I did something very stupid and put off seeing the dentist...

And now I think I will have to have a molar extracted...

I had a root canal years ago with a crown put on. Well for the last few months I've been feeling an "ache", not really pain in that tooth (more in the jaw).

Lots of things have been going on and I've just put off the dentist ( i also have an irrational fear of them)...well now the gum around the tooth is PURPLE.

The lady at the office said that wasn't good...I go in tomorrow for x-rays and most likely will lose the tooth.

I am so nervous. I know there are worse things, but dental work scares me and all the financial cost of the implant...ugh...

Sorry, just needed to vent.

Re: I did something very stupid and put off seeing the dentist...

Good luck at the dentist tomorrow! I hope everything goes smoothly for you!

Re: I did something very stupid and put off seeing the dentist...

That same fear cost me a lot of money! Now I make it a point to go every 6 months

Re: I did something very stupid and put off seeing the dentist...

Re: I did something very stupid and put off seeing the dentist...

The same thing happened to me. Not because I put off the dentist- but because they could never diagnose my pain in that tooth- until it was too late.
Turns out there was a vertical crack that went up into the root- and the only reason they finally found it was because I ended up with a nasty oozing abscess on the gum.

I had to have the molar extracted. I was a basket case. I was SO upset about losing a tooth (it was in the back but STILL) and I was SOOOO scared to get it done.
I cried for days- I'm a huge baby.

Turns out- it was a breeze. I was awake for it (by choice) I had a hot oral surgeon who was AMAZING. I felt nothing and was back at work the next day.

Good luck- but remember it's never as bad as you make it out in your mind.

If you have any questions you can FM me too!

Re: I did something very stupid and put off seeing the dentist...

I had a similar thing happen to me... in my case my wisdom tooth damaged my molar and both had to come out.

FYI, you don't need an implant for a molar.... Implants are for primarily cosmetic purposes, and no one will be able to see a molar implant

Re: I did something very stupid and put off seeing the dentist...

You're not alone. I have put off the dentist for a very long time now (I'm too embarrassed to even say how long) and know I am in for major trouble when I go.

Re: I did something very stupid and put off seeing the dentist...

You are DEFINITELY not alone. I have a similar problem right now.

I've always been terrified of the dentist. I had a root canal 8 years ago (and actually threw up in the dumpster on the way IN to the root canal because I was so uncontrollably nervous). Well the root canal did NOT go well--he left a big piece of the nerve in there, and I found this out 5 years afterward.

As I sit here, the tooth enamel has cracked away from the cement, and is now literally just a skeleton. It's too bad my work schedule is RIDICULOUS this week and I can't get in to have it taken care of.

Oh yeah...and I'm pregnant. Quite a mess I've gotten myself into.

Re: I did something very stupid and put off seeing the dentist...

Re: I did something very stupid and put off seeing the dentist...

I did this, and ended up with 2 root canals last summer. I used to have a terrible dental fear. Now I have a good dentist and I go religiously every 3 months to keep my mouth in check, I do not want to have another problem. I just went yesterday- had a cleaning and a wisdom tooth out. My mouth is sore, but I am dealing with it, the alternatives can be worse- I never want to have to go thru what I did last summer again.

Re: I did something very stupid and put off seeing the dentist...

I had a root canal & it became infected almost 4 yrs after I had it done. The tooth was extracted and I decided to go with the dental implant. I had a post put in once it healed. I am going next week to have the tooth screwed into my post.


It has been expensive but worth it b/c I didn't want to have a crown - especially b/c the teeth around the extracted tooth are perefectly fine. I didnt' want to grind down my good teeth!