Just back from dentist. Hot happy with result!

crazyshady

Basically i have a tooth to the lower right of my jaw which has been filled numerous times. I was told there and then (even though it was just a checkup) that i would have to be sedated to have a proper look at it. Since the filling had came out and was rolling around,there was a chance she could save it .Or ....she would have to have my permission to pull it.So she was confident she could save it and it went ahead. It was filled.....along with a teeth clean and it still feels sensitive. Im still not keen on chewin with that side of my mouth incase it loosens and falls out but here is my problem....

After years of worry and question i finally went ahead and asked.....id like my teeth straightened, what options do i have. After a few minutes of thinking she said i could have the gap between my two front teeth filled (but it would make my mouth look wider). I asked about braces and was told straight, im not 16.


Now i thought anyone any age could have braces. I was a little disapointed in the answers i was given considering i have so much trust in her. And its only made me want to find out more about it. My sisters friend has had her daughters get them when they were young in their teens so shell get the number of the place they went to in town. My Dad thinks ringing the dental hospital would help or any other dental practice just to hear their answers. I know im most likely going to have to pay, but ive also heard stories from people saying they pay their bills monthly. Now ive no idea how much that is or what they pay per month but i really am serious about this.

Even just the question of what would happen if i did loose the tooth, as obviously im trying to better my appearance and confidence, i dont want a gap at the front of my mouth, also didnt meet my expectations. Am i just meant to live with it? Is there really nothing that can be done? No implant? No false teeth thing. Sorry im not familiar with all the different types of medical treatment that can be done!

The numbness is still wearing off so im still a little worked up by it all. Its just so frustrating when i cant seem to get the answers i want. Then again maybe she wasnt qualified.Maybe since my treatment was free she was only giving me the options of what she could do ....for free. But i do contract work so im in and out of work, i feel the alternatives should have been given to me. I cant help the fact im 22 and not the special required age of 16.


Are there any dental experts in here who can give me some answers and tell me exactly what to ask for when i get on the phone and the best way to put my situation across? Ive also heard other horror stories about braces and they have to drill holes in your gum to hold the braces in. Is this true? Sorry if this is all a bit of a mess!

Toothsmith

I'm sorry crazyshady I can't really understand what's happened to you or what you're asking here.

22 isn't too old or braces. But if you need sedation for basic treatment, it may well not be appropriate for you.

If you could condense your questions to bullet points, I'll try my best to answer you.

crazyshady

Of course i shall do that if its easier for you to read.

I had a sensitive tooth.
I was told i would need it refilled to see if thats why it was so sensitive or they would need my permission to take it out.
The tooth was filled and while it is still a little sensitive to touch it seems fine now.
Due to a gap in my front teeth and the bottom 5 teeth having gaps and being uneven i asked my options for having them straightened.
The one and only option i was given was to use a filling between my two front teeth to cover the gap.
I then asked her about braces and was told im not 16.

I hope i have layed that out so its nice and clear for you to read. And yes i do get the sedation jag in my arm, as im not keen on needles in my mouth. The pain doesnt bother me, its the idea of the needle going somewhere its not supposed to. At least in my arm i have some control of where its going. Its always been a phobia of mine.

And yes i did panic when i was told i may have to loose the tooth. I guess that isnt the case now. For the time being at least. My question was if that did had to happen someday, was there not something they could do so that i didnt have a gaping hole at the front of my mouth.
My main problem however is about the braces and i only wanted simple advice on what i should be asking for on the telephone when i call them up.

robnye

crazyshady wrote: »

Of course i shall do that if its easier for you to read.

I had a sensitive tooth.
I was told i would need it refilled to see if thats why it was so sensitive or they would need my permission to take it out.
The tooth was filled and while it is still a little sensitive to touch it seems fine now.
Due to a gap in my front teeth and the bottom 5 teeth having gaps and being uneven i asked my options for having them straightened.
The one and only option i was given was to use a filling between my two front teeth to cover the gap.
I then asked her about braces and was told im not 16.

I hope i have layed that out so its nice and clear for you to read. And yes i do get the sedation jag in my arm, as im not keen on needles in my mouth. The pain doesnt bother me, its the idea of the needle going somewhere its not supposed to. At least in my arm i have some control of where its going. Its always been a phobia of mine.

And yes i did panic when i was told i may have to loose the tooth. I guess that isnt the case now. For the time being at least. My question was if that did had to happen someday, was there not something they could do so that i didnt have a gaping hole at the front of my mouth.
My main problem however is about the braces and i only wanted simple advice on what i should be asking for on the telephone when i call them up.

you missed the second half of your initial message.........:o

silvercar

I think you need to separate your two areas of concern. The time to discuss teeth straightening is when your dental health is good, not when you are totally stressed out having just had treatment. When this tooth calms down you will be able to think more clearly about what you want and the best way to go about it.

crazyshady

Yeah i missed the second half out as i didnt want to confuse people again. Plus toothsmith seems to be the only dental expert on here. I am fine now and have rested and gotten the taste out of my mouth *yuk*. I am still serious about the braces. Im in Scotland so im not sure if things are different up here than they are for the rest of the UK. It was just some advice on them and what to ask for when enquiring about them.

As for my tooth now. She did say she was confident she could save the tooth. She also said the filling had came out and what was there was rattling around which is probably why it was so sensitive. The whole tooth has been filled now. It is still sensitive to touch. But the worst case scenario was it would have to come out. I was only asking if, somewhere down the line, it had to come out, was there an alternative to me having a gaping hole in the front of my mouth.

So its really only 2 questions i had. Personally i would rather the dentist had given me all options open to me rather than just the straight answer of ' your not 16 '. Im well aware of that. I have a birth certificate which proves my age.

Toothsmith

Right - that's better - thanks!

Braces. There's no reason why a 22 yr old shouldn't have braces assuming that it's the proper treatment for them, and that they can handle it, and that the rest of the teeth are of a suitable condition.

As you realised - you may well have to pay for the treatment.

If there were proper reasons why they thought you unsuitable for orthodontic treatment (braces), then they should have told you what those reasons were, not just say 'you're not 16'.

I would ring them up and ask if there is a reason they don't think braces would be suitable for you, and ask what that reason is.

Closing spaces between teeth with white filling is a very good way to do it, but braces can be a more permanent way - providing it's suitable.

As for maybe needing that tooth out, there will be options for replacement, but it will be dependent on where it is, and the state of the teeth either side.

suki1964

And of course theres how you are as a patient as to what treatment will be offered.

My last private dentist refused point blank to take me on for implants or refer me on - because I was smoking the head of myself with raging gum disease which was barely kept at bay because of non compliance and my pure terror of dental treatment .

Now I have stopped smoking and see the dentist regularly and Im more able to cope with treatment (still panic, get sick, cry and all that but I do manage to stay in the chair and return to get treatment finished) Id love to be able to have lovely shiny new implants but alas I can no longer afford them being on careers allowance (

Toothsmith

suki1964 wrote: »

And of course theres how you are as a patient as to what treatment will be offered.

My last private dentist refused point blank to take me on for implants or refer me on - because I was smoking the head of myself with raging gum disease which was barely kept at bay because of non compliance and my pure terror of dental treatment .

Now I have stopped smoking and see the dentist regularly and Im more able to cope with treatment (still panic, get sick, cry and all that but I do manage to stay in the chair and return to get treatment finished) Id love to be able to have lovely shiny new implants but alas I can no longer afford them being on careers allowance (

And that's exactly why I hate the idea of people going off abroad for thousands of pounds worth of treatment.

There is often very little 'lifestyle modification' going to happen in 2 weeks in Bulgaria! Plus if you feel you've got the treatment for a bargin price, it's hardly an incentive to look after it!

Buttercup.x

I wanted braces too and was also told that im not 16

pookienoodle

Well i am 38 I had braces for several years as a child but the treatment was never finished( dentist was struck off)an so they grew apart again.
I have been told by several dentists I was too old...until my last dentist refered me to my local dental hospital.
I have now seen the consultant and I will be having braces followed by oral surgery followed by more braces.
I know it will be a huge commitment but I couldn't be happier.