Scared of Tooth Loss -might be irrational fear

[Meichan]

I'm someone who is beyond terrified of the dentist. I get panic attacks, I dont sleep- nothing. 4 years ago, after avoiding the dentist for 10 years, I bit the bullet because I couldn't take it anymore. The anxiety of not going became worse than finding out my fate.
Part of this was spurred on by a back molar that split. It had a large filling in it, and I remember it was super sensitive to hot and cold, and it hurt. They couldn't save it, and I had my first extraction. The experience wasn't that bad to be fair physically. But it's the concept of losing teeth that gives me nightmares.
From there I decided to get my whole mouth done. I spent multiple appointments getting everything imagineable. So a few new crowns, I even have a dental implant (the actual surgery was fine. The process of finding a dentist I could tolerate was a different story).
So here I am, and I appear to have broken a tooth again. One of the only ones the dentist left with once again, a large filling. I'm not a dentist, but I'm great at crawling the web, looking for examples of what I might have to deal with.

So it seems like I broke one of the cusps at the back off. It goes down to my gumline, but I'm not sure if it extends further (and god help me please I hope not). I'm panicking that it will go like the first tooth and be beyond repair. Thing is, I feel no pain whatsoever. I also feel no sensitivity to hot and cold. no swelling, no bleeding, no throbbing. I just felt it there with my tongue. The filling itself is still intact and seems ok (I think, seems strudy). And most of the tooth seems to be there.
And thing is, I'm out of town (out of country) and will probably not be able to see a dentist until early next week (6-7 days). I plan to just keep it clean until then and not chew on that side. I pray that will be ok.

I guess I'm seeking some kind of encouragement- I'm just hoping the tooth can be saved and capped. I don't mind caps. I'm terrified I'll have to have another extraction, and because it's a molar inbetween 2 other teeth, I'll need an implant. And even though I got thru the first one, it's just so expensive + the process is long and for my anxiety, uunpleasant.
Are cusp breaks that go a bit below the gum line always just unsalvageable? Because it seems like I have a lot of tooth left and the filling is holding just fine. Though Im petrified of them taking that filling out and breaking more of it. I can't tell whether I'm freaking out because I truly think this tooth is lost and I'll have a year of implant crap to deal with again, or if my phobia is taking over and making me think irrationally.
Anyone else break a cusp around a filling before?

Sorry for the long post, I write a lot when I'm freaking out

 

[MountainMama]

I also have anxiety of losing my teeth, and had to face my fears last fall when I had to have 2 molars extracted. I am planning on an implant for one, at least.

I don't know what the dentist will say, but I did have a second molar break many years ago, and it was like you described. It wasn't painful unless I bit down. I can't remember if it was below the gumline, but the dentist crowned the tooth and I had it for quite some time. It was one I had extracted last year, but it had decay under the crown, which is a whole different story.

So it is possible, depending on the extent of the break. I am not a dentist, and can't remember how far down mine broke, though. I do remember the dentist saying that it hadn't cracked below the gumline.

 

[Meichan]

Well another curious thing is that it doesn't even hurt to bite down on. I seriously would'nt have known it was there unless I hadn't discovered it

 

[krlovesherkids777]

I also have the fear of losing more teeth too. I have alot gone and I fear losing more , something going wrong.. I know its is easy to catastrophize and imagine and thinking the worst.. and then get to the dentist and it is not near what we thought.. I'd encourage as hard as it is to take one step at a time with the thoughts and I think.. what do I know... ? I feel losing teeth, my tooth is partially broken, I don't know whats going , there are alot of options , what don't I know...? what the best option is.. how I might be able to save it.. so there are alot of things we fill in the blanks with fears , anxieities and insecurites. I do it all the time. . this is why Im passing it on . but. I just encourage let the dentist tell you and even get 2nd opinion to validate that. Hope you can get your crowns/caps and all goes well and faster.. !

 

[Meichan]

So I looked up a new dental office in my city. My last dentist was kind of an egomaniac .

Got my insurance sorted out, so I have an appointment tomorrow at noon. I am so so scared.

My broken tooth STILL doesn't hurt. ANd it's never been root canaled or anything. It has a large filling and I broke off a corner. But it's that whole deal where you read online that if the break is below a certain point of the gum line, you're screwed. I cant tell if mine is broken that far. Its just.. if it was, you would think it would bleed or be sensitive to hot and cold or something.

I'm terrified of going in there thinking... "ok, maybe this can be fixed" and then BAM- no dude, I'm taking your tooth and adding it to my necklace.

Why do teeth suck so much.

 

[grumpybear]

Good luck for your next appointment! It's good that you are not in pain though, so try to distract yourself with other things and not fret over your tooth. Things may not be as bad as you've imagined.

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Glad you have an appt.. take it one step at a time , now adays there is alot they can do to save teeth and usually alot of dentists will do their best to help all with all heroics to save for you!

 

[Meichan]

I spoke to a friend of mine who is a dentist (though lives in the other side of the country). She had some interesting things to say:

1. If nothing is hurting (and the tooth has no endodontic treatment/no root canal). No sensitivity at all- It will probably be alright/fixable.

2. And this is something that has vexed me so much- she said LOTS of fractured cusps (or chips, broken part of tooth) extend below the gum line. It happens all the time. They can put crowns over that stuff now unless its REALLY bad and extends really far down.


So she made me feel a whole lot better. In my head, I'm still anxious in case I go in there feeling a bit less scared and it turns out the be the worst case scenario, but the irrational anxiety talking.

and thanks you guys for the support

 

[Meichan]

Back.

I did it. I stll have my tooth, it was not extracted. My googling was effective- I did have a fractured cusp (the corner part brokem of of a large filling). The only complication I had was that there was a cavity behind it. So the dentist had to drill that out- and she said it came a bit close to the pulp. SHe would have to work on it and make an assessment when you saw it for herself (as opposed to X-Ray).
So she decided it was worth going ahead and doinga partial restoration (the most benign kind). Thouh told me because of the work done I might feel some sensitivity to hot and cold.Ifit dosnt subside, then I might have to have a root canal and get it crowned.
But first off, I have to give it 2-3 wees to heal and settled down.

 

[Meichan]

Just realized how bad my typing was up there lol. I was kind of doped up, sorry!

 

[Meichan]

So, since I haven't had my teeth checked in 2-3 years, and this new dentist seems nice, I've decided to go back for a cleaning, and to get a few other teeth looked at.
I plan to explain to her that since my anxiety is the thing of myths and legend, I'll just have her look at like, the tooth I feel is "suspicious" looking. It's a top molar second from back. It doesn't hurt, it's not broken- but it has this dull light grey area on it. It might be decay underneath that.
I've decided I don't want to wait until thing are emergencies. But I'll have her look at my teeth bit by bit.
So after I get this tooth (and maybe the one beside it) done, I'll take a break for a bit. maybe a few weeks or until my next 6 month cleaning. Then I'll have her look at the other side (which Im not as worried about because I have 2 crowns there).

Boy anxiety is terrible though. I'm actually sitting her with stomach flips thinking about my cleaning, and learning what horrible thing are wrong with my suspicious tooth. I kind of don't want a crown, but I don't want anymore implants if I can help it. I think I'm afraid of judgment (which I know is a common concern). I had an eating disorder when I was in my twenties (I'm n my 30's now), so my molars aren't the greatest. It's not something I want to talk to the dentist about. I've also had issues with just bad dentists. And by that, I mean ones that perhaps were outdated and didn't do a good job.
Though I'm trying to rationalize it in my head. I had an implant last year in my smile zone, and I had the whole smile zone redone. So in that way, the dentist will know that I'm doing my best to make up for the years of failure and fear of the dentist. I'm trying to sort it all out. And it's also a money issue. Implants and veneers aren't covered by my insurance.

I know dentists are actually in the business of *saving* teeth. I have to remind myself of that after so many bad dentists. And I have to get this over with because the anxiety of thinking something is wrong with all my teeth is terrible. It sometimes makes me afraid to eat. Or keeps me awake at night.
I'm afraid the hygienist will see the state of my suspicious molar and judge too. Ugh.

 

[Scared all the time]

So, since I haven't had my teeth checked in 2-3 years, and this new dentist seems nice, I've decided to go back for a cleaning, and to get a few other teeth looked at.
I plan to explain to her that since my anxiety is the thing of myths and legend, I'll just have her look at like, the tooth I feel is "suspicious" looking. It's a top molar second from back. It doesn't hurt, it's not broken- but it has this dull light grey area on it. It might be decay underneath that.
I've decided I don't want to wait until thing are emergencies. But I'll have her look at my teeth bit by bit.
So after I get this tooth (and maybe the one beside it) done, I'll take a break for a bit. maybe a few weeks or until my next 6 month cleaning. Then I'll have her look at the other side (which Im not as worried about because I have 2 crowns there).

Boy anxiety is terrible though. I'm actually sitting her with stomach flips thinking about my cleaning, and learning what horrible thing are wrong with my suspicious tooth. I kind of don't want a crown, but I don't want anymore implants if I can help it. I think I'm afraid of judgment (which I know is a common concern). I had an eating disorder when I was in my twenties (I'm n my 30's now), so my molars aren't the greatest. It's not something I want to talk to the dentist about. I've also had issues with just bad dentists. And by that, I mean ones that perhaps were outdated and didn't do a good job.
Though I'm trying to rationalize it in my head. I had an implant last year in my smile zone, and I had the whole smile zone redone. So in that way, the dentist will know that I'm doing my best to make up for the years of failure and fear of the dentist. I'm trying to sort it all out. And it's also a money issue. Implants and veneers aren't covered by my insurance.

I know dentists are actually in the business of *saving* teeth. I have to remind myself of that after so many bad dentists. And I have to get this over with because the anxiety of thinking something is wrong with all my teeth is terrible. It sometimes makes me afraid to eat. Or keeps me awake at night.
I'm afraid the hygienist will see the state of my suspicious molar and judge too. Ugh.

Boy to I understand and get this post. The fear and nightmares of losing teeth. Just had a nightmare last night of a loose tooth or course it’s not but I hate this anxiety. I never had it before this mess in December started ?