Help! I'm an idiot...(temporary crown cracked off)

[Edison]

Hi all,

I visited these forums a few years ago, when I decided to conjure up the courage to visit the dentist after five years of not having done so. Everyone here was so helpful and it was with that support, that I decided to bite the bullet (pretty sure dentists don't recommend that though, haha) and go for it.

I ended up needing to have quite a few fillings done as well as a root canal. I got some of the fillings done and went ahead with the root canal and had a temporary crown placed. I never felt a thing! Truly, the most painful part was the financial hit I took. I decided to put off getting the permanent crown for awhile until I could pay for it.

I scheduled my cleanings for six months in advance but ended up cancelling the cleaning due to a scheduling conflict. I never re-scheduled due to some very trying financial times.So today, three years later, the face of my temporary crown cracked off as I was chewing a piece of gum. I immediately drove home and called the dentist. The soonest they can get me in is Monday. It surprised me how miserable that made me...I really wanted to get in this week.

Has this happened to anyone else?

I'm not really scared about what they'll do to me. I'm just ashamed. I should have scraped the money together somehow. I'm very worried now that they won't be able to place the permanent crown. I see what I think is the "post" or what was left of my former tooth. It's extremely ugly to look at.

Does anyone know what I should expect at the appointment?

I'm currently in graduate school, so I can't say that my finances have improved over the last three years at all.
I don't know if they'll place another temporary crown first or if they are able to just go ahead with the permanent crown at that point. I kind of hope they'll do another temporary, so I can schedule the permanent crown a few months out to build up some funds for that. (And this time, actually return...)

Sorry to ramble...I just feel so ashamed
Thank you for any insight you may be able to provide me with....

 

[letsconnect]

Hi, it's really hard to make a guess over the internet as to whether they'll be able to place the permanent crown, so the best thing would be to actually see your dentist, explain what happened and what your current financial situation is like, and figure out a game plan !

I can't remember what country you are in, but if you are in the U.S., then CareCredit might be something to look into? This is an interest-free loan (as long as you pay the money back on time, and make the minimum monthly payments).

Wishing you all the best for Monday

 

[Edison]

Thank you so much for your response!

I am in the United States. I'm not sure CareCredit would be an option for me, given the amount of student loan debt I've incurred but I may look into it. I think I can swing the cost of the crown, it will be difficult, but I realized just how stupid my statement that I wouldn't mind another temporary sounded...

I feel so stupid. I spent all of the money on the root canal and the buildup and now it might all go to waste and now I'll just have big hole on the side my mouth to show for it.

I should have done anything to scrape the grand together. I guess I just thought since it had been holding up so well and that it was indistinguishable from the rest of my teeth, that I could hold off until I was in a better place financially.

My fear of the dentist has been quite a long affair. My parents took me reguarly as a child. My dentist was an extremely cranky, stern man that frightened me to no end. I never had any issues until I was sixteen and got my first cavity. He proceeded toI drill and fill without numbing first. When I protested, he told me to wait it out. When it was over, I was thrilled. Two months later, the damn thing fell out and I found myself enduring the same procedure again. After that, I was inconsolable each time I had to go for a cleaning.

When I went away to college, I was dropped off of my parent's insurance. That thrilled me to no end. Unfortunately, over the course of five years, I developed some major issues with my wisdom teeth as well as a number of cavities in my other teeth. When I broke off a portion of the tooth that now has the issue with the temporary crown, I decided it was time. I waited six months. I let that tooth literally feel as if it had just been placed in a light socket. I found this site..and I tearfully wrote my story and I received so much encouragement, that I made the appointment.

Things went well. Obviously not as well as it could have. I needed a root canal after all and A LOT of fillings but it wasn't as bad as I thought. The dentists were kind and I felt confident and on track. As I stated before, the root canal was a piece of cake. I was so proud of myself. I went for my cleaning. I felt great...

and then I let this happen.
I should have done anything in my power to get the money. Perhaps part of me let the fear build back up subconciously. Why didn't I sell my belongings...why didn't I do it!?!?

I feel so stupid...and scared...and alone. And I felt so eager when I called to make the appointment Wednesday to get in and get this taken care of. Now I'm scared...and how am I going to drag myself in there? Ashamed and scared..How am I going to explain myself?

Anyway...thanks for the response. I guess I needed to vent more than I thought. I guess I'm not going to be as okay with this as I thought. I keep taking a flashlight to it. It appears that a sliver portion of the temporary has cracked off of the face, revealing my tooth behind it. The rest of the temporary appears intact but who knows. I should really stay off google because now I'm feeling as if there is no hope...

This site was such a great source of encouragement....particularly a user called ScaredStiff. I don't know if she's here anymore but I've always remembered the warm support she offered to me the first time I put myself in this place.

I kind of feel like I've let everyone down...

 

[letsconnect]

You haven't let anyone down .

Just be truthful with your dentist and let them know that you feel stupid and ashamed over this - they're not going to give you a hard time if they know how bad you feel about the whole situation


(P.S. scaredstiff hasn't been around in a while because her life became too busy - old lovers etc. )

 

[Edison]

Thanks, letsconnect!

I'm sure I will be a puddle of tears come Monday afternoon but am hoping I will be able to report back with good news. Never thought I'd consider being able to have a permanent crown placed good news!

Hehe, I guess that's good for scaredstiff (maybe...I think!?)

 

[DShep228]

Hey Edison, I just got done with a boatload of dental work - we're talking appointments every week, for 8 months. If it weren't for Care Credit, I couldn't have done it. I have student loan debt too, and Credit cards....etc, so don't count that as a factor. If your dentist accepts Care Credit, your dentist's office manager will apply for you and you'll know within minutes if you're approved and how much you limit is.

P.S. 3 years for a temp crown is pretty darn good, They aren't mean to last much more than 6 months

 

[Edison]

Thanks for the information, DShep!
I will have to look into it when I'm there today. Congratulations to you on completing all of that treatment! That sounds absolutely daunting but I'm sure it was totally worth it.

I was surprised my temp. held out this long. I was hoping it would last another fifty years and that I could sail through my seventies with it, lol. I spent the past weekend terrifying myself with google searches and did happen upon a woman that had had a temp. crown for six years.

I'm beyond terrified at the moment. I'm really dreading explaining myself and finding out whether or not a permanent can still be placed. My appt. isn't until 2:00, so I've got three more hours to feel like my heart is going to go into arrhythmia...

Good times...

 

[brit]

I'm beyond terrified at the moment. I'm really dreading explaining myself and finding out whether or not a permanent can still be placed. My appt. isn't until 2:00, so I've got three more hours to feel like my heart is going to go into arrhythmia...

Good times...

It's ok - try focussing on the fact that you are the customer here...so you didn't go back...now you are back....the problem is mainly in your perception of your behaviour. Behaviour you are entitled to indulge in as the paying customer.

 

[Edison]

Thank you, Brit. I never thought about it that way!

Well, the minute I sat in the chair, I started sobbing while trying to explain myself. The dentist and the hygenist were very kind and said that they understood that life happens. The important thing was that I had made it back.

So...the temporary crown. Turns out I never had one! For three years, what I assumed was a very authentic looking temp. crown was indeed nothing more than a core buildup and my own tooth. Oops...

As the dentist was poking around, the rest of the filling made its way out and I was left with a gaping hole. Although I hadn't thought so at the time, the fact that it cracked last Wednesday turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it turns out that I had an infection in that tooth at one of the root tips.

If the broken filling hadn't prompted me to return to the dentist, the infection could have turned into a very dangerous situation.When the dentist informed of that, I was certain that an extraction was inevitable but she informed me that she was going to drill out the infectious matter and do another core build up on the tooth.

I got a few injections (painless) and alot of drilling (also painless) and I again have a tooth. Sadly, the dentist states that the tooth is now 80% filling. While I'd be thrilled to achieve an 80% on a math exam, it's not nearly as endearing in my teeth.

To my surprise, they aren't in a hurry to place the permanent crown. The dentist wants me to get a few more urgent problem areas taken care of first. I have alot of cavities that she doesn't want to later necessitate more root canals.

So I'm scheduled for a cleaning, more x-rays and a perio in August. That's such a long time...but the dentists are quite popular and it's easy to see why.

I'm a little disappointed about the crown. I'm afraid to eat at the moment. I don't want to break the filling again. Plus the tooth itself is half gray and it's really very noticeable when I smile. I didn't get to see the work until I was out in the parking lot in the car and was hoping that it might be shadows, but it is most decidedly half gray. I guess they know best, so I'll follow their advice and get the rest of the work done first. Just kind of sucks that I'll have to perfect the half smile for the next year or so, haha.

Thanks to you all for providing me with encouragement and support. It really is so incredible that you all take the time out of your busy lives to offer such warm reassurance to absolute strangers. You all should be greatly commended for the difference you make in the lives of all those that come to this site seeking support.