How long will a tooth with a cavity be safe for?

[Dentist hater]

How long will a tooth with a cavity be safe for before any bacteria goes to the pulp/nerve. On the day the dentist told me that he could no longer treat me, he said i needed a filling on my bottom right, i would like to know how long it will be safe for? How much does a private ordinary but strong good quality material filling cost?

 

[fatcat]

Hi!

Don't know how long it would be safe for but it would be better to get it done sooner rather than later if you can manage as it might get bigger and will probably be cheaper if you get it done while its small.

My fillings with my private dentist have cost around £20/£30 each I think. They are silver ones (white cost nearly double I think) and at my dentist it depends on how big they are as to the cost. I am in the north (I assume cost differs around the country), my dentists serve a mixture of NHS and private patients (rather than just private) and I think my dentist is quite reasonable, the costs privately can differ a lot. Maybe call a few in your area and ask them if they would give you an idea of their costs? Also you may need to pay for a new dentist to do their own consultation. At mine that is £20 without an xray and £40 with xrays.

I hope that helps a little.

 

[Ice-princess]

Well i was told i had a cavity in my tooth when i was about 10/11 i then didnt go to the dentist for 7 years and have only gone back now and for 7 years the tooth never bothered me, as soon as i went back to the dentist they put this stupid seal thing on the tooth and noi have my extraction on friday

so if this is recent then you should be fine, i went 7 years with out any trouble- just dont let it get as far as me who now had to have an extraction!!

Ice-princess

 

[Dentist hater]

Thank you both for your opionions, its very weird a tooth can go seven years with a cavity and not cause a problem, that was lucky but i guesss it depends on how big it is and witht eh person too i suppose

 

[Miss Sparkle]

Hey,

If you can muster the strength I would go and get it sorted.

I left a cavity 12 years ago. In time it will crack, chip and break off slowly. I now just have a black root which I know will have to be pulled.

Believe me once I get this sorted I will never leave a cavity again, I hope I will have the strength to get it filled before it is too late.

Best of luck x

 

[sugarpuff]

I live in the South & I've just been charged privately £125 per filling (white ones)

 

[Razzle3]

I would highly recommend getting it taken care of asap, too. For a good 3 years possibly longer, I ignored having my first ever cavity taken care of. I posted about that when I first came on here seeking rct assurance back in April. If you'd like some specifics or a little extra support, feel free to pm me. Long story short was I was incredibly lucky that the cavity did not grow very much/nothing happened to the tooth during this time.

This last April, after another 3 years of playing with fire and tempting fate, I was not as lucky at all. This was a very small cavity that originally had been sealed but needed to be re-done or possibly even filled shortly there after. I honestly don't remember which just that I needed to get have it done. I remember both the receptionist and my current dentist being kind enough to immediately offer to do re-do/or fill it for free since I had not long ago paid for the sealing. This was in 2006. Maybe end of 2005.

I did go for cleaning in 2006-2007, each time being reminded to make a filling appointment. I made the horrible mistake of chosing to avoid going to the dentist altogether for the next 2 years. By the time I did, out of desparation, my tooth was throbbing, the once small cavity had erupted and needed a root canal/permanent crown. Both of which, high cost included, could have been so easily prevented had I simply had the darn cavity treated when first told about it.

Please find a dentist you truly feel safe, comfortable, and trusting of and get yours filled! I will always be eternally grateful that for the good that came out of my rct ordeal--overcoming dental shot issues and more so those of my dentist, but lol it sure would have been easier and cheaper to have said to him (or my original dentist) "I am afraid of needles. Is there a way of making the LA shot from hurting?" Either one of them would have immediately told me of the gel and that would have been that.

Hug and good thoughts/luck to you. Take care.

Mona

P.S. I forgot to say before that if money/time is an issue perhaps a temporary filling could be a solution to prevent the cavity from growing or spreading. I had one put in last week to buy my jaw some extra time to heal (tmj).