I think I messed up -- please help!

[Prosopon]

I had pain in an upper back tooth and my dentist said she couldn’t see anything on the x-ray. She said she could book me in to have a filling removed to examine the tooth for cracks. I got so anxious about this that I saw a different dentist at another practice a month or so later. This dentist said she could see shadowing on the x-ray and referred me for root canal treatment. That referral hasn’t come through yet. I cancelled the appointment for the examination for cracks.

I didn’t trust this second dentist and she made me very anxious. Now I wish I had stayed with my original dentist and stuck to the original plan. Is it ok to just cancel my referral and pursue examination and treatment with the first dentist? I realise she might also come to the conclusion that I need root canal treatment. I am a charge-exempt NHS patient and I'm worried I'm going to get in trouble for seeing a dentist too often!

If root canal treatment is needed, am I risking things getting worse/losing the tooth if I don’t get it sorted soon?

 

[Prosopon]

I forgot to mention, the tooth has not been painful for about 2 weeks now but is starting to hurt a little bit after a hygienist visit today. I guess she aggravated it!

 

[zombiegroupie]

there's no way to say how long, but an untreated tooth can eventually become a lost tooth.

I had a cavity that was small, then it got bigger, I had a horrible toothache, then some pieces chipped off and it was way too far gone for any treatment.

 

[Mugz]

Hi!

I'm sorry I can't really be of much help answering your NHS questions but I wanted to second Zombiegroupie's advice about an untreated tooth.

She is totally right and I wish I had been more proactive a few years ago when my molar started acting up. I ignored the sensitivity, the fact that food and gum would snag on a sharp edge of the filling that eventually fell out...and over time more and more, bit by bit....two years later I was in AGONY and needed a root canal, then it abscessed, needed root canal repeated a few weeks ago. Had I gotten a handle on my fear at the first sign of trouble I'd have saved myself so much time, pain, stress and money.

I know how scary it is to go and find out, really I do but please trust us, take our advice and go back to the first dentist, the one you feel most comfortable with, and let them take a look. They may not see anything!!! If you do need a root canal I can tell you after having two on the same tooth I never felt any pain once I was numb. I really didn't. People say it is just like getting a filling and from the patient's perspective I guess that is accurate. Trust me, finding out is better than wondering and worrying about that tooth indefinitely!

Good luck to you. Please keep in touch and let us know how you do.

 

[Prosopon]

Thank you for the responses.

I have an appointment with my original dentist on November 25th so she can investigate the tooth for cracks. Now I am worried that's too long to wait... should I try to get a sooner appointment?

 

[zombiegroupie]

I don't think a few weeks is much of a difference, however if you have pain don't hesitate to move it up. There's no reason to suffer