So many dental problems... depressed and need support :(

[dentalnightmare]

Hi everyone, I was hoping that this would be a place I could share my story with those who understand what it's like to be living in a dental nightmare.

Despite always having a fastidious dental hygiene routine and being fortune enough to get regular dental checkups, cleanings and fluoride treatments since I was a little kid, I've had a lifetime of terrible teeth (I'm 25 now).

As a kid, my baby teeth had one cavity after another, and I was constantly in the dental chair getting something drilled or crowned. Eventually, when I got old enough that my permanent teeth were close to growing in, the dentist would just pull my baby teeth instead of the continued trauma of filling after filling. But my adult teeth immediately had problems too. I had my first abscessed tooth and root canal at age 12, and since then it's been nothing but trouble. Nearly every single one of my molars and premolars has had a filling, which would then get decay under them and require crowns, and then still end up abscessed some point down the road and need root canals, and even many of my root canals have failed (despite being performed by seemingly competent endodontists). I think at this point I've had 12 or 13 root canals. When I was 16, I had a lower molar get so badly infected that it spread into my jaw, face and throat and didn't respond to any amount of antibiotics - I spent 4 terrifying, excruciatingly painful days in the hospital and eventually had to have the infection surgically drained. So many things in my life have been ruined by dental pain and infections - birthdays, holidays, vacations, special events. The pain and the amount of time I have to spend at the dentist impact my performance at my job. It's taken me years to un-bury myself from dental debt, and staying out of debt now means that my husband and I have no savings and can't pursue our dreams of becoming parents or buying a house. My history has led me to have great anxiety about dentistry and I think and worry about my teeth constantly.

Just in the last year alone, I had one tooth that decayed under a crown so badly it had to be extracted, 2 previously root canaled teeth got re-infected and I opted to have them extracted rather than put myself through more root canals (now I have no lower right molars and have trouble eating), 2 other teeth needed crowns re-done, another molar got infected and needed a root canal, and I think I have one more infection that needs a root canal. In addition, an implant I got 5 years ago has failed and has to be removed.

My dentist tells me that I should keep my natural teeth at all costs, that partials or dentures are not as good as natural teeth - I'm sure that's true, but dentures would have to be pretty darn awful to be worse than the dental hell my life has been.


Thanks for listening...

 

[Steve In Cleveland]

dentalnightmare. What a terrible situation, my heart goes out to you.

Usually when we hear about extensive dental problems, the cause is fairly clear-- some combination of dental neglect and avoidance of the dentist. So the solution, as difficult as it is, is to overcome the fear and start down a better path of seeing the dentist, taking care of your teeth, and working towards rebuilding a healthy smile.

In your case it sounds like you're already doing what you can for your teeth, and seeing the dentist way more often than you'd like, but there's still something going on. I can see why you feel so helpless and hopeless.

I'm not a medical professional, but it sure seems to me like you're entitled to a better diagnosis and plan than what you've got. There's all kinds of things that can cause chronic problems like this, and it feels like you're stuck in a cycle of chasing and fixing the symptoms. If you have malocclusion (a misaligned bite), or are overbrushing or grinding your teeth at night or something, working on that might be more productive.

It wonder if you've talked about this with your regular doctor or with an ENT (ear-nose-throat) specialist, or if there's a major hospital or dental facility nearby where you can get some more extensive testing. At the very least I think you deserve to get some professional guidance on what your long-term options are. I understand your dentist's standard advice that it's best to keep your natural teeth if you can, but if you're spending thousands of dollars a year and still in constant pain/fear, it seems like there has to be a better way...

So sorry to hear about your problems, I can't even imagine what it must be like. Hopefully one of our professionals will lend some advice here too.

 

[dentalnightmare]

Thanks for the reply and support, Steve in Cleveland. It has really been so frustrating that each dentist and endodontist simply wants to "put out the fires" instead of giving me some kind of plan for an improved quality of life. Usually dentists are very skeptical at first that I take good care of my teeth, until they actually look in my mouth and see how healthy my gums are and clean/free of tartar and plaque my teeth are. A few have suggested I have some kind of genetic enamel deficiency since I have a few other congenital dental oddities - I don't have tooth #29 and I have some strange root anatomy, for instance. But no one wants to actually give me a plan to deal with it, they seem only interested in charging me $ to constantly work on my mouth. I think you're right that maybe this deserves a more holistic approach. Maybe it's time for a new dentist, an ENT or talking to someone at a dental school.

 

[Kim]

Hello and from me too dental nightmare.

I am sorry that you have had all these problems during your young life. I can only imagine how all of this has been for you And now the fact that you are feeling so drained of everything, including finances is making you see things in nothing more than a negative light, so your thoughts regarding dentures as being a better way out are not unusual.

However, you are still so young, and I think you really need to think of dentures as your last option. As your dentist says, they will never be the same as your natural teeth, and I get the impression from some people, my hubby being one of them, that they think that once you have a denture made, that is it, job done. But that really isn't the case, as I myself am learning now, your mouth has to be 're-educated' totally in how it works and you have to teach yourself how to speak and say things, and then you have to learn to eat all over again.

I think it may be worth getting another opinion if you are able to, and look at all the options that are available to you. Do your research, and gather together all your information, and take it forward from there.

I really feel for you, and I really hope that you can get a course of action going that works well for you in more ways than one.

Take care.

Kim

 

[dentalnightmare]

Thanks Kim... I can definitely understand why dentures are a last resort. At this point I wouldn't consider full dentures, as *KNOCK ON WOOD* my front teeth have held up well... it's just the molars (and 2nd premolars) that cause me problems, so it was partials I was considering. My dentist has definitely scared me about partials though, warning me of bone loss (especially since I'm young and would have to go so many years without teeth), impact to my appearance (superficial, but it does worry me), difficulty chewing, and the need for relines over the years. I can see that it's not a great option.

But then again, my grandfather (who is almost 90) has had full dentures for 50 years, and he has no trouble eating or talking - he eats salad, steak, hamburgers, crunchy cereal, etc. My grandmother has also had a partial for around 50 years and has no difficulties with it. Maybe they are more the exception than the rule, though.

I just feel so desperate to be free from dental pain and fear. I'm actually going next week to a mental health therapist to talk about my teeth anxieties, crazy as that sounds. I'm exhausted from constantly thinking and worrying about my dental problems and the financial problems they cause.

I'm really glad to have discovered this community - I'm sad to know other people have awful dental problems too, but it's comforting to know I'm not alone and people understand and care. In my "real" life, I avoid talking about my dental problems at length because many people are so quick to judge.

 

[Steve In Cleveland]

I just feel so desperate to be free from dental pain and fear. I'm actually going next week to a mental health therapist to talk about my teeth anxieties, crazy as that sounds. I'm exhausted from constantly thinking and worrying about my dental problems and the financial problems they cause.

I definitely don't think that sounds crazy! For most of us here, dental phobia is an irrational response, meaning that our fears of the dentist are actually way out of proportion to the actual experience of going to the dentist. So in a way, the phobia is "all in our heads". But even still, it's a very real and legitimate experience-- these fears and anxieties can completely consume our lives, so even if the fear is unfounded, it's very very real. I think a lot of people are ashamed of their dental phobia, because it feels like we're crazy or broken in some way. When in fact, it's almost always a pretty sane reaction to some mental and physical processes that are out of our control.

In your case, though, it sounds less like you suffer from dental phobia and more like your bad teeth actually are kind of ruining your life, despite your best efforts to take care of them. So I don't think it's crazy or irrational at all, or even out of proportion, to feel anxious about your teeth. You've got the crowns and the giant dental bills to show for it.

I think it's great that you're getting some help from a therapist. One of the things I think you need to get completely clear on is that you shouldn't feel ashamed about your condition, any more than you'd be ashamed of having, say, asthma or diabetes. It doesn't sound like you're to blame for any of the things going on in your mouth (even if you were, it's still important to not let it make you ashamed). I think you should feel as entitled to help and a long term plan as you would be with any other medical condition. Worst case, if this is just a chronic thing you have, then you need to develop some positive ways of accepting it and keeping it from taking over your life.

Spoken from experience, give yourself lots of space and compassion as you start working with a therapist. It can feel at first like you're coming unraveled, and at other times it can feel like you're just going in circles and not making progress. It's not a linear thing, more like wandering through a strange new landscape, and you just have to trust that you're moving forward and that the therapist is there to help and guide you. But I think it will be a very good thing for you, and provide some much-needed relief.

Take care...

 

[dentalnightmare]

Thanks again Steve in Cleveland, I really appreciate all your feedback! I'm hoping I'll be able to come to a place where I'll be able to accept what's going on with my mouth. It's hard not to feel ashamed of having bad teeth when our society paints people with bad teeth as lazy, stupid, unhygienic, etc - it's awful. Many people do not have the resources, education, or simple good genetic luck to have good teeth. And often I've heard people (and dentists) say that there's "no such thing" as genetically soft/weak teeth and that it's just an excuse people make up for bad hygiene habits. I know that's nonsense - my husband only flosses sometimes, drinks soft drinks, eat candy, etc - and he's had nothing more than one filling or two in his life. I almost never drink sugary or acidic drinks, avoid any kind of sticky candy, brush my teeth immediately after meals and have flossed daily as soon as I was old enough to do so - and I'm stuck here with an ever-evolving dental disaster. There's no WAY genetics don't play a role. C'est le vie, I suppose.

Thanks again, everyone.

 

[iDent]

I first read your initial post on 9/21, and am humbled by all the storm and strife your dental problems have caused in your life. Instead of a purple heart, you deserve a "purple mandible" (I've only ever written this to one other person on this forum).

As children, many of us are taught that if we have dental problems, they are "our fault" from eating too much sugar and/or poor dental hygiene practices. While this is often partially correct, I doubt that the overall sitaution is always quite so simple.

In my late 20s a dentist told me that since I was decay-prone but largely free of plaque buildup, even after years away from dentistry, I most likely had acidic saliva. When I had a root canal in a third molar (wisdom tooth) last summer, the endodontist mentioned that not only are third molars difficult to keep clean, but that some of the medications I take are known to reduce saliva production, creating a different risk factor for decay.

From a sad but interesting chapter in dental history. . .
Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra of Russia (of the House of Romanov) were assassinated during the Russian Revolution in 1918, and exhumed from a forest grave in the early 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union. During the archeological identification process, the skull presumed to be Alexandra's was noted to have a significant amount of platinum and other "noble metal" (in this case, literally) dental restorations. Although I could not find a good current internet link, I once read that Tsarina Alexandra may have had a "family dental disease."

In terms of identifying (not necessarily solving) the cause of your dental problems, I agree that a faculty consultation at a dental school would be a good idea. If you don't live near a dental school (or even if you do), you may want to post a question in the Ask a Dentist section. Although any dentist answering cannot give a formal diagnosis, if you PM a replying dentist with your location, he or she may be able to recommend a good dental geneticist in your region.

Even if dentures eventually prove to be "the lesser of two evils" for you, I hope that your dental pain, life, and finances begin to improve. Please update us as you continue on your journey. . .

 

[sharon]

Hi Dentalnightmare,

I really feel for you and all that you have gone through. You certainly have had more than your share of dental work done at such a young age. And it's not only affecting you from a dental phobia stand but it is a major financial drain. For something that you have no control over it must be very discouraging.

One thing came to my mind as I was reading your post - is there any possibility at all that you could have celiac disease? I have been reading a lot about this disease lately as there is a possibility I may have it and one thing I came across is that an early childhood sympton is a mouth full of cavities despite good oral hygiene. I'm not trying to scare you and I'm not saying you have this, it's just a thought that came to me. (and if you do have it, it is very treatable.)

Whatever the cause of it, I hope you are able to find a good dentist who is willing and able to find the root cause and work on treating that so you can end this dental nightmare.

Sharon

 

[fratermus]

Despite always having a fastidious dental hygiene routine and being fortune enough to get regular dental checkups, cleanings and fluoride treatments since I was a little kid, I've had a lifetime of terrible teeth (I'm 25 now).

Sorry to hear about your situation.

Related: my sister was a dental hygiene zealot and spent MUCH more time in the chair as a child than I ever did. At one point all but 5 of her teeth had crowns.


Note: my slightly grouchy/pessimistic rant follows -- feel free to skip!

My dentist tells me that I should keep my natural teeth at all costs, that partials or dentures are not as good as natural teeth - I'm sure that's true, but dentures would have to be pretty darn awful to be worse than the dental hell my life has been.

I have similar thoughts. It seems to me the scenarios are, best to worst:

1. great teeth. I know some people like this. I hate those people.
2. good teeth with fillings, etc, as needed. i.e., a normal experience
3. dentures (particularly ones mounted to implants, I'd think)
4. bad teeth that are endlessly worked on, continue to produce pain, a money pit of perpetual heroic repair or eventual tooth loss regardless.

If I were cynical, I'd point out that a dental practice may have an incentive to recommend #4 over #3. I imagine dental school student loans are killer....

I think I would much rather have natural-looking dentures rather than natural-but-poor-quality teeth. Perhaps some denture-wearing folk could disabuse me of this opinion, unless that would be threadjacking.

 

[dentalnightmare]

Thanks so much again to everyone for the support and great suggestions. To Sharon, I have actually been tested for Celiac (fortunately the test came up negative) - but interesting thought!

I think fratermus hit the nail on the head with:

It seems to me the scenarios are, best to worst:

1. great teeth. I know some people like this. I hate those people.
2. good teeth with fillings, etc, as needed. i.e., a normal experience
3. dentures (particularly ones mounted to implants, I'd think)
4. bad teeth that are endlessly worked on, continue to produce pain, a money pit of perpetual heroic repair or eventual tooth loss regardless.

If I were cynical, I'd point out that a dental practice may have an incentive to recommend #4 over #3. I imagine dental school student loans are killer....

I think I would much rather have natural-looking dentures rather than natural-but-poor-quality teeth. Perhaps some denture-wearing folk could disabuse me of this opinion, unless that would be threadjacking.

Sometimes I get so down and miserable thinking and worrying about my teeth (and being in pain all the time) that I become resolved to STOP with the useless root canals over and over and just get the darn things pulled next time I need yet another root canal. Then I read horror stories about dentures online (I know, bad idea to google things) about how denture-wearers are doomed to a life of never eating anything harder than mushy carrots, of having "denture-breath", of having a sunken facial appearance. I KNOW this can't be true for everyone. Like I said, I personally know people who have worn dentures for decades and, though I'm sure it's not as good as having healthy natural teeth, these people seem to be able to eat anything they want and you'd never know from their appearance (or breath!) that they have artificial teeth. Still, the denture horror stories get into my psyche and I feel hopeless, convinced I'm doomed to years of fruitless, expensive, time-consuming, painful dentistry followed by the rest of my life with fake teeth that ruin my ability to enjoy food and my self-esteem.

My dentists (current, and past ones) do SEEM genuinely concerned and sympathetic for my situation - but they also are completely focused on just "putting out the fires" and they never think about the big picture or whether it makes sense to keep putting out fires that constantly re-ignite. This week I had a filling - well, let me re-phrase, a THIRD filling, on tooth #18. I'd had the first filling on that tooth 5 or 10 years ago. When I went to my current dentist for the first time a year ago, he said he saw decay under the filling on the X-Ray and proceeded to re-do the filling. Over the last few months I'd been complaining to him of pain and extreme temperature sensitivity in that tooth, which he tried to wave off a few times ("oh, just use Sensodyne toothpaste"). Finally he x-rayed it, saw something suspicious, drilled out the year-old filling and - surprise - a bunch more decay under the filling, very close to the pulp. He proceeded to remove the decay and re-fill the tooth and said something like, "well, fortunately we got it so it probably won't need a root canal." REALLY? That is exactly how my other 10+ root canals happened - filling followed by decay followed by another filling followed by more decay followed by another filling and finally an abscess formed. I'm willing to bet #18 will be abscessed in less than a year.

I've decided to make an appointment with a local prosthodontist, whose website claims he specializes in whole-mouth rehabilitation and difficult cases. I'm skeptical, and pretty sure he's just going to try to sell me $50,000 worth of implants that I DEFINITELY cannot afford, but maybe he'll have some ideas about how I can live some semblance of a good life again in a way that I can somehow afford.

Thanks again to everyone at this forum and sorry for the long vent, again...

 

[fratermus]

Sometimes I get so down and miserable thinking and worrying about my teeth (and being in pain all the time) that I become resolved to STOP with the useless root canals over and over and just get the darn things pulled next time I need yet another root canal.

I'm so close to making that decision now.

Finally he x-rayed it, saw something suspicious, drilled out the year-old filling and - surprise - a bunch more decay under the filling, very close to the pulp. He proceeded to remove the decay and re-fill the tooth and said something like, "well, fortunately we got it so it probably won't need a root canal." REALLY? That is exactly how my other 10+ root canals happened - filling followed by decay followed by another filling followed by more decay followed by another filling and finally an abscess formed. I'm willing to bet #18 will be abscessed in less than a year.

This sounds very familiar. All of my teeth that are in bad shape are that way because previous fillings failed (after which I had no dental coverage).

My biological mother has it worse than me; about 1x/month she's in having some damage/decay/breakage repaired. Doesn't sound like much of a life to me.

I've decided to make an appointment with a local prosthodontist, whose website claims he specializes in whole-mouth rehabilitation and difficult cases. I'm skeptical, and pretty sure he's just going to try to sell me $50,000 worth of implants that I DEFINITELY cannot afford, but maybe he'll have some ideas about how I can live some semblance of a good life again in a way that I can somehow afford.

Please let us know what happens. I hear that $50k is about what uppers and lowers would cost that using the "all-on-{number of implant anchors}" method.

 

[dentalnightmare]

Well, I went to the prosthodontist (who specializes in complicated cases and restoration of teeth) last week and it was a good news/bad news kind of scenario. The good news was I felt like he actually LISTENED to me and seemed to be familiar with teeth that continue to become susceptible to decay even with great home hygiene and regular dental care. He started me on a program called CariFree. It's a combination of rinses, tooth gel and sprays that are supposed to work to remineralize teeth and decrease the acidity of the saliva in a way that regular OTC rinses and toothpastes can't, and it's designed for folks who for whatever reason (genetics, metabolic differences) are extremely prone to decay. The prosthodontist said he's had great success with CariFree preventing new decay on people who are at the end of their ropes, like I currently am. I was skeptical, but I did some research and the peer-reviewed journal articles on the subject seem to back up his claim, so I guess I'm cautiously optimistic about the CariFree.

The bad news was the amount it's going to cost to take care of the current decay (all under old crowns) and replace my missing teeth. Conservatively it's going to cost $12,000 - $15,000 - which is a huge, huge blow. Being smack-dab in the middle class, my husband and I will probably be able to scrape this together over time, so I know in that way I'm quite fortunate - but it's going to mean giving up on all of our other financial goals for the time being. I feel like there's something wrong with healthcare in our society when dental care is considered "elective" and there's no insurance that will cover any kind of serious dental problems.

I'm still plagued by the what-ifs and dental anxiety, but I do have greater peace of mind knowing that I have a dental professional who seems to understand my individual situation and isn't going to just drill my teeth every other week and never address the underlying problem.

 

[comfortdentist]

I'm glad you found someone with an interest in caries prevention. The vast majority of dental caries can be prevented today by use of fluoride(methods vary with patient), xylitol, hygiene, and diet. I have had patient with rampant caries essentially stop further development with changes. For some these changes are hard to make especially for mature adults then I would consider implants.

 

[2sleepy]

I have had the same problem, multiple cavities when I was a kid, it just never seemed to end..and I didn't eat candy or drink soft drinks so it had to be something else. It continued when I got my permanent teeth, I had filling so large that there wasn't enough tooth to hold the fillings in. I had two teeth extracted in my early 20's because I just didn't have money to have root canals. I became more and more phobic about dental treatment, probably in large part due to the amount of time I spent in the dentist's chair, so I largely neglected my teeth until I was in my early 30's at which time I decided I simply would not lose any more teeth and no matter how difficult it was for me, I would get whatever treatment I needed to save my teeth. It wasn't cheap, I was a single working mom, and it wasn't fun, but my dentist worked out a plan so I could spread the work over a 4 year period.

The good news is, that I am 66 now and have not lost any more teeth. All but 5 of my teeth are crowned, I have (at last count) 19 root canals but I've got teeth =) Don't ever try to sell yourself on the idea that dentures are a good solution because for every one person who does fine with them, there are 10 more who hate them and regret having their teeth extracted. My mom had them and she must have had a dozen set of dentures made and she couldn't hardly chew and would get horrible sores in her gums.

I would be concerned about teeth with a root canal needing a second root canal; I would probably change dentists if that happened, but I'm no expert, so hopefully a professional can weigh in with their opinion on that.

 

[dentalnightmare]

Hi 2sleepy, so sorry to hear that you've been plagued with these problems too, but encouraged to hear that you were finally able to get it under control! Maybe there is hope after all.

I would be concerned about teeth with a root canal needing a second root canal; I would probably change dentists if that happened, but I'm no expert, so hopefully a professional can weigh in with their opinion on that.

I think the main cause of my failed root canals is re-decay under my crowns. Bacteria seep into the previously-sealed canals and cause more infections. Today I had two old crowns removed and cleaned up, and found out that the decay was so bad on one of the teeth that the root canal on that tooth has to be redone (making it my 4th FAILED root canal). So disappointing.

So that makes the grand total of dental problems since October 2011: 7 crowns with re-decay, 2 new root canals, 3 failed root canals (and maybe a fourth), 1 filling with re-decay, and implant abutment screw had to be replaced - all resulting in 3 lost teeth and at least $15,000 worth of work, and that's the price WITHOUT replacing the lost teeth. And one of the new root canals I had is still causing me pain and sensitivity weeks after the fact, so I'm doubtful about how long that will last.

Trying so hard not to give up hope...

 

[maddawgzy]

dentalnightmare - Poor thing! it's how i feel also, gingivitis ongoing things issues, 1 year on 1 tooth to rc crown it...ughhhhhhhhh, now i felt this sharp bit back molar, flossed it out i hope to god it's not a bit of tooth! ......My fear is extraction....I worry i will scream the place down faint/ heart attack major phobia!!!!! I wish i was one of those people who just go whatever at the dentist chill. If i could get past extraction phobia, id be ok..but everytime something happens i think of them ripping one out?....and the Pain of it....I said other day, oh be great when i have full dentures lol. no teeth to fill/clean/repair haha...the anxiety depression can really get you down, i wish i had listened when i was younger!!!!!! How you doing know?

 

[Kat1969]

I realize this is an older thread - but i could relate so much, and it made me feel better not feeling so alone. When i turned 43 (4 years ago) it seemed like my dental "luck" was over. and in 4 years i have had 10 extractions (replaced with implants) 8-10 root canals, most that failed and became the aforementioned extractions, and most of 4 years of pain, depression and now serious debt. am fortunate i have an amazing oral surgeon and tolerate implants well - but i am now dealing with massive psychological fall out. I am now constantly worried about "when is the next tooth going to go" (ive had 3 extractions now if 3 weeks), and i feel such deep deep shame. thats the worst part. the deep shame. I have been diligent - i floss daily, brush 3 times a day, get cleanings 3 times a year, wear night guards for my grinding/clenching (suspect thats a lot of my issue) - and yet here i am 47 years old with 10 teeth gone. and as i type this - i sit here aware of an ache ni my back molar. and of course, my mind now goes to the worse place about that...........its tiring, i am embarrassed, my husband has been great - but i am so ashamed.

 

[SVR]

Picking up this thread again and just want to thank you all for sharing! Unfortunately I don’t have answers - wish I did but thought others reading this might benefit like I did hearing your stories.
I am 43 and like many of you have had dental issues since my teens. My first root canal was in my 20’s and I have few teeth that don’t have massive fillings in them. I eat well, exercise, floss, brush, rinse, wear a night guard for grinding and yet I’m always feeling like I have terrible luck with teeth.
It has destroyed my confidence and I find myself feeling depressed and jealous when I see other people smile and how beautiful their teeth are. (Not nice I know). I even get jealous seeing my pre-teen kids eat without a care (mine really hurt when I chew too much - partly the fillings and partly suspected TMJ).
My two siblings have fillings but nothing as bad as mine and neither have had root canal work done or crowns like me. I remember my dad having full dentures (he passed away aged 50-something when I was a kid) and my mom still has her teeth at 83 so I’m starting to wonder if my two siblings got the good genes and maybe I wasn’t so lucky. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to all this and like the original poster I keep getting decay under fillings. At this stage I feel like there is no point and that any dental work will just lead to more dental work!
I would be interested to hear if anyone with RCT issues have had success with implants? Really worried about the stories about perio implantitis (spelling?) and worried that they might fail if I decide to go that route.
If any of you have experience with implants, do they feel like normal teeth to chew on? Does it hurt/ache? I was told RCT teeth wouldn’t hurt after the healing process but my jaw aches occasionally and they are sensitive when I tap on them. X rays appear to be normal so I have no idea why.
Again, thank you for sharing and know that you are not alone if you’re stressed, depressed or anxious about dental issues.
It does affect so much like confidence and enjoyment of food. Trying hard to remember that this isn’t everything I am.