Teeth questions :o(?

I had to see an emergency dentist yesterday cos I had toothache, it was my back bottom tooth and it had a really bad cavity in it. The dentist drilled it a lot and put in a filling, but he said I might need a root canal and that I will definitely need a crown on my tooth.





How will I know if it needs a root canal or not? And what's a crown? I'm only 16, is it normal to need stuff like this at my age?





He said I have a lot of other cavities that need fixed as well :o( but I've got an appointment with a regular dentist in 6 weeks time. Will it be alright to leave the cavities for another 6 weeks before they get fixed or will they get worse? I'm scared they end up hurting like this other tooth did. And if I need a lot of fillings done, can they put me to sleep before they do them? I really don't like going to the dentist and he says I need a LOT of work done on my teeth, I'm really scared now :o(

Teeth questions :o(?
Root canals are not fun... that's gonna be the hard part. As for the other cavatityies. just make sure to take care of you teeth until said time comes. As for the fillings my wife had hers put in and went back to work right afterwards. Don't worry to much. One tooth at a time and just mae sure to stay away from sweets. G'luck
Reply:Leaving the cavities for 6 weeks means they will get worse. Your dentist may put you to sleep, or give you nitrous oxide (laughing gas), novacaine, etc, to make you comfortable. Discuss your options with your dentist.


A crown is basically a cap for your tooth.


Your dentist will let you know if you need a root canal after further evaluation.


It's not "normal" to need this at 16, but it's not "abnormal" either. Some people have naturally weak teeth, or are genetically predisposed to tooth problems. Or you might have poor dental hygiene which you can improve and avoid further problems like this.
Reply:Basically, you need a root canal if the cavity is very deep and affects the nerve of the tooth. Sometimes, if the cavity goes very close to the nerve, you can get away with just a filling in it, but sometimes in drilling the tooth etc it irritates the nerve and the nerve will die, and you'll need to get a root canal. It's basically like a more extensive filling, where the dentist has to go right into the roots of the tooth and get rid of the nerve. It shouldn't hurt any more than getting a regular filling, but it takes a lot longer.





You probably will need a crown because the cavity was so bad that the filling has had to be very big, taking up a big area of your tooth. That makes the tooth weak and it can break. Basically, a crown is a kind of jacket that goes completely over the tooth to stop it from breaking.





In terms of the other work you're going to need done on your teeth, try not to worry too much about it. I know that's easier said than done, but I hadn't been to the dentist in a long time (10 years) and when I finally went with toothache I had to have an extraction, two root canals, and fillings in all except two of my molars. I was absolutely terrified at first, but after I had my first appointment for a couple of fillings I realised that it really wasn't half as bad as I had expected. I didn't feel anything after the injections, and I listened to my MP3 player to try to drown out the noise of the drill. After that first appointment I wasn't nearly as scared about getting the rest of my treatment done. And I'm so glad now I've had it all done because it means I can stop worrying about my teeth and I don't have to suffer any more pain.





So be brave and get those teeth fixed before they get worse. I know you're scared, but I promise it won't be as bad as you think, and once it's all done you can forget about it and just concentrate on taking care of your teeth so you don't end up in the same situation again. Good luck hun!
Reply:all dentists know best kate. a crown is usually a part of your tooth is taken away and replace with a gold one get some bling bling
Reply:you can get canals at any age. They don't hurt AT ALL.





if you want, they can give you gas to make you feel happy/relaxed, but they dont usually put people to sleep for fillings.





it may seem like a pain now, but you'll be sooo glad you got your teeth fixed later.
Reply:If you had to see an emergency dentist yesterday you should really call your regular dentist tomorrow and let them know what you had done. No doubt they will book you an appointment ASAP to see what the problem is. If you have to have a root canal please do not worry. The only bit that hurts is the injections and the pain only lasts seconds - compare that to the weeks of pain a tooth can put you through and it isnt so bad. A crown covers the tooth and protects it - they are nothing to worry about either. The fillings will probably be done over a period of time and the worst thing about them is the sound of the drill (note i said "sound" and not "feeling"!)


I dont think there is anyone who really likes the dentist, but toothache can be unbearable so they are a necassasary evil!


At 16 you might still get free healthcare, if so take advantage while you can because the WORST thing about the dentists for me is the cavity they leave in my pocket!!!
Reply:hi kate, i'm a dental nurse and what jen says is correct you have nothing to worry about Root cananl treatments do take a long time to do and are very fiddly but that's the dentists problem not yours, once ure numb you shouldn't feel anything and if you do they can put more anaesthetic in, all you have to do is tell the dentist that ure nervous and they'll talk you through everything and make sure you understand before starting. As for the rest of the cavitys you probably would be better to try and get an earlier appointment but if they don't hurt you should be ok. You wouldn't be able to be put to sleep to have fillings done they only put you to sleep for extractions but there is the option of sedation which just makes you feel very relaxed but u would still be awake but try to have them done without it won't be as bad as you think. hope this helps.
Reply:Hai,





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Reply:It is worring but better treated now! and not later. Leave it too long %26amp; you will certainly have no teeth left to worry about. Take your dentists advice BE STRONG and go for it....... You`ll be glad when it`s all over! Good luck.

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