D
Deleted member 29654
Former Member
Right now, I am at a loss. I don’t know what is happening to me. I fear what is going to happen next. I would like some input or clarification since I am unsure if what my dentist is saying is true. Do sensitive teeth NEED amalgams? What?!
I apologize for the length of this post. Thank you in advance for any response to this post.
--------------------
Twenty (20) years ago, my family and I went to a reputable (and now retired) dentist in Mexico to have work done. He gave me two porcelain or resin fillings (which I still have and are good) for an upper incisor and canine. He also gave me two amalgams on the bottom left, one on the top left and one on the bottom right. This was all done in one sitting. I never needed to go back for adjustments, never had any problems with them, never had a leak or crack in them, and did not experience any pain. I have had very mild cold sensitivity since I was a teenager, of which the fillings offered no additional discomfort.
I developed another cavity in my bottom right molar, which never gave me any pain. Finally, this year, I decided to go to a dentist to have my cavity looked at and to examine the condition of my amalgams. On the corners of the amalgams (on the enamel itself), it was obvious there were caries forming. I went to a reputable dentist I found online, got an exam and paid out of pocket. I was told that the amalgams were failing and would need to be replaced soon. There was no leaking at that time, but he wanted to err on the side of caution.
He showed me an x-ray of my teeth and all my amalgams were shallow and nowhere near the pulp or roots. The cavity itself was close to the root, but not close enough to require a root canal or pulp capping. I got a quote and, since I had enough money to do the procedure, I made an appointment. At my request, we all five (5) fillings at once, although he was uncomfortable with it (as I was under the assumption it would be no different from Mexico, drooling and all). I paid upfront and we started.
The amalgam was drilled out and removed (the “normal” way, not holistically) and replaced with composite resin. A filling for the cavity was also placed. One thing I noticed after it was done was that there was no “cusp building” technique used. They were smooth, flat fillings like my amalgams had been. The other thing that I noticed was that dark gray areas were present in the resin replacements; some more noticeable than others.
For the first two days, nothing seemed to be amiss. I was gentle with my teeth and didn’t chew anything too difficult. Then, on the third day onwards, I have undergone different symptoms at different times with different triggers or no triggers at all on all my five (5) fillings (not just one, but sometimes one tooth or one side might be a little worse than the other).
This has persisted for six (6) weeks so far. I have had pressure sensitivity (solids, clenching), air sensitivity (pressure and temperature) and food/drink temperature sensitivity (hot, cold, sometimes even tepid). I have had no sugar sensitivity and the only symptom that had been consistent on all five fillings has been pain with chewing. In addition, during bite adjustments, some of my teeth might hurt a little—especially on my upper left molar.
I have had three (3) bite adjustments and each sitting was about twenty (20) minutes. I had additional x-rays done during the second adjustment, which he said showed that I did not have pulpitis or inflammation. After my third adjustment, the dentist told me the if nothing improved, the next step would be to replace my fillings.
He told me that my teeth are “sensitive”, and it was possible that they simply could not tolerate composite. He explained it was possible I could only tolerate amalgam, for their “sensitivity dulling properties”. He did, however, admit that there may have been possibility that somehow the procedure “got messed up” since we were doing both sides at the same time. I explained that I wanted to try and redo them in composite, since I am uncomfortable with having amalgam again. He told me that if it came to that, he would redo them one or two at a time.
After the wait period and reported back that nothing changed. He asked me which tooth was bothering me the most and although they are all pretty much the same, I said the upper left molar. He was initially intended to go straight to amalgam, but I asked again to try composite. My appointment is the end of this week. To be honest, he seemed to be bothered by the whole affair—the adjustments and the idea of redoing the fillings.
My concerns are many. I initially thought my problem was a high filling. After the first and second adjustment, that is what the dentist thought too, along with interference from my “pointy teeth and deep bite”. Then, during the third adjustment, he said my teeth are just “sensitive” to dental work. I know my mother and grandmother both had amalgams replaced with composite recently and they both said it took a month to go back to normal (without any adjustments), but that was just chewing sensitivity, not anything else, and I have no idea how deep or shallow those filling replacements were.
I’ve read things about temporary sedative fillings, new and more efficient bonding agents, and better (and more expensive) composite compounds with higher fluoride concentrations for sensitive teeth and remineralization properties. I’ve read about new techniques (and specific materials) developed for sensitive teeth, with pain after a filling being either minimal or nonexistent. I’ve read about people who have had their amalgam replacement fillings done with resin and redone with resin, without any mention of going straight back to amalgam by their dentist.
I am unsure if the problem is with me or my dentist. I just don’t know. I am at a loss and I just wish to go back to being normal again.
--------------------
Age: Mid 30s
Sex: Female
Conditions: Overbite, Mild Cold Sensitivity, High Pointed Cusps, Partially Impacted Wisdom Teeth, Coffee/Tea Stained Teeth, High Novocain Tolerance, Sensitive Upper Teeth (to dental work only)
Restorations: Four bottom posterior molars, One top posterior molar, one top incisor, one top canine (Current)
Notes: I cycle between two types of toothpastes—Stannous Fluoride for Sensitivity and Sodium Fluoride/Potassium Nitrate for Sensitivity, plus in the morning I do a saltwater rinse after eating and a half-hour to an hour before brushing my teeth
I apologize for the length of this post. Thank you in advance for any response to this post.
--------------------
Twenty (20) years ago, my family and I went to a reputable (and now retired) dentist in Mexico to have work done. He gave me two porcelain or resin fillings (which I still have and are good) for an upper incisor and canine. He also gave me two amalgams on the bottom left, one on the top left and one on the bottom right. This was all done in one sitting. I never needed to go back for adjustments, never had any problems with them, never had a leak or crack in them, and did not experience any pain. I have had very mild cold sensitivity since I was a teenager, of which the fillings offered no additional discomfort.
I developed another cavity in my bottom right molar, which never gave me any pain. Finally, this year, I decided to go to a dentist to have my cavity looked at and to examine the condition of my amalgams. On the corners of the amalgams (on the enamel itself), it was obvious there were caries forming. I went to a reputable dentist I found online, got an exam and paid out of pocket. I was told that the amalgams were failing and would need to be replaced soon. There was no leaking at that time, but he wanted to err on the side of caution.
He showed me an x-ray of my teeth and all my amalgams were shallow and nowhere near the pulp or roots. The cavity itself was close to the root, but not close enough to require a root canal or pulp capping. I got a quote and, since I had enough money to do the procedure, I made an appointment. At my request, we all five (5) fillings at once, although he was uncomfortable with it (as I was under the assumption it would be no different from Mexico, drooling and all). I paid upfront and we started.
The amalgam was drilled out and removed (the “normal” way, not holistically) and replaced with composite resin. A filling for the cavity was also placed. One thing I noticed after it was done was that there was no “cusp building” technique used. They were smooth, flat fillings like my amalgams had been. The other thing that I noticed was that dark gray areas were present in the resin replacements; some more noticeable than others.
For the first two days, nothing seemed to be amiss. I was gentle with my teeth and didn’t chew anything too difficult. Then, on the third day onwards, I have undergone different symptoms at different times with different triggers or no triggers at all on all my five (5) fillings (not just one, but sometimes one tooth or one side might be a little worse than the other).
This has persisted for six (6) weeks so far. I have had pressure sensitivity (solids, clenching), air sensitivity (pressure and temperature) and food/drink temperature sensitivity (hot, cold, sometimes even tepid). I have had no sugar sensitivity and the only symptom that had been consistent on all five fillings has been pain with chewing. In addition, during bite adjustments, some of my teeth might hurt a little—especially on my upper left molar.
I have had three (3) bite adjustments and each sitting was about twenty (20) minutes. I had additional x-rays done during the second adjustment, which he said showed that I did not have pulpitis or inflammation. After my third adjustment, the dentist told me the if nothing improved, the next step would be to replace my fillings.
He told me that my teeth are “sensitive”, and it was possible that they simply could not tolerate composite. He explained it was possible I could only tolerate amalgam, for their “sensitivity dulling properties”. He did, however, admit that there may have been possibility that somehow the procedure “got messed up” since we were doing both sides at the same time. I explained that I wanted to try and redo them in composite, since I am uncomfortable with having amalgam again. He told me that if it came to that, he would redo them one or two at a time.
After the wait period and reported back that nothing changed. He asked me which tooth was bothering me the most and although they are all pretty much the same, I said the upper left molar. He was initially intended to go straight to amalgam, but I asked again to try composite. My appointment is the end of this week. To be honest, he seemed to be bothered by the whole affair—the adjustments and the idea of redoing the fillings.
My concerns are many. I initially thought my problem was a high filling. After the first and second adjustment, that is what the dentist thought too, along with interference from my “pointy teeth and deep bite”. Then, during the third adjustment, he said my teeth are just “sensitive” to dental work. I know my mother and grandmother both had amalgams replaced with composite recently and they both said it took a month to go back to normal (without any adjustments), but that was just chewing sensitivity, not anything else, and I have no idea how deep or shallow those filling replacements were.
I’ve read things about temporary sedative fillings, new and more efficient bonding agents, and better (and more expensive) composite compounds with higher fluoride concentrations for sensitive teeth and remineralization properties. I’ve read about new techniques (and specific materials) developed for sensitive teeth, with pain after a filling being either minimal or nonexistent. I’ve read about people who have had their amalgam replacement fillings done with resin and redone with resin, without any mention of going straight back to amalgam by their dentist.
I am unsure if the problem is with me or my dentist. I just don’t know. I am at a loss and I just wish to go back to being normal again.
--------------------
Age: Mid 30s
Sex: Female
Conditions: Overbite, Mild Cold Sensitivity, High Pointed Cusps, Partially Impacted Wisdom Teeth, Coffee/Tea Stained Teeth, High Novocain Tolerance, Sensitive Upper Teeth (to dental work only)
Restorations: Four bottom posterior molars, One top posterior molar, one top incisor, one top canine (Current)
Notes: I cycle between two types of toothpastes—Stannous Fluoride for Sensitivity and Sodium Fluoride/Potassium Nitrate for Sensitivity, plus in the morning I do a saltwater rinse after eating and a half-hour to an hour before brushing my teeth
Last edited by a moderator: