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Lower tooth ache but dentist wants to start on top teeth to replace crowns

I

Isela

Junior member
Joined
Mar 9, 2019
Messages
1
Location
Texas
Went to dentist for lower left side tooth pain at the very back. After all tests and observations he said that the first priority is the two top teeth on the same side are priority because they have some cracks that needed crowns and that he would work on the bottom the next time and that he would put a bridge there since I have a tooth missing. He worked on the top and on my next visit he would work on the bottom. Yesterday I went again because the tooth I told him before about kept hurting on and off. He told me different things like grinding, or biting to hard when I ate. He checked it again and said it had a slight crack behind it and that I needed a root canal and a bridge because my teeth were starting to bend forward. I became upset and said that he should have made that side a priority instead since the reason I went was that area in which I had a tooth ache. I went to another dentist. I explained what happened and that I still had a tooth ache. He wants to start by replacing the temporary crowns then wants to build a bridge because of the missing tooth and that he won’t be able to know if I need a root canal until he takes the filling out to see if I have it infected. My fear is not going to the dentist but the pain of the tooth becoming unbearable. I hace 3 missing molars because seeing a dentist was a luxury for my family. Now that I’m 55 I have insurance but the tooth that hurts is not being treated first. Someone please help,me understand why I have to wait two more weeks to be treated first for the top crowns and then the tooth that is hurting. Is this normal procedure. I’m afraid that the pain will eventually become very painful.
 
I am not a dentist, but I had a lower 2nd molar that was aching off and on, and went to get it checked. The dentist wanted to wait on it to see if the pain would get worse before treating it. It was tested by tapping and poking around and was determined to be a "wait and see". It was frustrating for me, because they did replace the filling but the ache didn't go away. 3 months later, the tooth tested positive for irreversible pulpitis, amd I ha it extracted instead of root canal treatment.

The dentist is probably being conservative. I also have two teeth that are cracked and need crowns, and they are cracked because I clench my teeth and those teeth now have contact in different places because of the extracted tooth. He may be wanting to see if crowning the other teeth relieve pressure on that tooth. That could fix the problem.

I will say that I was terrified of my tooth exploding with pain, but it never happened. The ache just got more consistent. Hopefully yours can be fixed by crowning the other teeth.
 
I had a top molar that had a crack. I waited to get it fixed... I only waited a month. It cracked more while I was eating and was extracted last Friday :( he probably knows that if they crack further they can't be saved and wants to avoid you needing to have them extracted
 
Hi,

I think that the video “stating your needs” is very relevant for you.
Obviously, your highest priority is the toothache and that should first be diagnosed and treated. What the second dentist suggested (drilling the filling out and seeing what is underneath) sounds like a reasonable thing to do. I suggest you don’t come back to the first dentist because it seems to me he overtreated.
 
Dear Isela,

As Dr.Daniel already said, if you have toothache then this should be treated first. It is normal that dentists take a look at other teeth as well, but I can‘t imagine someone wanting to give you a bridge and then taking care of a tooth that hurts. It sometimes takes time to find a dentist who is a good fit so if you don‘t feel comfortable with the dentists you saw, I can only encourage you to keep on looking.

All the best wishes and keep us posted
 
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