers iv sedation near me and covers me with my income assistance, they only pay $520.00 and most charge alot more here in Port moody,bc. Oh well, a reason to postpone it so my anxiety is loving it. really don't want it done but have to which makes me angry and upset. My tooth was dead and i had no pain so that's why it was a shock, had some pain in july but it didn't last too long so thought it was my sinus acting up. Not happy i'm going to have to pay close to $2000 as i also need the crown,either.

The root canal treatment comes first and after several months, as soon as the tooth has settled, you can start to plan of a crown. The costs sound awful, but try not to think of all at once, if you can. Keeping my fingers crossed for you to be able to get a good practice and the needed treatment. I am sure you will be very happy about the iv sedation and it will make things a lot easier for you. Maybe even a possibility to find a dentist who supports you better than you current one - don't want to sound too optimistic, I know how much it sucks right now, just offering a new perspective.

thanks. I'm not sure if i will be able to find a local dentist that offers iv sedation, i'm waiting to hear back from two dental clinics on monday. My dentist said she can put a filling on once i get the root canal done and that shouldn't cost me extra. I had another root canal two and a half years ago and had the crown done a month later,was that too soon? they said it healed well and i wanted to get it done. I wish i didn't have to go to another dental clinic but the other dentist who did my first root canal and crown is now in Surrey and i can't travel that far, due to my anxiety. My dental office didn't even tell me to not chew on it or only soft foods, i looked that up. I don't want the temp. to come off and have to go in again. The receptionist was going to call but told her i can as i'm picky where i will go, they only knew one specialist in Burnaby who takes those with my insurance and that is too far (my anxiety stops me from travelling too far from my area). I found a specialist in my city but he could cost up to $1600 and i may not be able to use the $500 from the gov't, need to find that out. Crowns are going up in feb. at my dentist in feb., my mom needs one as well next year, and would prefer to go where i'm used to unless the new dentist can do it for less money than mine.

nutzforcats said:

I had another root canal two and a half years ago and had the crown done a month later,was that too soon?

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It doesn't mean it was too soon - if your dentist said the tooth was settled and ok than that was the reason. For some particular conditions it is wise to wait for longer. But the point is that if costs and dealing with the crown mentally are an issue, than you do not have to do it immediatelly, but can wait few months to be ready.