W
wml24
Junior member
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2011
- Messages
- 4
I was recently referred to a periodontist because of a suspected infection (periodontal abscess in the area between the roots) under a heavily filled molar. She confirmed this and offered me two options:
1. Gum flap surgery to investigate and do root planing and clean-up. However, if she found anything else, e.g. a fracture, she would extract the tooth on the spot. Even if extraction isn't necessary at this stage, there is no guarantee that it won't be a bit downstream.
2. Extraction.
Both of these options terrify me. I do not freeze well in the bottom and am scared I will feel what's going on. My gut feeling is to go right ahead with the extraction ... but then I will be faced with a bridge or implant. The idea of any kind of drilling causes me the utmost anxiety, and the idea of compromising two relatively healthy (although filled) teeth is not at all appealing.
My question is (and I'm sure it's been asked before), what if I just leave the gap where the missing tooth was? Is it inevitable that the adjacent teeth will start shifting into it? What's the worst that would happen if this were the case? Oops .. sorry, that's actually three questions. I just want to minimize the time I spend in the chair.
Since the tooth in question is causing me no pain at the moment, nor has it ever, I would much prefer to adopt the "wait and see" approach; however, I am assured this would not be a wise move.
Scared silly.
1. Gum flap surgery to investigate and do root planing and clean-up. However, if she found anything else, e.g. a fracture, she would extract the tooth on the spot. Even if extraction isn't necessary at this stage, there is no guarantee that it won't be a bit downstream.
2. Extraction.
Both of these options terrify me. I do not freeze well in the bottom and am scared I will feel what's going on. My gut feeling is to go right ahead with the extraction ... but then I will be faced with a bridge or implant. The idea of any kind of drilling causes me the utmost anxiety, and the idea of compromising two relatively healthy (although filled) teeth is not at all appealing.
My question is (and I'm sure it's been asked before), what if I just leave the gap where the missing tooth was? Is it inevitable that the adjacent teeth will start shifting into it? What's the worst that would happen if this were the case? Oops .. sorry, that's actually three questions. I just want to minimize the time I spend in the chair.
Since the tooth in question is causing me no pain at the moment, nor has it ever, I would much prefer to adopt the "wait and see" approach; however, I am assured this would not be a wise move.
Scared silly.