Developed a lisp and jaw tightness after fillings, please advise....

[bigfeartie]

Hi, I am new to this board, 50 year old female, with a fear of dentists after bad experiences in my childhood with anaesthetic not working, dentist drilling into nerve of tooth, leading to a bone cyst and attending the dental hospital for 3 years.
My old dentist retired, I had her for 23 years and had no problems, still scared but she was very patient with me. I found a new dentist who said I needed fillings on the top wisdom teeth, and needed 3 old filling replaced. I attended for each filling over the course of 2 weeks, had 3 done in the one week. I felt the first was a bit high, so when I had the second, I asked her to take a bit off the first, which she did. After the third one on the right side, (bottom) I had a very stiff jaw and couldn't open my mouth properly. When I went back a week later, I told her my jaw was stiff, and I was developing a lisp. She said it was because of bruising in the tissues at the injection sites, which I accepted. She did the 4th filling on the L top wisdom tooth, and I had to go back the following week as it felt very high, and as if it was pushing my jaw to the side. The lisp had also got much worse. She took a little bit off it, and said to try not to open my jaw too wide, as I had said again that it was stiff. The following week, I was getting pain in the top and bottom fillings she had done on the Right side, and felt my jaw was creaking, and having funny sounds in my ears. I had shingles in the facial nerve ten years ago, so am terrified that it could start up again. I went back again, and she checked my teeth, said she couldn't see anything wrong and didn't know how I could have developed a lisp. She shrugged and said "I don't know what to do". She finally agreed to take a little bit off 2 of the fillings, but it hasn't made any difference. I can't move my jaw to the left side, or push it forward so my teeth meet.
Does anyone know what could have happened?
I am now terrified to go back in case she does anything else to cause a problem. I went with no pain, able to move my jaw freely, and speak clearly, now I can't move my jaw properly and have a lisp, and the muscles in my jaws are becoming really tight and tense.
Please help.

 

[Tink]

She shrugged and said "I don't know what to do".

Hi, I'm not a dentist so I have no idea what could be causing your problem, but it sounds very much like the dentist is out of her depth here, and I would strongly recommend going to another dentist for a second opinion. Ideally, look around for one who is quite experienced, possibly even with specialist knowledge of jaw problems. One thing I've learned recently is that dentists are not all created equal...


I'm not sure where you are, but you may be able find dentist recommendations for your area on this board.

 

[bigfeartie]

Thanks Tink. I have been searching the web today, and have found something called Trismus, but I don't think that's what I have, as it is spasm of the jaw muscles preventing the mouth from opening properly. I can open my mouth, albeit a bit stiff, and the muscles become more tense the more I speak. I can also feel my back teeth hitting together while I speak. Could it be that the top fillings are still too high? Anyone advise please?

 

[coolin]

The best advice I can give is reiterate what tink said and see another dentist. Looking around the internet for what could be wrong just doesn't help. Your dentist - who has a lot more training - couldn't identify the problem so I doubt google is going to do much better

Where are you in the world? By your user name I'm guessing scottish connections? Like Tink said - go for an experienced dentist - likely to be in the private sector.

Hopefully one of our dentists might reply soon

Cheers
Coolin

 

[bigfeartie]

Hi coolin, thanks for the reply. This is a private dentist I have seen. I phoned the surgery yesterday and asked if I could speak to the principal dentist in the practice, and was told that she would phone me back, she's not the main dentist, but she deals with the business. She still hasn't called me. I phoned back today, and the receptionist has offered me an appointment with another of the dentists tomorrow morning, so I'll see what happens then, but I'm now having to take Lansoprazole for the acid in my stomach, plus the combinations of paracetamol and ibuprofen, and I've had to cancel an anniversary dinner.
PS, yes, I'm in Ayrshire in Scotland.

 

[coolin]

Hopefully this dentist will be more experienced? You know you can check a dentist on General Dental Council website if you have their name and the town they practice in - it will tell you when they qualified. Maybe the first person you saw was new? Or at least I hope that was her excuse for failing to help you !
If this other dentist doesnt help I know of a good few in Glasgow
Cheers
Coolin

 

[bigfeartie]

Just a quick update........ the business manager has phoned, and agreed that I need a second opinion, she has discussed it with the dentist, who has admitted she is "flummoxed", and has told me that the dentist I have to see tomorrow specialises in oral surgery, so there's a good chance she will be able to see if anything is wrong. Failing that, they will refer me to max-fax for review. I'll let you know what happens tomorrow...

 

[Tink]

That's good to hear bigfeartie! I hope they are able to help you out tomorrow.

 

[bigfeartie]

OK, just back from the dentist today, and she has said I have TMJ dysfunction syndrome, after having my mouth open for so long, from a slightly changed bite, and from tension in the muscles. She has given me a list of do's and don'ts, and has taken a little bit off one of the fillings, which feels a bit easier already. Still lisping, but I'll give it a few weeks and see. I did feel like such a baby when I went in and burst into tears, but I gave her a very condensed version of my dental history, so she could understand why I was so nervous, and she was so nice and reassuring. I still have to decide if I see the first dentist again for the next filling, or the girl today has said she'd be happy for me to go to her. Thank you all for your support this week, I really appreciate it. x

 

[Tink]

That's excellent news bigfeartie, and this new dentist sounds great! I hope it settles down nicely now and I will be thinking of you

Oh, and bursting into tears? I know it doesn't feel like it, but that's a good thing, I have terrible trouble managing to show/tell them how I actually feel.

 

[bigfeartie]

Another update....my lisp is a bit better than it was before, but I am still having some pain in one, possibly two of the teeth that were filled. One is on the top L and one on the bottom L immediately under the top one. I still think one or both of the fillings is high, and causing irritation in the nerve of mostly the top one. And I know the filling on the L wisdom tooth is hitting the tooth below, but that's not painful. I have cancelled the original appointment with the first dentist and made another with the second one, which is just over 3 weeks away now. Should I contact her before that to say I have this pain in the top tooth? I would be terrified she would take the filling out and re-do it, in case that makes the TMJ worse.
Also, I don't have any jaw pain, just noises in my ears, and I feel the muscles very tight when I have been speaking for a while, is that actually TMJ problems or just tight muscles from trying to stop my teeth touching together?
Thanks,

 

[Tink]

Hello bigfeartie!

Hmm, nobody answered - I was hoping one of the dentists would chip in with a bit more expert knowledge. Anyway, here's my take on this:

I have cancelled the original appointment with the first dentist and made another with the second one, which is just over 3 weeks away now. Should I contact her before that to say I have this pain in the top tooth?

Switching to that second dentist seems like a good plan, from your posts she sounds like a keeper

Re contacting her, I always tend towards an "if in doubt, ask" approach so I would. The worst that can happen is that she will tell you it can wait until she sees you, and that's not so bad!

I would be terrified she would take the filling out and re-do it, in case that makes the TMJ worse.

Again, tell her you are concerned about this. It helps them to know what it is you are worried about, and she may be able to do things to reduce that risk, or at least allay your fears. Also remember that it's always up to you what gets done, they will advise but in the end you get to decide if you want to go through with it.


Hope that helps, let us know how you get on!

 

[bigfeartie]

Hi Tink, thanks for the reply. I did contact the dentist, and she has asked me to go in again on Tuesday, she said pretty much what you did, that it's best to just check it out. She also said that I have a very unusual bite but that maybe they are not seeing things that I am feeling, and that I should not be afraid to tell them what I think. So that's a bit reassuring. I'll let you know what happens,
BF x

 

[Tink]

Hi Tink, thanks for the reply. I did contact the dentist, and she has asked me to go in again on Tuesday, she said pretty much what you did, that it's best to just check it out. She also said that I have a very unusual bite but that maybe they are not seeing things that I am feeling, and that I should not be afraid to tell them what I think. So that's a bit reassuring. I'll let you know what happens,
BF x

Good to hear it bigfeartie!

Hope all goes well tomorrow

Oh, and this new dentist really does sound great, speaking to you on the phone is a very good sign! (Some of them are impossible to pin down...)

 

[bigfeartie]

Hi again, back with another update. I went back on Tuesday last week, and she did the carbon paper thing again, although I had to insist on sitting up as I know my jaw is in a different position when I lie down. So she has taken more off the top and bottom filling on the R side, and thank goodness, they feel like my own teeth again! She said the L wisdom one was fine, and didn't take anything off it. When she mentioned the last filling still to be done, I asked her what showed on the xrays to say my fillings needed replaced, and she got the films and stared at them for ages, then took them out the plastic pack and stared again, turned them round, and back again, and eventually said "I think we'll leave the last one, we can just monitor it". Now, cynical as I am, this suggests to me she can't see any reason for replacing the old fillings, although she hasn't said this outright. And given that I am paying privately, and not on NHS, it's cost a lot more than it would have done if I'd gone with the NHS teatment.
Anyway, end result is that she told me to cancel the next appointment, and make another for November. I still have very slight pain in the top R tooth when I eat, but I'm hoping that will eventually settle. And my jaw has loosened up a lot more, it's nowhere near as tight as it was.
I'd just like to thank you for the support given here, you have helped me regain some confidence with the dentist again. Thank you.