Very quick question re. X-rays

[sudzs]

Following on from my thread about an endodontist saying there was decay under a filling and my own dentist saying it was translucency, would someone who knows about these things be able to share their opinion please?

I'm stuck now because I've lost confidence in my dentist as I've had nothing but trouble with a filling for the last 8 months. I had the filling redone last week but the gum is still very sore but I'm afraid to go back about it. I plan to change dentist as soon as possible but will they take a dim view of fixing something like this??

Anyway, sorry to ramble, I'd really appreciate an opinion on these x-rays. They were taken about 8 months apart.

 

[sudzs]

Oh I'm sorry mods, should I have posted this in the photos forum??

 

[Gordon]

No, it's fine to post here.
It's a simple job to redo that filling, any dentist would be happy to do it.

It's very obvious decay btw.

 

[sudzs]

Thank you so so much Gordon, I really appreciate your help.
I wish I had gone somewhere else now to get the filling redone because I was back with the dentist today as the sore gum was getting worse, red and even more swollen. They asked their senior colleague in to look at me. (there's just the 2 of them there) She didn't think the gum was swollen. Unbelievable because it definitely is. She looked at my x-rays but didn't seem to see any decay either. She asked me if I'd thought about an extraction ! I'm so upset. I have dental phobia whish is bad enough but it's off the scale when it comes to extractions.

But thank you for telling me that's definitely decay, I really was wondering who to trust between my own dentist and the endodontist. My dentist has really damaged my ability to trust. It's awful.

Thank you again.

 

[Gordon]

She looked at my x-rays but didn't seem to see any decay either. She asked me if I'd thought about an extraction

That's insane. Go find another dentist.

 

[sudzs]

That's insane. Go find another dentist.

I know! She was even praising the good work my dentist had done, "What a superb filling, you can hardly see it" and What a beautiful RCT" Gaslighting I think. They know I'm autistic.

I've just registered with a new dentist and going for my first appointment next week. So starting from scratch building a relationship I can be comfortable with. Very nervous but things can only get better as they say!

A million thanks again Gordon.

 

[Gordon]

To be fair, it's an OK root treatment, good luck with the new dentist.

 

[sudzs]

Oh that's good to hear, thanks Gordon. This is the replacement filling. My gum is still very red and swollen and I think I can feel a ledge between filling and tooth, right up under the gum. The gum feels "loose" or something, like it's detached from teh tooth if that makes sense. I can get the floss right up there and it's catching on something. So 1 last question if that's ok. How does the new filling look?

Thank you so much.

 

[Gordon]

The filling looks OK, the decay has been removed finally, but there looks like there's a little ledge of filling material at the edge of the filling. It's an easy fix but you will need to go back to the dentist again, sorry!

 

[sudzs]

Thanks Gordon. Great relief to hear from you that the decay is gone. But I've already moved dentist. Will the new one be happy enough to fix this?? Would it be something the endodontist would do? Probably not.

edit: Oh when you say go back to the dentist you mean any dentist - I think! I'm a bit addled, I just broke up with the decay dentist by email and it took me all morning to write it!

And so sorry to take up so much of your time with my "quick question"

 

[Gordon]

Not sure about the new dentist's reaction I'm afraid, they may well want to charge you to fix it, but they might do it for the goodwill... it's a fairly quick job.
Best thing is to ask them first I suppose, then take it from there.

 

[sudzs]

Thanks again Gordon. I won't mind paying to have it fixed. It really does feel like a sharp ledge could be sticking in the gum and causing all this pain. I hope that's all it is anyway. Trying not to think of how the dentist will get up there under the gumline to refine it though.

Thanks again for all your help.

 

[Gordon]

Little sandpaper strips, a bit like floss with some abrasives on one side.

 

[sudzs]

But it's very much below the gumline. Although I can get floss in there but it's unpleasant. Maybe I'll be numbed up. Scared now the filling might have to be done again.

 

[Gordon]

That's not a problem, you just work the strip in carefully. You can ask for local if you want but probably don't need it.

 

[sudzs]

Thanks so much for the reassurance @Gordon. Just heading off now...

 

[Gordon]

Let me know how you get on please

 

[sudzs]

That's not a problem, you just work the strip in carefully. You can ask for local if you want but probably don't need it.

Well no local, it wasn't offered. The dentist went in with the strip and went back and forth and worked his way up the side of the tooth and under the gumline. There was quite a bit of blood and was quite painful at times. Not sure it will have done the trick or not until the gum heals. It's pretty well traumatised. As was I. I'm not sure I've found the right dentist for me.

 

[sudzs]

@Gordon I don't think he got all of the ledge either. I'm still finding a spot where tape is catching and the gum is still very sore. He said the next step is to replace the filling and that's not guaranteed to be any better than this one. So if that was the case then to try a crown. But not an NHS one because they always look bad on a front tooth, I should get it done as a private procedure.

Feeling depressed about it all now. Can't anyone just fix this ledge for me without having to go through another filling replacement? And how would a crown fit any better if it's to go below the gumline?? Wouldn't the gum need to be cut? Is there any solution? Should I try a different dentist to see if they can smooth out this ledge? It's not something an endodontist would do, is it?? Sorry for all the questions, I'm feeling so down about it all this evening.

 

[Gordon]

That's a shame it was so traumatic for you. A crown is "better" because you've got better visibility, but that's because you've drilled off a fair amount of the natural tooth.
An endodontist could do it technically but it's outside their scope of practice so they're not really allowed to. OTOH a dental hygienist or therapist could do it, if that was an option for you?