Need advice, what to do about my dentist.

[carlas_cat]

I was going to put this onto one of the other dentist threads but it might get overlooked. 18 months ago, whilst eating I felt something "go" in one of my back teeth. Although I wasn't in agony, I had a constant nagging pain so I visited my dentist. Now she told me that my tooth was fractured and it was really deep, I had a choice, either root canal surgery or extraction. Now I asked a few people, all told me that their experience of root canal treatment was horrendous and in all but one of the cases they ended up having an extraction anyway, so I went with the extraction. That's where the problem starts.

 

It took her half an hour to get the tooth out, I had the dental nurse holding my head while I could hear my tooth breaking up. I left the surgery traumatized and very swollen. The extraction site didn't heal well at all, even though I did everything by the book, salt water etc, and I don't smoke. I ended up on 2 different lots of antibiotics.

 

Finally, 4 months later my gum had healed, however, my teeth were now banging together on the side of the extraction. I have a filling in one of my bottom teeth and this is banging whenever I eat on a top tooth next to where I had the tooth out. Off I went back to the dentist, only to be told that the tooth next to the extracted tooth is now fractured, and it isn't banging, I clench my teeth in my sleep. Now I an 99.99% certain I don't clench my teeth in my sleep, I hate to admit I snore, my mouth catches spiders in my sleep its that wide open, and my mouth is relatively OK in a morning, it starts to "nag" as the day goes on. Anyway, she said I needed I bite plane at a cost of £100. I would have happily paid that money if I thought it would help, but it wont stop my teeth "banging" when I'm eating.

 

What do I do? Can I get a second opinion and how do I go about it. Has anyone had any experience of this sort of thing. I hate going to the dentist now, I feel that I should have had root canal treatment, but I cant turn the clock back, I feel like a little girl being told off whenever I go. I pay for my treatment on the NHS and cant afford private.

[ladyB]

I had a phobia of dentists for years and years and like you felt that I was being "told off". I have had loads and loads of problems with my teeth over years and loads of pain!!!! anyhow point to my post is whilst I have continued with problems my phobia is no longer because I have found a fantastic dentist. Occudental next to childrens hospital. they are private but they have denplan which is a pay monthly scheme and well worth it. I have been going there for years now and would not go anywhere else. I have been in their chair sobbing like a baby because of the pain and how scared I was and they were fab. would highly recommend looking into changing dentists.

[carlas_cat]

Thanks for your reply ladyb. Thing is I already pay into Westfield and cant really afford to pay out much more at the moment. Having said that, if someone were to come along and say "We can fix your problem" I would probably pay whatever - within reason - it took.

 

I just don't know what to do. If it were a doctor that gave you a diagnosis you can quite easily get a second opinion, but it doesn't seem to work like that for dentists, or does it. Who do I speak to/ask? I don't think I can leave my mouth much longer tbh, although I'm not in serious pain, I am very aware that there is a problem and I don't think it will go away. I haven't been able to eat on that side of my mouth since I had the extraction in December 2008. Its not a problem anymore, I'm used to it, but it shouldn't be like this.

[ladyB]

9 years ago I had a lot of problems when preg with my teeth and I saw a consultant privately at Thornbury hospital. sorry can't remember how much I paid but I know westfield covered some of it. Go on Thornbury Hospial web see and see if they have private consultations. Depending upon what level you have in westfield they may cover some of the cost. Be aware though that westfield is clamping down a bit at mo and requesting proof from doc or dentist that treatment is recommened. they are refusing to pay for my accupuncture untill I get a letter from my doctor to confirm I need it. not a huge problem because my doc will agree that it is helping but it's a pain to arrange an appoinment plus I think I have to pay the docs £20 quid for them to fill in the form...