Tooth problems

majorwally

I have major toothache that makes my face ache.
Went to the dentist telling him top & bottom right teeth where the problem.
He tapped my teeth with a metal hammer and only the bottom right hurt so he said *You have abscess under that" and gave me anti-biotics. Also said he couldn't refill it for some reason.
I've taken them for a week, but now it's as bad as before.
And still it feels like my upper right is spreading the ache up my face, although the lower right feels bad to touch also.

When I go back he will take out the bottom tooth but leave the top one in.

My questions are, how does he know I haven't got toothache by hitting with a metal hammer?
Couldn't the ache be caused by something other than an abscess?
Shouldn't he do an x-ray on my upper teeth that is causing me pain?
And why can't he refill the bottom tooth to try and save it?

Toothsmith

Need a lot more information to be able to answer these questions!

Tapping a tooth can tell if there is an abscess below it. It's usually done just with the handle of the mirror though - there isn't a 'hammer' for this!

It could be caused by something else - but the dentist who looked in your mouth would have a view of everything, and decided that was the most likely thing. Unless I knew what everything else in an around your mouth looked like, I couldn't possibly argue with the opinion of the dentist who could see it!

An X-ray can confirm an abscess. Pain can often radiate around the mouth, and if a tooth is hurting but doesn't have a filling in it or a hole in it, then it's often a good bet that pain in it is just referred from the one that does have something wrong. X-rays involve a dose of radiation, albeit very small in the case of dental ones, so if you don't NEED to take one, then it's not right to take one just for the sake of it.

As to why he can't fill the bottom one - there could be many reasons. I'd need to see it to say why. But you can't save them all.

tanith

Make another appointment and ask your dentist all those questions!

Anoneemoose

I'm certainly no expert but I have been in agony over the weekend with pain from a root filled tooth. I can tell you that on some occasions, it has felt like the whole of that side of my mouth (both top and bottom) has been in pain and at times, each tooth has hurt.

So, I imagine the dentist who has seen you has come to the informed opinion that an abcess is the cause, hence the anti bs. If this hasn't worked, then I imagine, he will have next steps to take, which might include an x-ray. As others have said though, you need to go back and explain this to him and ask him. I'm sure he will be happy to explain?

majorwally

Hi again folks,

Been back to dentist and he took xray of the bottom tooth only.

Say's no abcess but decay and he wants to cut it out himself or send me for hospital surgery.
I asked why he doesn't just refill it and he says it's impossible (no other explanation)
Looking at the tooth in question, it has a silver filling with 3 sides surrounding it, so I would have thought easily possible.

I think my best bet is to get a second opinion at another dentmist altogether!

Money_maker

Don't let him take your tooth out. I lost one of mine when my useless ex-dentist tried to stop my toothache.

Tooth went, toothache remained until I changed dentists.

Toothsmith

Money_maker wrote: »

Don't let him take your tooth out. I lost one of mine when my useless ex-dentist tried to stop my toothache.

Tooth went, toothache remained until I changed dentists.

Taking a tooth out is a perfectly valid, and sometimes the best, course of action.

It is wrong to advise someone to resist a certain treatment just because once upon a time, you feel it was the wrong thing to be done for you.

ThemeOne

If you're in pain pending dental treatment you can ask your dentist for a prescription for painkillers.

majorwally

Wow, had wisdom removed 8 days ago and all I can say is Wow!

It was brutal, pure medieval dentistry.
First of all the young chap couldn't get it out. 20 mins he prodded and poker with what looked like a posidrive.
Everytime he pushed down it felt like he hit a nerve and I was in total agony.
Eventually, he went for the main guy, who took 3 mins and out it come(wish he had done it in first place, i'm not a guinea pig)

But now I have a terrible headache, right side eye level, an aching jaw with shooting pains all up face and a mouth full of ulcers, inc the biggest gum ulcer I've ever seen.

Terrible experience. I've had wisdom teeth out before and nothing like this, just didn't know what he was doing me thinks.

Do you think the headaches are caused by repeatedly hitting the nerve whilst attempting removal?

ThemeOne

It doesn't sound like a great experience, but you should go back if you're still getting all these symptoms 8 days after the extraction.

Did they not give you painkillers and/or advice re the possible after-effects?

welshdent

FWIW I have been the dentist struggling to get a tooth out when a colleague whips it out in 3 secs and I have been the one that swans in and does the whipping out.

It is NOT to do with technique in most cases. We are all taught to take out teeth the same way. "medieval" .... perhaps ... but if anyone has any better ideas we would genuinely all be open to it. You are removing a solid structure from within another solid structure. It usually isnt easy which is why it drives me up the wall when some patients cant understand why I cant just "whip it out" on a short emergency appointment. In my hands taking teeth out is the least predictable treatment I do because I just dont know entirely what will happen. The tooth can look fine and be brittle (glass in concrete). there can be something called ankylosis where the bone and tooth integrate more etc etc.

Usually the poor dentist doing the longer work probably did enough to loosen it for the next dentist. You are no guinea pig. Extraction techniques were probably honed centuries ago!!!!!

Regards the pain, no way to know whats causing it so I would pop back to the practice and have it checked over.