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Does this filling need replaced?

G

goofy

Junior member
Joined
Jan 20, 2020
Messages
5
Location
Florida
I have finally found a dentist I am comfortable with. I have had most of my dental issues fixed over a period of the last 2 months(old 15+yr old leaking composites replaced, some new cavities filled on wisdom teeth, etc). I have one concern. There is a tooth that had a filling placed about 20 years ago. It was an amalgam which was then replaced about 6 years later with a composite. Long story short, I have had two tiny fillings put into that tooth in 2010 and 2019. To be quite honest, both dentists were not good dentists and I was not comfortable with either. There is a tiny black speck in the middle of the tooth somehow, which is strange since it seems to be all filling, but it looks like a cavity to me. Last year, when I was searching for a new dentist, the dentist filled a tiny, tiny filling where on the side of the large filling there was a clear cavity. The filling is deep as you will see. My current dentist is hesitant to replace it due to the deepness of the filling. He said that the filling was indeed "intact" and did not need replacing currently in his opinion. What do you all think? I do have some sensitivity on that tooth at times. Attached are some x-rays from a few months ago at this office. I am just nervous that this tooth is going to be problematic if not treated soon, but i also don't want to push my dentist to do something he is not totally comfortable with. Thoughts? Thank you all.
 

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Goofy,

Sorry to hear you were not comfortable with either dr at the clinic you went to . It makes it so much easier if you feel at ease and trust the dentist when they are making their recommendations. of course that does take time to build. But wondering if you might get another opinion since you didn't trust either. I realize its more a hassle.. If it were me that is what I might do? wishing you the best...

:grouphug:
 
Thanks for the reply. I really like this guy and he is the first dentist I am comfortable with. I would just like to get this sorted out with him, I am so sick of bouncing around to new dentists.
 
Hey Goofy,
It is not possible to give you an answer based on those x-rays alone. Diagnosing whether a filling needs replacing or is best left, often requires the direct observation of the tooth up close, which unless you have a clinical photo of the tooth is not possible. Reading your post I would be inclined to trust your new dentist. Replacing fillings unnecessarily does more harm than good. Even if it does need replacing, any decay will be very slowly progressing so waiting and watching for a year or so will do no harm.
Hope this helps

Lincoln
 
Hey Goofy,
It is not possible to give you an answer based on those x-rays alone. Diagnosing whether a filling needs replacing or is best left, often requires the direct observation of the tooth up close, which unless you have a clinical photo of the tooth is not possible. Reading your post I would be inclined to trust your new dentist. Replacing fillings unnecessarily does more harm than good. Even if it does need replacing, any decay will be very slowly progressing so waiting and watching for a year or so will do no harm.
Hope this helps

Lincoln
Thank you Dr. Hirst. I have included a photo if that helps you at all. That small black dot is the "sticky" feeling cavity, which I believe is on the edge of the "leaking" part of the filling- which has a few fillings all on this same tooth touching one another.
1597355788721.png
 
Sorry, the photo is not good enough. Would need to be one taken by the dentist using a special camera in this situation. Sorry.
 
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