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Can a dentist see an abscessed tooth in an X-ray?

K

klol

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2019
Messages
35
Location
Iowa
I’m panicking about something new. A crowned molar on my bottom right has been very sensitive and achy since I’ve had a filling done on the tooth directly above it, and I had that filling shaved multiple times because the bite was off. The crowned molar didn’t have a root canal and has never caused me an issue until recently. It’s not constant pain, and in fact usually the cold doesn’t bother it much, but every once in a while when I bit down just right or get cold on it, it doesn’t feel great. Could this mean there’s an abscess in the tooth and it needs to be pulled? Or could it just be from the tooth above it having a high filling and the crowned molar is just “healing” from having dealt with the off bite for a few weeks? I’m so worried about my teeth all the time since I went back to the dentist.
 
we are not dentists. Yes a dentist can see an abcess on an xray and an abcess does not mean the tooth has to be pulled. I had an abcess and my tooth was not pulled. I just had antibiotics and root canal
 
Hi klol,

Pain is a sign that something is wrong but not necessarily an abscess. For a dentist, the word “abscess“ means a long-term inflammatory reaction to a chronic infection.
It does not sound like a situation that requires any teeth pulling. I dare to say it even without checking you in person.
What you need is a good diagnose: Maybe it is just a gum issue (due to residual cement or bonding or food) that can be easily solved by a dental cleaning? Maybe the filling is not bonded well to the tooth and repeating the filing should solve it?
Let me also remind that the purpose of a root canal is to avoid an extraction.
In my opinion, your complain should Be attended by your dentist patiently, investing time in diagnosing and treatment.
I think too many dentists unjustly shave off the filling because it allows to give the patient a feeling of being treated, as fast as possible for the dentist, what is named “chair-time”. They shave off only from the filling material hence without “paying the price” of damaging tooth structure.
An x Ray is only one of the tests dentists do to diagnose a problem. A dentist can not diagnose only based on an x ray.
 
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we are not dentists. Yes a dentist can see an abcess on an xray and an abcess does not mean the tooth has to be pulled. I had an abcess and my tooth was not pulled. I just had antibiotics and root canal


Sorry, I was hoping for more dentist opinion on the topic so I posted under the “ask a dentist” section hoping that I would hear from a dentist or two. I was only asking about the X-ray because my dentist took panoramic xrays and didn’t mention any abscess. I was curious if I needed to specifically call and ask him, or if I should wait and see to see if maybe my tooth was just extra sensitive due to the bite adjustment in the tooth above.
 
Sorry, I was hoping for more dentist opinion on the topic so I posted under the “ask a dentist” section hoping that I would hear from a dentist or two. I was only asking about the X-ray because my dentist took panoramic xrays and didn’t mention any abscess. I was curious if I needed to specifically call and ask him, or if I should wait and see to see if maybe my tooth was just extra sensitive due to the bite adjustment in the tooth above.
I would speculate that your dentist did not diagnose an abscess.
 
Sorry, I was hoping for more dentist opinion on the topic so I posted under the “ask a dentist” section hoping that I would hear from a dentist or two. I was only asking about the X-ray because my dentist took panoramic xrays and didn’t mention any abscess. I was curious if I needed to specifically call and ask him, or if I should wait and see to see if maybe my tooth was just extra sensitive due to the bite adjustment in the tooth above.
From your description, it does not sound like a tooth abscess to me.
 
From your description, it does not sound like a tooth abscess to me.

Thank you, Dr. Daniel. I know that so much of this is anxiety but even knowing that doesn’t make me stop worrying about my teeth!
 
Thank you, Dr. Daniel. I know that so much of this is anxiety but even knowing that doesn’t make me stop worrying about my teeth!
What you need is a good diagnose. Only that will put your mind at ease.
I think my video about the "uncertainty factor can help".
 
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