M
m1th
Junior member
- Joined
- May 30, 2018
- Messages
- 3
Hi all,
Let me start by saying my parents encouraged me heavily to brush my teeth and floss etc, but I never listened as a child. I remember having 10 fillings by the time I was around 9/10. It was that bad, I brushed rarely because I wasn't too bothered and didn't think I'd ever let it get this bad.
Fast forward I am now 22, I have a great job and a great girlfriend, but I never smile or show teeth in photos because of my yellow teeth with lots of silver fillings, and I have the amalgam leak so a few of my teeth look grey due to the colour of the filling.
So I decided to get every silver filling changed to composite and get enlighten teeth whitening to gain some self-confidence, as I was getting tired of smiling or laughing with my mouth shut... so it all started here.
Around 2014 I cracked a tooth in half, I hadn't been to the dentist since I was around 15, despite my mum constantly trying to take me - I just never listened or avoided it. So I went at the age of 20, and was told I needed a root canal as it was too cracked to have just a filling and had decay. I booked the appointment, paid a deposit and never went back or chased the money back despite it being fairly high. I just avoided it purposely. I then went to Vegas in March (this year) and when I was looking through photos my girlfriend took of us, I was laughing in one and realised my teeth looked horrible...
As soon as I got back, I booked in to see a local dentist who was known for dealing with anxious patients and restoring peoples smiles etc. I was very nervous, sweating when I went but she seemed really nice and told me not to worry as everything can be fixed one way or another, and said there's always someone worse and now is better than never. She told me I needed 10 fillings (changed from silver to composite) and I had a further 4 on my front teeth (small stuff and a cap I lost a long time ago).
It's now been 3 appointments, I had my root canal done first and it was that decayed we had to split it the appointments as it was too tender to touch even with anaesthetic. But that's now been done with zero pain, touch wood. Today I had 2 silver fillings changed to composite, I was due to have a 3rd but we decided an inlay would last longer (she gave me an option of a composite too but said realistically it may not last as it was the tooth in front of the wisdom and I use that to chew etc). Next time I'm having my 2 front teeth repaired and then the next two I'm changing my final fillings to composite. Finally, I'll be getting my crown (still haven't decided which colour - which may be gold due to it lasting longer etc, I could go on all day about this) and then getting my enlighten teeth whitening.
It's cost me around £1000 so far and I'm likely looking at £3500 all in as I went private but I believe having my own teeth is far more valuable to me than any monetary value. I was VERY nervous from the beginning, but I'll happily say after 3 appointments I'm no longer nervous about any work being done. I believe the key is finding a good dentist you're happy with and won't judge you.
I'm looking forward to the future, I know my situation is terrible and I've been held back by my smile too long... so now is the time I fix all of my problems! You can do it too!
Let me start by saying my parents encouraged me heavily to brush my teeth and floss etc, but I never listened as a child. I remember having 10 fillings by the time I was around 9/10. It was that bad, I brushed rarely because I wasn't too bothered and didn't think I'd ever let it get this bad.
Fast forward I am now 22, I have a great job and a great girlfriend, but I never smile or show teeth in photos because of my yellow teeth with lots of silver fillings, and I have the amalgam leak so a few of my teeth look grey due to the colour of the filling.
So I decided to get every silver filling changed to composite and get enlighten teeth whitening to gain some self-confidence, as I was getting tired of smiling or laughing with my mouth shut... so it all started here.
Around 2014 I cracked a tooth in half, I hadn't been to the dentist since I was around 15, despite my mum constantly trying to take me - I just never listened or avoided it. So I went at the age of 20, and was told I needed a root canal as it was too cracked to have just a filling and had decay. I booked the appointment, paid a deposit and never went back or chased the money back despite it being fairly high. I just avoided it purposely. I then went to Vegas in March (this year) and when I was looking through photos my girlfriend took of us, I was laughing in one and realised my teeth looked horrible...
As soon as I got back, I booked in to see a local dentist who was known for dealing with anxious patients and restoring peoples smiles etc. I was very nervous, sweating when I went but she seemed really nice and told me not to worry as everything can be fixed one way or another, and said there's always someone worse and now is better than never. She told me I needed 10 fillings (changed from silver to composite) and I had a further 4 on my front teeth (small stuff and a cap I lost a long time ago).
It's now been 3 appointments, I had my root canal done first and it was that decayed we had to split it the appointments as it was too tender to touch even with anaesthetic. But that's now been done with zero pain, touch wood. Today I had 2 silver fillings changed to composite, I was due to have a 3rd but we decided an inlay would last longer (she gave me an option of a composite too but said realistically it may not last as it was the tooth in front of the wisdom and I use that to chew etc). Next time I'm having my 2 front teeth repaired and then the next two I'm changing my final fillings to composite. Finally, I'll be getting my crown (still haven't decided which colour - which may be gold due to it lasting longer etc, I could go on all day about this) and then getting my enlighten teeth whitening.
It's cost me around £1000 so far and I'm likely looking at £3500 all in as I went private but I believe having my own teeth is far more valuable to me than any monetary value. I was VERY nervous from the beginning, but I'll happily say after 3 appointments I'm no longer nervous about any work being done. I believe the key is finding a good dentist you're happy with and won't judge you.
I'm looking forward to the future, I know my situation is terrible and I've been held back by my smile too long... so now is the time I fix all of my problems! You can do it too!
