smilemomma, need your input..........
Smilemomma,
I've been having some major tooth problems since 1999 and have been meaning to get your input. Hope you can help.
I'll start with my dental history and then with my dentist's recommendations from my check-up today.
In August of 1999, I suddenly had extremely intense, sharp tooth pain on one side, when chewing. Just biting down and having my teeth clenched together caused surging pain. I went to my dentist immediately and he decided it was caused from shifting of my teeth. His solution was to grind down my teeth so they would not gring into each other. This seemed to do the trick for that day at least. But then a few days later, I got the same problem on the other side of my mouth. Again he grinded down my teeth, I think on 2 -3 more occasions. Then I decided that was enough grinding; I'd have no teeth left if I kept this up. So I stopped treatments.
And then I got pregnant and didn't want to do any more dental work.
Eventually, or maybe immediately, I found the pain only occured when my teeth came in contact with anything cold. The pain occurred/occurs on both sides of my mouth , bottom and top, back teeth only. Chewing hot food is fine, but cold things give me an instant sharp, intense pain. Even brushing my teeth, I can not tolerate rinsing with cold water, it must be warm (the warmer the better). This sensitivity to cold still exists, now 3 years later.
I saw a dentist last spring for it. Saw him 3 times. He took extensive x-rays and even photos of all my teeth. His recommendation was a deep, thorough root cleaning and possibly a full mouth guard to keep my teeth from evidently grinding. I opted against these, as I found they weren't covered by my insurance - the root cleaning not for another year since he had just done a regular cleaning and the mouth guard as you know, are like $700 -$1000 out of pocket.
Well, I went to another dentist today. He feels that my 60% overbite and flexing of my tongue against my teeth (as evident by the permanant tooth impressions now on my tongue) have caused the problem. He mentioned about muscles being tensed- up and grinding of the teeth, etc... He also recommended a tooth guard, but a partial one that he specially makes in his office to wear at night to relieve the muscles / pressure from grinding etc... (accodingly he can make one for only $300 versus the $700 - $1000) for the full one.
Also, he and the previous 2 dentist insist my dental pain is not due to anything like root or nerve damage.
Seconldly, I have another, non related dental probelm.
I have a front tooth that I chipped as a child. It was filled/capped back in 1983. I was just at the dentist today. He checked it with some electric probe and determined it was completely dead. His recommendation is to do a root canal and then crown it. ( It's also now turning yellow, while all my other teeth are quite white).
My questions are as follows:
Regarding the tooth pain:
1) What do you recommend to ease / stop my intense sensitilty to cold.
2) Can a mouth guard get to the cause by easing up the muscles as my last dentsist infeered?So, what do you recommend?
3) Are there other options, preferable covered by insurance, as money is a big concern.
4)What further questions should I be asking?
Regarding the dead front tooth:
1) Is a root canal my only option?
2) Aren't root canals painful?
3) Are there any toxic substances involved in root can work?
4) And what are crowns made of? Are there again toxic substane involved.
5)Is an anesthia needed? I'd prefer to go without, if at all possible.
Thanks in advance for any and all input!
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