I went to a great dentist who said I had no fillings and didnt give me any but I was young and never thought much about it. 2 years later I get qualified for Medicaid which I needed. I got letters in the mail for dental insurance so I thought Id try it. I went for the cleaning and was taken to another room right after and given fillings with no explanation. 8 to be exact. At the time I was 28 and didnt realize a filling meant they were drilling your teeth. Five years later I was on vacation and realized I had a big hole in my back tooth. It was from a filling that fell out!! Within the span of 1.5 years every filling that crook dentist who trained in Mexico ( I researched him when all this happened) fell out! I had 8 holes in my teeth. I still have two left that I am waiting to get filled at my original good dentist. Im scared and had perfect teeth before I was swindled. What would you do in my shoes? I have been reading dentists talk about how fillings pay the bills on reddit. I no longer trust them. Im scared of future dental work. I want a time machine so I can go back in time. Im miserable and my tongue is going crazy feeling every filling and hole in my mouth. I just want the torment to end. To think that another human would do this for money is frightening. I would give that bad dentist all my money just to make the misery end.
What would you do?
- Thread starter lizzy
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Dr M
Verified Dentist
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It is difficult to give an opinion without any x-rays to confirm the presence of caries at the time that the fillings were done. In general it is advisable to not just accept work to be done, without proof that there was an indication for the fillings in the first place.
Hey Lizzy, first of all—I’m really sorry you went through all of that. You trusted a healthcare provider to do what was best for your health, and that’s exactly what any reasonable person would do. It’s heartbreaking when that trust is broken, especially in a way that’s left you in pain and feeling anxious about future care.
The feelings you're having—fear, regret, even anger—are totally valid. A lot of people don’t realize what a filling actually involves until it’s already done, especially if it’s not explained properly. I think going back to your original trusted dentist is a great step. Maybe talk openly with them about everything that’s happened—they’ll probably be understanding and can work with you at a pace you’re comfortable with.
