I know....you do NOT want to see a picture of the inside of my mouth.
But you're looking at it and I'm telling you why!
But you're looking at it and I'm telling you why!
See that tooth with the filling, on the left?
Well, after years and years of clenching, grinding, and chewing, teeth that have fillings in them start cracking. It's from the pressure of the filling pushing against the tooth. Two different mediums pushing against each other for years, the lead wins, the tooth cracks.
Well, after years and years of clenching, grinding, and chewing, teeth that have fillings in them start cracking. It's from the pressure of the filling pushing against the tooth. Two different mediums pushing against each other for years, the lead wins, the tooth cracks.
So here's what happened in the last couple of weeks.
See the back tooth on the right side.
Looks like a piece of bread stuck in the tooth -ewwwww
That's a temporary filling in a temporary cap.
On Monday (two weeks ago) I went to have that tooth capped, because it had a crack.
On Thursday of that week, I went back because that tooth was hurting. It should never hurt after a cap. Luckily, in my case it was still the temporary.
And btw, ALWAYS tell your dentist immediately if you get a cap and it's hurting. Otherwise, more damage will be done.
So, on Thursday he filed the cap down because we thought the bite was off, and maybe the cap was sitting too high.
And btw, ALWAYS tell your dentist immediately if you get a cap and it's hurting. Otherwise, more damage will be done.
So, on Thursday he filed the cap down because we thought the bite was off, and maybe the cap was sitting too high.
By Friday it was still hurting a little.
By Saturday afternoon it was hurting a lot ( same day as Mom and Dad's anniversary party so I downed some Ibuprofen, put on my big girl panties and went and had fun!)
But by Sunday night I was up until 1:30 in the morning, taking ibuprofen, putting numbing stuff on the tooth, trying to get it to quit throbbing so I could sleep.
Monday, back to the dentist. He numbed me up, popped the cap and took an x-ray and poked around.
He couldn't find anything...so
Tuesday he sent me to an endodontist about 45 minutes away for a 3D xray.
This would be a good time to explain that those x-rays the dentist takes once a year do NOT show cracks in your teeth.
Don't believe me? Ask.
They don't.
That's why he sent me for a 3D xray.
And just an FYI, I floss and brush EVERY DAY and
I go to the dentist EVERY SIX MONTHS for cleaning and check up.
Anyway....
The Endo (Endo-for short) didn't do the x-ray. He did some other testing instead, which was not fun. Then he did a root canal which was REALLY NOT FUN!
My heart was ready to leap out of my chest after he numbed me 4 or 5 different times.
The only good thing about it all was he looked like a young Kevin Bacon...so.....he was cute.
BUT...I had my eyes closed most of the time.
And when the Endo did the root canal, they put sunglasses on me, and he had a very bright light on and glasses that magnified my teeth by the 100's. So while he had that get-up on, I asked him check the filled tooth.
BONUS-it is cracked and so is the filling.
See the crack?
No, you don't.
Because you can't see them.
This would be a good time to explain that those x-rays the dentist takes once a year do NOT show cracks in your teeth.
Don't believe me? Ask.
They don't.
That's why he sent me for a 3D xray.
And just an FYI, I floss and brush EVERY DAY and
I go to the dentist EVERY SIX MONTHS for cleaning and check up.
Anyway....
The Endo (Endo-for short) didn't do the x-ray. He did some other testing instead, which was not fun. Then he did a root canal which was REALLY NOT FUN!
My heart was ready to leap out of my chest after he numbed me 4 or 5 different times.
The only good thing about it all was he looked like a young Kevin Bacon...so.....he was cute.
BUT...I had my eyes closed most of the time.
And when the Endo did the root canal, they put sunglasses on me, and he had a very bright light on and glasses that magnified my teeth by the 100's. So while he had that get-up on, I asked him check the filled tooth.
BONUS-it is cracked and so is the filling.
See the crack?
No, you don't.
Because you can't see them.
Tuesday evening, while talking on the phone to my sister, the temporary cap fell off!
WHAT IN THEE HELL!
So, I was talking like this.....
clench your teeth together....
clench your teeth together....
Go ahead, do it. I'm telling you to clench your teeth together.
But just lightly clench them together lest you break a tooth.
Now keeping your teeth together
READ the following out loud.
Now keeping your teeth together
READ the following out loud.
That's how I was talking on the phone, because I didn't want that cap off of my tooth. So I was using my top teeth to hold the cap on the bottom tooth while I talked.
I immediately hung up from my sister and called the dentist Emergency number,
but he said I would be fine until Wednesday morning.
I put my bite guard on my upper teeth and held the cap on thusly, until the next morning.
So, Wednesday back to the dentist.
My dentist made a new temporary cap for me, and so far so good.
I'm here to tell you IF YOU GRIND OR CLENCH YOUR TEETH
WEAR A BITE GUARD NOW,
or you WILL have cracked teeth when you are older.
A bite guard costs around $20 just about anywhere.
or you WILL have cracked teeth when you are older.
A bite guard costs around $20 just about anywhere.
Caps and root canals cost hundreds.
Not to mention the pain.
And the reason I don't have a tooth behind the filled one, is because it cracked last year the week of Easter and ended up getting extracted.
I've never been in so much pain in my entire life when that tooth cracked.
I've never been in so much pain in my entire life when that tooth cracked.
Okay that's my lesson on teeth.
Now unclench your teeth.
Stop talking funny.
It's weird.
Cindy
Now unclench your teeth.
Stop talking funny.
It's weird.
Cindy
Oh dear. I do hope all will be well soon. Sorry for all your pain.
ReplyDeleteI used to have my dental work done in Michigan at a place just down the street from my aunt. But now that I don't go there anymore, I had to have some work done here. And I don't really trust the dentists here. In fact, the work that I paid a whole lot of money for didn't last, while the Michigan dental work is holding strong. Hope all goes with the permanent cap.
ReplyDeleteI know these pains myself, it is horrid. Big hugs to you and hopes that all will be alright.
ReplyDeleteOuch - I've had a cracked tooth before - a VERY unpleasant experience. Hope it's all fixed and pain free soon.
ReplyDeleteNice Blog…
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this with us.
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