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Cracked molars and anxiety!

U

UKVilla

Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2018
Messages
29
Hi everyone!

I am in a bit of a state, worrying about my teeth, and am terrified of breaking them.

I recently had a couple of fillings done, and it was a terrible experience, panic attacks constantly, and I got back terrified of having to go back to the dentist again. I had no other aches in any other tooth at this point.

Since, I have been checking around all my teeth constantly, making my jaw and teeth ache, and have cracked my two molars in the process (The one with the filling already had the crack lines in it, but they never ached before). I’m not even eating anything I have to chew now, because I’m scared of breaking them off, but am also too terrified to go to the dentist again. My worry about my teeth, and these molars in particular has taken over my life.

Any advice would be hugely appreciated!

Thanks, Phil.
 

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I am not a dentist, but could some of those lines be craze lines, not cracks? I have those on my teeth.
I have had some pretty bad experiences recently with teeth, which has caused me anxiety that led to me clenching my jaw at night, and worrying my teeth with my tongue as well. I am consciously trying to stop, as I know it is making things worse.

I know how hard it is to stop thinking about your teeth. The stress can take over your life. Don't make yourself sick, though.

My husband has cracks in most of his teeth. He grinds his teeth and has since he was young. He eats what he wants, though, and his teeth haven't fallen apart. He gets regular cleanings and checkups and did have to get a crown on one tooth recently that had a large crack across the top. However, the regular checkups help prevent worse issues.

I hope you can get up the courage to go back if needed. Although one of the dentists on here may be able to tell you if those are just craze lines.
 
The first photo (27CA etc) is definitely craze lines, the right one has some crazing visible but looks like there might be some shadowing below the filling, so I'd want an x-ray of that one. Doesn't look like a big problem though.
 
Hi both,

I (very anxiously) went to the dentist today, as I really wanted to get some reassurance for over Christmas.

She wasn’t concerned at all, said she wouldn’t recommend touching the one with the filling in already, as putting a crown on it would mean drilling more away and weakening it further.

She pretty much dismissed my pain as being grinding and tension, and didn’t have a very long look, only with a little mirror. I have a checkup in January so will perhaps be a bit more forceful then, but I can’t do any more than what I’ve done at the minute I don’t think. I don’t feel fully reassured because of how brief the checking was, but it will have to do for now.

I will just have to hope the fact it has been looked at brings about some more relaxation and the pain subsides.
 
UKVilla,,

Sorry she was not able to reassure you or help too much at the moment. Do you think maybe going for second opinion to validate that would put you more to ease? Is this possible ? I know it is more more but sometimes having a second opinion on it can help with peace of mind
 
UKVilla,,

Sorry she was not able to reassure you or help too much at the moment. Do you think maybe going for second opinion to validate that would put you more to ease? Is this possible ? I know it is more more but sometimes having a second opinion on it can help with peace of mind
I’m just going to see how I go on I think. All of my teeth are sore, this one is probably hurting a little more purely because it does have a large filling and cracks in it. I wasn’t happy with the way she was to be honest, but perhaps there really is nothing to worry about.

I do have huge anxiety around my teeth at the moment, so I’m just going to try and trust that the dentist opinion is more reliable than my anxiety reinforced one.

I have to I think as all this worrying and obsessing is really driving me mad.
 
I’m just going to see how I go on I think. All of my teeth are sore, this one is probably hurting a little more purely because it does have a large filling and cracks in it. I wasn’t happy with the way she was to be honest, but perhaps there really is nothing to worry about.

I do have huge anxiety around my teeth at the moment, so I’m just going to try and trust that the dentist opinion is more reliable than my anxiety reinforced one.

I have to I think as all this worrying and obsessing is really driving me mad.

I know from personal experience that the more you worry over it, the more your teeth hurt. I would guess you may be having some referred pain as well. Every time I had a dental procedure this summer, I had pain in other teeth, to the point I was convinced I was going to lose all my teeth, one by one. I had a root canal that failed, and ended up extracted (after other procedures). During that time, I also had another tooth extracted, and another root canal. Three teeth total were/are affected. However, every tooth near the affected ones hurt for weeks after each procedure and I was convinced they were also going bad. They did settle down eventually.

Did your dentist suggest getting a nightguard? Mine told me to get one since the stress was making me clench and grind my teeth at night.
 
I know from personal experience that the more you worry over it, the more your teeth hurt. I would guess you may be having some referred pain as well. Every time I had a dental procedure this summer, I had pain in other teeth, to the point I was convinced I was going to lose all my teeth, one by one. I had a root canal that failed, and ended up extracted (after other procedures). During that time, I also had another tooth extracted, and another root canal. Three teeth total were/are affected. However, every tooth near the affected ones hurt for weeks after each procedure and I was convinced they were also going bad. They did settle down eventually.

Did your dentist suggest getting a nightguard? Mine told me to get one since the stress was making me clench and grind my teeth at night.
Hi!

Yes, she did suggest a nightguard, which I have bought.

It’s strange because the crack in my tooth isn’t breaking off, but it hurts now and again when I eat. Not excruciating, but just a constant little reminder, when I’m trying to ignore it.

I wonder if the piece is just moving a tiny bit, and causing a bit of discomfort. I feel like I’m going round the twist, as the dentist wasn’t concerned, and the people around me are dismissing it as anxiety, so any venting I do get met with eye rolls.

Rather annoying, and not what I need around Xmas.
 
Hi!

Yes, she did suggest a nightguard, which I have bought.

It’s strange because the crack in my tooth isn’t breaking off, but it hurts now and again when I eat. Not excruciating, but just a constant little reminder, when I’m trying to ignore it.

I wonder if the piece is just moving a tiny bit, and causing a bit of discomfort. I feel like I’m going round the twist, as the dentist wasn’t concerned, and the people around me are dismissing it as anxiety, so any venting I do get met with eye rolls.

Rather annoying, and not what I need around Xmas.

I understand about the eye rolling. My husband doesn't understand why I can't just "ignore" the pain. Hard to ignore when it is constantly there.

Another thought...if you just started wearing the nightguard, it could be the adjustment period. When I first started wearing mine, I was back at the dentist the following week, as my tooth felt worse, and the one next to it hurt. The dentist actually ground a little on the nightguard so that it wasn't as tight in the spot where I had pain, and now it doesn't bother me anymore.
 
I understand about the eye rolling. My husband doesn't understand why I can't just "ignore" the pain. Hard to ignore when it is constantly there.

Another thought...if you just started wearing the nightguard, it could be the adjustment period. When I first started wearing mine, I was back at the dentist the following week, as my tooth felt worse, and the one next to it hurt. The dentist actually ground a little on the nightguard so that it wasn't as tight in the spot where I had pain, and now it doesn't bother me anymore.
That’s it, and I’m sure many people could ignore it, and I have no doubt that my anxiety increases it. I’m wondering if jaw tension and tightness (not grinding) and normal anxious tension can put strain on teeth. It hurts after I eat, after I have a cigarette, after I brush, all times that I’m moving my jaw really.

I cut my mouthguard down so that it doesn’t rub on it as I can’t imagine that doing it much good.

It’s very strange. Are you still having trouble?
 
That’s it, and I’m sure many people could ignore it, and I have no doubt that my anxiety increases it. I’m wondering if jaw tension and tightness (not grinding) and normal anxious tension can put strain on teeth. It hurts after I eat, after I have a cigarette, after I brush, all times that I’m moving my jaw really.

I cut my mouthguard down so that it doesn’t rub on it as I can’t imagine that doing it much good.

It’s very strange. Are you still having trouble?

My dentist thinks I may have trigeminal neuralgia now, as the pain seems to be coming from a lot of different places, even alongside my nose. She put me on antibiotics to rule out residual infection, and then after Christmas I am going to get a cone beam scan. Then if nothing shows up, she is going to refer me to a neurologist.

Some of the pain has gotten better with the antibiotics, but there is still weird pain, like the area right behind the root canal tooth feels burned, and when I talk for more than a few minutes at a time, my tooth gets super pressure sensitive, like a bruise when my lips touch it.

So I don't know. I am still hoping it just goes away. I still haven't gotten the tooth crowned yet, and can't until the ligament stops hurting.

Has yours gotten any better?
 
My dentist thinks I may have trigeminal neuralgia now, as the pain seems to be coming from a lot of different places, even alongside my nose. She put me on antibiotics to rule out residual infection, and then after Christmas I am going to get a cone beam scan. Then if nothing shows up, she is going to refer me to a neurologist.

Some of the pain has gotten better with the antibiotics, but there is still weird pain, like the area right behind the root canal tooth feels burned, and when I talk for more than a few minutes at a time, my tooth gets super pressure sensitive, like a bruise when my lips touch it.

So I don't know. I am still hoping it just goes away. I still haven't gotten the tooth crowned yet, and can't until the ligament stops hurting.

Has yours gotten any better?
Sounds like you’re having a rough time! Sorry to hear.

Mine did seem to get a little better, but then it flares up again, like tonight.

I’m trying to be rational about it, and tell myself that the dentist said she wouldn’t want to do anything with it, it doesn’t hurt all the time, it hurts far more when I think about it and mess with it, and the pain is in more places than the tooth. I even have a tightness at the side of my jaw under my ear, that if I press it, I get like these strange feelings up behind my ear, I have even had my eye and lip twitch on that side, which is why I’m hoping it’s just tension and not being relaxed, but just as I start to get my head around it, it hurts, and I’m back to square one.

Do you ache, check and mess enough with your teeth that you think that might not be helping? Like I do with mine?
 
Sounds like you’re having a rough time! Sorry to hear.

Mine did seem to get a little better, but then it flares up again, like tonight.

I’m trying to be rational about it, and tell myself that the dentist said she wouldn’t want to do anything with it, it doesn’t hurt all the time, it hurts far more when I think about it and mess with it, and the pain is in more places than the tooth. I even have a tightness at the side of my jaw under my ear, that if I press it, I get like these strange feelings up behind my ear, I have even had my eye and lip twitch on that side, which is why I’m hoping it’s just tension and not being relaxed, but just as I start to get my head around it, it hurts, and I’m back to square one.

Do you ache, check and mess enough with your teeth that you think that might not be helping? Like I do with mine?

I do, although I have been consciously making an effort not to. I had a lot of trouble with my jaw and tension as well, especially when I was right in the middle of all the dental mess this summer and fall. The night guard helped, as I clench my jaw at night. I apparently mess with my teeth with my tongue while sleeping as well. I have found that sleeping with my head and shoulders propped up helps, as gravity helps me keep from clenching as much. When the pain was the worst, I slept in an arm chair for a few nights, sitting up as much as possible. It helped me relax my jaw. I have also done jaw exercises throughout the day, like the movement you make when yawning, and massaging the point where my lower and upper jaw connect.

I hope you can get some relief. The stress alone can cause pain in the jaw.
 
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