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I’m in my early twenties and just got my first cavity and my first ever filling. She offered me the choice between amalgam and composite fillings. She said amalgam has been around longer. I still opted for the composite because I liked the idea of the white color, but now I am wondering if I made a mistake. At first, everything was fine. But, a couple of weeks later I woke up with pain when I bit down. Now it is happening every time I bite down. I went back to see my dentist. She ran some tests and said that she thinks the tooth is cracked. She adjusted the filling and said if that doesn’t help she can try replacing it. If that doesn’t help, she can give me a root canal treatment. That has me terrified. Should I just get the tooth extracted? I heard root canal treatments are awful.
Anastasia
Dear Anastasia,
I’m going to start off saying that you are not with the best dentist. I have some serious doubts about her diagnostic skills. Before we get into that I want to mention that you made the right decision getting the composite fillings. They’re better for your teeth. Not only do amalgam fillings weaken your teeth, but they are also mostly made of mercury which is a toxic substance. While the American Dental Society considers them safe and they’ve been used for generations, you can understand why some people are uncomfortable having it in their mouths. Most people prefer mercury-free fillings.
Now, as for your issue, bear in mind that I have not examined you so it would be impossible (and irresponsible) for me to tell you I was sure what was wrong. However, based on what you described and your dentist saying that she thinks it is cracked, that is probably what is going on. Though, I do recommend a second opinion with someone who can examine you. I’m perplexed at your dentist saying she “thinks” it’s cracked. Either it is or it isn’t.
However, let’s assume for now that it is. Replacing your filling will do nothing. If it is cracked. you will not need a root canal treatment unless the tooth gets infected. What you need is a dental crown to protect the tooth.
If the tooth does get infected, don’t panic about the root canal treatment. That is a much better option than extracting your tooth, especially at your age. Unless you replace the tooth right away, it will completely throw off your bite. I know that you are nervous about a root canal. I don’t think it has come to that or you’d be hurting all the time and not just when you bite down. However, if you ever do need one, I want you to have an anxiety-free/pain-free experience. For patients with dental anxiety, I recommend they see a sedation dentist. They can give you a medication that will completely relax you during the procedure. In fact, you could sleep through it if you wanted to.
Before you do anything though, please get a second opinion.
This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. John Theriot.