Multiple fillings needed.

[ChrisR]

Afternoon all. Quick question for you. I haven’t been to the dentist in about fifteen years. I wouldn’t say it’s a phobia but when I was 16 I had a tooth smashed by someone and my experience wasn’t great. Since that treatment I’ve avoided going.

Today I looked at my teeth using my phone light. My teeth are absolutely riddled with little holes, some as many as ten in a tooth and they obviously need filling before it progresses. Most are small ones that would ordinarily be filled I think but I don’t know how dentists go about filling these. Can they drill out multiple holes in a tooth and fill at the same time per tooth?

Thanks for any replies.

 

[honestdoc]

Your questions are valid. The answers are it depends. First thing the dentist will do is take x-rays. They are like a road map of your teeth and I will never drill on a tooth without them. They are necessary because we don't know where or how deep the cavities will get inside your tooth and where the nerve in the root canal will be. We can't see the bone health under your gums without them. If you have multiple holes in one tooth, it depends on the size of those holes. You may need to have a crown if the holes get too big for the tooth to remain strong enough.

I am very big on prevention of cavities. I would evaluate the patient and if he or she has rampant cavities all over, I would have a serious discussion on why they are deteriorating because fillings will also get cavities under them and you can potentially lose all of your teeth.

 

[ChrisR]

Thanks for the reply. My teeth were pretty perfect until I was in my mid to late twenties. One cavity and no other issues.

I went to rural Kenya for 30 months in 2010 and due to where I was I didn’t have access to dental care or indeed the means to properly clean teeth sometimes. It was also not unusual to find fizzy drinks (coca cola) specifically which I’d regularly have as the only available luxury. I came back from there in 2013 with more than a few small cavities I’d guess. In any case I developed a tendency to drink the fizzy drinks even when I returned and it wasn’t uncommon for me to wake in the middle of the night and eat or drink something without then brushing teeth again. I’ve had no real pain and the cavities have actually been unnoticeable to the naked eye without using a bright light.

In any case I haven’t been eating or drinking sugary foods since January and my tooth care routine now is pretty good. I brush after every meal, floss and use mouthwash. Probably excessively so if I’m honest. I certainly won’t go down this road again. If I had a starting point where I could maintain the health of my teeth I’d certainly keep it up.

To tell you the truth embarrassment inhibits me from going to the dentist but I do have an appointment booked. As much as I want to cancel it and save myself the shame of it all I guess it needs doing.

 

[honestdoc]

There should be no embarrassment visiting the dentist. You should find a dentist you trust. In the US, we have an oversupply of dentists in big cities and suburbs and a shortage in the rural areas. I see a lot of members of the underserved population with severe problems.