Posted by writeradmin
I have a wisdom tooth that has been a problem for a while. It never really hurt, I could just see the decay on it. It looks like it has rotted off now. To me, that should be the end of things, but my wife is insisting that I at least contact a dentist to ask about this, even if I don’t see one. So, even if you never write back, I’ve at least contacted a dentist and can get her off my back.
Kent
Dear Kent,
I am very glad you wrote. I am not too worried about this tooth. Once the crown of the tooth (the visible part) is gone, the rest of the tooth will decay. It would be unlikely, though not impossible, for any infection to get into the bone at that point. If you do develop any pain, go see a dentist who treats non-established patients with a toothache and gets them in quickly. This is a sign of an active infection.
More good news for you is that because it is a wisdom tooth, you won’t need to replace it even if it does need to be removed. That would be different with any other tooth. Once a tooth is lost, it is important to place a new tooth in its place. If you don’t, the adjacent teeth will shift or tip into the empty place. This throws off your bite, which can lead to jaw pain, headaches, and even TMJ disorder. If you ever do have to replace a tooth, a dental implant is the best tooth replacement available.
I noticed that you are uncomfortable going in to see a dentist. Don’t feel too bad about that, a lot of people are. This usually stems from a traumatic experience at the dentist. I have a solution that will make your dental experiences much more pleasant and will allow you to catch up on all your dental work in an anxiety free and pain free way. There are sedation dentists who offer a medication that will completely relax you. It’s technically called oral conscious sedation, but many people call it sleep dentistry. This has changed the lives of patients with dental anxiety.
This blog is brought to you by a gentle dentist in Baton Rouge Dr. John Theriot.