# I'm so goddamn tired of dental problems. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 10, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365 "2014-03-10T17:42:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/141 "2014-03-26T19:30:39Z")
Thanks for good wishes **Yllaria**. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/142 "2014-03-26T20:13:06Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > Forget about [the toxic mercury problem](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/08/mercury-fillings-europe-restriction-santi), the real evil is the weakening of the tooth by using metal fillings. > When decay starts, it’s not some huge hole, **and metal fillings can not be used to fix the problem**. The dentist that doesn’t use modern materials has to drill a hole big enough to press the mercury filling into. This weakens your fucking teeth, which leads the the problems that led to this fucking topic. > > Is it really cheaper if later it causes you to need a fucking crown? or your goddamn teeth split and crack? > > Fuck that shit man. > > Barbaric it is, putting mercury into a tooth. What are your credentials? Where did you get your dental training? DO you have any cites or evidence to back up any of your moronic claims? (that actually backs up your claims) ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/143 "2014-03-28T23:45:32Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > If you don’t mind me asking, how common is the situation I had, were a crack actually went through more than one tooth? I wouldn’t have thought that the contact between the two was so tight that that could happen. I could floss normally between the two, IIRC. Sorry to take so long to answer, haven’t been at a computer for five days. I’d say probably like **simster** said in post #122. Cracks most likely started at different times but were noticed at the same time. I have had some patient bite and crack two teeth at the same time but they knew it as soon as it happened, same with accidents, sports injuries etc. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2014, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/144 "2014-07-16T16:20:52Z")
I know you all have waiting with bated breath about how this turned out, it ended up being two root canals and two crowns. I had the 2nd root canal yesterday, a cleaning (with treatment for gum disease) and also had the permanent crowns put in, all in one morning. My mouth was open longer yesterday than a hooker’s during fleet week. Tell me, why do dentists and doctors still say “you’ll feel little pressure” when we all know they mean “you are about to feel agony that will make you pray for a quick death”? At least call it “discomfort”, if you don’t want to say “pain”. But ficking PRESSURE in not PAIN! I exaggerate, the worst pain was when the hygienist rammed the tiny sponge with the antibiotic into my inflamed gum. It did hurt quite a lot, but it was _very_ brief. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/145 "2014-07-18T21:51:40Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > Amalgam fillings are from Satan. No seriously. They are true evil, and not just because of the mercury, they have to drill a shit ton of tooth out to be able to use them, which weakens the tooth, forever. > > It’s fucking evil. The sooner you get all the mercury out and modern fillings in, the better. And fuck any dentists who still uses amalgam fillings. It’s barbaric. Well, since removing the amalgam also involves drilling and weakens the tooth, you don’t want to remove them until they actually fail. No dentist I’ve been to in recent years uses amalgam any more. They all use the resin (which actually is NOT supposed to last as long as amalgam; supposedly an amalgam filling may last the rest of your life). Of course, our dental insurance hasn’t bought into that newfangled stuff, and they’ll pay the cost for composit and we’re expected to pay the rest. Nor have they bought into the whole pain relief thing - I had a tooth extracted 10 years ago and they refused to pay for the sedation. They were utterly unmoved by the whole “without it I’ll be shrieking in terror and agony” argument. Interestingly, they DID pay (if not much) for the IV sedation when I had an implant post placed. They don’t pay for nitrous for other procedures of course. I’ve chosen to find this… well, OK I’ve chosen to find that this completely SUCKS, and I suck it up and pay out of pocket. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/146 "2014-07-18T21:59:33Z")
If there was a “I am so fed up with insurance thread”, it might be popular. And goddamn it, tooth pains sucks so bad. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/147 "2014-07-23T15:17:53Z")
Shit, this was the wrong thread to read on the day I have a dental appointment. ---
**Author:** ![racepug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/148 "2015-03-05T20:25:54Z")
Put me on the list. Tooth extraction last year. Broken crown and very possibly a root canal _this_ year. Not to mention all the hours and $$$ I’ve spent getting my teeth fixed over the years. And this coming from somebody who feels that he generally does a pretty good job of taking care of his teeth! (Thanks for nothing biological father who lost all his teeth by the time he was in his 20s) I work in the math department of a major U.S. university and if I were to give my teeth a grade it would be about a -10000000. I hate my @#@##@ teeth. ---
**Author:** ![racepug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/149 "2015-03-06T01:00:41Z")
Found out today that the tooth that is hurting me had to have a root canal procedure done on it (no surprises, there). While that was being done I found out that that very same tooth is undergoing something called “resorption.” The endodontist told me that there are two kinds of resorption - one with which a tooth can still be saved, and one in which it can’t. So, of course, I have the second kind, which means that I get to have a second tooth extracted in 6 months! Yay! My teeth hate me and I hate them back. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/150 "2015-03-06T02:17:01Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > …Nor have they bought into the whole pain relief thing - I had a tooth extracted 10 years ago and they refused to pay for the sedation. They were utterly unmoved by the whole “without it I’ll be shrieking in terror and agony” argument. > > Interestingly, they DID pay (if not much) for the IV sedation when I had an implant post placed. They don’t pay for nitrous for other procedures of course. … Timely update on the topic of IV sedation: I just had another tooth extracted, and the post placed for the implant at the same time. Insurance declined to cover the IV sedation this time. So on the one hand, they’ll pay for it for an implant; on the other hand they won’t pay for it for an extraction. I guess when you do both at once, they choose the lesser option when they can get away with it. Sigh. Fortunately, they DO pay for IV sedation for wisdom tooth extraction - when my son had his out 2 years ago there was no issue. Dunno what they’d have done if he hadn’t had all 4 out at once. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/151 "2015-03-06T19:56:16Z")
Revtim, I’m so sorry for your dental problems. And I haz empathy, and had thought about starting my own thread (until I saw this one) because I’ve been having an ongoing dental problem for almost a solid month. It’s just been one screw-up after another. I’m ready to yell at my dentist and may do so on Monday, when I go back for a temporary bridge that’s broken a THIRD time. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/152 "2015-03-06T22:36:31Z")
Looks like one of my spouse’s root canals is failing - it’s about 20-25 years old. If so, it’s another tooth extraction. We’re trying to get insurance straightened him out and in to see the dentist so we know for sure and get it taken care of. Meanwhile, also due to insurance issues, I haven’t had a cleaning in over a year and I’m started to get occasional gum bleeding when brushing. Goddamned gingvitis. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365/153 "2015-03-07T13:20:01Z")
My own rant: Just before Christmas while I was visiting family in Florida, a crown fell off a root-canalled molar. I went to my (former) dentist there, who took an x-ray and said, sorry, can’t just glue it on. The root canal failed, the root itself cracked, so you have to have it pulled. Since I wanted to be able to eat Christmas dinner, I opted to wait. So my dentist there kindly filled in and filed down the tooth. No pain, since it already had a root canal. Went to my dentist near Boston, who agreed with dentist #1’s diagnosis. We talked about my options for restoration. Because I have a horrible dental phobia, and because the tooth behind it already had a crown and the one in front had a small cavity, I decided to go for a permanent bridge. The extraction sucked. I have a small mouth, and the oral surgeon didn’t seem interested in working around it. The inside of my mouth and lips were bruised and bleeding. He did have to drill out the tooth, because one of the roots pretty much crumbled – not his fault. I walked out with a temp bridge and the tooth pulled. A few days after, I got dry socket. When I went to the oral surgeon, he didn’t put any topical anesthetic on the socket, oh no. He just shoved the eugenol dressing into the extremely painful, raw tooth socket. It HURT. I had to go through this three times, though I did insist on topical anesthesia the last two times. So…once I was able to eat, the problems with the bridge started. First, it came off. Had it glued back on. Then a big splinter at the back fell off. I had it re-made. Then it fell off _again_. Had it glued with a better glue (I guess they used library paste the first time?). And then a few days ago, the damn thing just splintered. So now, I have a pulled molar, and the crown on the tooth behind it is gone, and the tooth in front is ground down. I’m missing the back bottom right chewing surface in my mouth. On Monday I’m going back to the dentist for the \*\*\*seventh \*\*\*time. SEVENTH. And I will not be having the bridge re-made, since it’s obviously not working. The giant hole from the missing tooth is a major chewing surface in my mouth, and physics is working against this. She should’ve known this. So, I’ll be telling her that we need to just put some temp crowns on the teeth she ground down so I can eat something other than yogurt and soup, and we’ll go from there. I’m really leery of letting this woman put the permanent bridge in, too, but I don’t know where to go. The first dentist I saw when I moved here also sucked and put in a crown that didn’t fit properly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-so-goddamn-tired-of-dental-problems/683365.md?page=7)