Cavity between top front teeth (behind) questions

[thisisme]

I saw a new dentist today. It’s been a year. I’m a little behind but got new insurance. This is big for me as a dental avoider for about 17 years before going back, doing Invisalign, and now.

They found a cavity between the front two teeth (top/behind). Unfortunately it touches both of them. I have never had a filling behind the front teeth and I’m wondering what to expect.

They have a lot of technology there (so it’s possible it was missed by other offices), and I really don’t want to subject myself to being a new patient elsewhere for a second opinion. So I think I’ll just suck it up and do it.

My big questions are:
- How uncomfortable is the needle for front teeth?

- Will I need to worry about how it affects the appearance of my front teeth?

- Is it smart to just get it filled now or is it one of those that won’t likely cause problems? They said it was small and hasn’t reached the dentin (or whatever it’s called) yet. I also don’t know how long it’s been there since I haven’t had X-rays on my front teeth in years (usually just bite wings and my last panaromic was 3 years ago). So it makes me feel like this could have been there forever and doesn’t cause problems. So I guess I’m just worried filling it will cause more problems.

Any wisdom will be much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Gordon]

How uncomfortable is the needle for front teeth?

If it's done right then it shouldn't be worse than anywhere else.

- Will I need to worry about how it affects the appearance of my front teeth?

No.

- Is it smart to just get it filled now or is it one of those that won’t likely cause problems? They said it was small and hasn’t reached the dentin (or whatever it’s called) yet. I also don’t know how long it’s been there since I haven’t had X-rays on my front teeth in years (usually just bite wings and my last panaromic was 3 years ago). So it makes me feel like this could have been there forever and doesn’t cause problems. So I guess I’m just worried filling it will cause more problems.

Hard to say without seeing it. If it's not into dentine then I'd be inclined to slaver Fluoride over it and wait and see how it progresses. But that opinion may well change if I saw it. What does your dentist say?

 

[thisisme]

If it's done right then it shouldn't be worse than anywhere else.


No.


Hard to say without seeing it. If it's not into dentine then I'd be inclined to slaver Fluoride over it and wait and see how it progresses. But that opinion may well change if I saw it. What does your dentist say?

Thanks, Gordon. Wish I got a pic of the X-rays but I did take a pic with my phone. Seems if I add a filter you could see something better. It’s right between the front two, he says. I asked if I really had to get it filled or if I could wait. And he said, I had to get it filled, but it’s not urgent, so it could wait a couple months. I scheduled it for the middle of March.

It’s hard because he’s a new dentist/office, so I don’t really have that trust yet. I’ve heard and seen too many times that many dentists want to fill everything for the money, so I just hate the thought of taking a drill to my front tooth if it doesn’t need it yet.

Here are two pics. One has the filter and one without. Seeing the picture does make me a little more obliged to get it, but I have some unrealistic image in my head that the drill is going to go through the front of the tooth.

 

[Gordon]

Definitely something going on there. Since x-rays are generally a bit "conservative" in what they show, i.e. the decay is normally a bit more progressed than looks on films, then I think going in there and filling the cavity is probably the right thing to do.