[OT] Question about dental crowns

Hi all,

I could use some dental advice. One of my molars has become very
sensitive to cold over the past several months. Heat also bothers it
somewhat, so I've been chewing mostly on the other side for most of
that time. It's gotten bad enough that I have to use warm water to
rinse my mouth out after brushing my teeth.

Anyway, I recently got dental insurance, and I went in last week to
get a checkup and cleaning. The dentist looked at that tooth and told
me I had a crack along outside edge, and that's what's causing the
sensitivity - from liquids seeping inside the tooth. She said that
there's very little tooth left, just the filling and a fragile bit of
tooth around the edges, and if she were just to replace the filling,
there would be nothing to hold it in place. So she says I need a
crown.

Since I've never had this done before, I wanted to ask if this sounds
reasonable. If I really need it, of course I'll have it done, but
crowns are very expensive, and my insurance will pay only 50% of it.
So I don't want to get it unless it's really necessary.

I'd be interested in hearing some other experiences with this. Has
anyone else had the same symptom and ended up getting a crown? Should
I get a second opinion? Is it common for dentists to do unneccessary
work? I've always had really good teeth, so I mostly haven't had any
dental treatment beyond the usual cleanings and x-rays.

I'm 51, and apparently I do grind my teeth in my sleep, so I guess
it's not that surprising that I would be starting to have problems
like this.

Experiences, suggestions, etc, are welcome!

Thanks,
Joyce

wrote:
Hi all,

I could use some dental advice. One of my molars has become very
sensitive to cold over the past several months. Heat also bothers it
somewhat, so I've been chewing mostly on the other side for most of
that time. It's gotten bad enough that I have to use warm water to
rinse my mouth out after brushing my teeth.

Anyway, I recently got dental insurance, and I went in last week to
get a checkup and cleaning. The dentist looked at that tooth and told
me I had a crack along outside edge, and that's what's causing the
sensitivity - from liquids seeping inside the tooth. She said that
there's very little tooth left, just the filling and a fragile bit of
tooth around the edges, and if she were just to replace the filling,
there would be nothing to hold it in place. So she says I need a
crown.

Since I've never had this done before, I wanted to ask if this sounds
reasonable. If I really need it, of course I'll have it done, but
crowns are very expensive, and my insurance will pay only 50% of it.
So I don't want to get it unless it's really necessary.

I'd be interested in hearing some other experiences with this. Has
anyone else had the same symptom and ended up getting a crown? Should
I get a second opinion? Is it common for dentists to do unneccessary
work? I've always had really good teeth, so I mostly haven't had any
dental treatment beyond the usual cleanings and x-rays.

I'm 51, and apparently I do grind my teeth in my sleep, so I guess
it's not that surprising that I would be starting to have problems
like this.

Experiences, suggestions, etc, are welcome!

Thanks,
Joyce

I have six crowns. Some of them were the product of root canals, but
some are to protect teeth that are just too fragile; one is cracked and
one has an extremely large filling. I really don't think your dentist
is recommending work that isn't necessary--you can tell yourself by the
sensitivity there's a nerve exposed that shouldn't be. Crowns are
expensive, but you probably won't ever have to worry about that tooth
again. A couple of mine are over 30 years old and I've never had a
problem with them.

Sherry

Although I'd believe dentists do unnecessary work, what this one is saying
makes sense. I would ask her to show me the crack, such as with an xray,
and do get a second opinion if you want (although your insurance might not
cover it). For sensitivity, you can also try a toothpaste for sensitive
teeth, such as Sensodyne.

If you grind your teeth in your sleep, you might need a night guard. The
dentist can make one for you, but you can get a less expensive one in a drug
store. I don't remember what country you're in, but here in the US there's
a brand called "Doctor's Night Guard"
(http://www.dentalconcepts.com/html/nightguard.html). You custom fit it by
heating it and having it mold to your mouth. It can save you tooth damage,
TMJ problems, and even headache pain.

Sandy

wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I could use some dental advice. One of my molars has become very
sensitive to cold over the past several months. Heat also bothers it
somewhat, so I've been chewing mostly on the other side for most of
that time. It's gotten bad enough that I have to use warm water to
rinse my mouth out after brushing my teeth.

Anyway, I recently got dental insurance, and I went in last week to
get a checkup and cleaning. The dentist looked at that tooth and told
me I had a crack along outside edge, and that's what's causing the
sensitivity - from liquids seeping inside the tooth. She said that
there's very little tooth left, just the filling and a fragile bit of
tooth around the edges, and if she were just to replace the filling,
there would be nothing to hold it in place. So she says I need a
crown.

Since I've never had this done before, I wanted to ask if this sounds
reasonable. If I really need it, of course I'll have it done, but
crowns are very expensive, and my insurance will pay only 50% of it.
So I don't want to get it unless it's really necessary.

I'd be interested in hearing some other experiences with this. Has
anyone else had the same symptom and ended up getting a crown? Should
I get a second opinion? Is it common for dentists to do unneccessary
work? I've always had really good teeth, so I mostly haven't had any
dental treatment beyond the usual cleanings and x-rays.

I'm 51, and apparently I do grind my teeth in my sleep, so I guess
it's not that surprising that I would be starting to have problems
like this.

Experiences, suggestions, etc, are welcome!

Thanks,
Joyce

I also have six crowns. None were the product of root canals, but
some are to protect teeth that are just too fragile; two were cracked
and two had an extremely large filling. I really don't think your dentist
is recommending work that isn't necessary, either.

Crowns are expensive, but you probably won't ever have to worry
about that tooth again. One of mine is almost 30 years old and I've
never had a problem with it.

One thing I would add, if your dentist doesn't make custom temporaries, go
to someone who does. Those out-of-a-box things never fit right and can cause
plenty of agony during the week or two that you're waiting for your
permanent crown.

wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I don't want to get it unless it's really necessary.

I'd be interested in hearing some other experiences with this. Has
anyone else had the same symptom and ended up getting a crown? Should
I get a second opinion? Is it common for dentists to do unneccessary
work? I've always had really good teeth, so I mostly haven't had any
dental treatment beyond the usual cleanings and x-rays.

Thanks,
Joyce

That sounds reasonable to me. I have several crowns, and the dentist first
made a temporary. The permanent crown was custom-made in a lab, and my
dentist is very particular (as yours should be!) about insisting that it
should fit exactly right. The fit and color are so good that I no longer
know which teeth have crowns -- I am completely unaware of them, and all
except one are several years old.

Check your insurance carefully to be sure that the procedure will be
covered. Some dental insurance has a "waiting period" of one or even two
years for procedures such as crowns and root canals.

MaryL

Well Joyce, Like you I always had good teethpeople used to ask me if they
were false, and one boyfriend who was training on a Sub;
came home on leave and asked me in the cinema really loud if I had Mcleaned
my teeth, and like you I used to grind my teeth from being young, I never
had a crown, but when my fillings came out one by
one as I grew older, Dentists just took out the teeth {one by one}until
when I was your age my front teeth although still looking good
began to loosen and I finished up having to have them out. Moral.
Do whatever you have to do to save your teeth Joyce Mydaughter
had a crown and she's perfectly happy with itand she's had it
since she was in her teens and she's 40 now

Jean.





wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I could use some dental advice. One of my molars has become very
sensitive to cold over the past several months. Heat also bothers it
somewhat, so I've been chewing mostly on the other side for most of
that time. It's gotten bad enough that I have to use warm water to
rinse my mouth out after brushing my teeth.

Anyway, I recently got dental insurance, and I went in last week to
get a checkup and cleaning. The dentist looked at that tooth and told
me I had a crack along outside edge, and that's what's causing the
sensitivity - from liquids seeping inside the tooth. She said that
there's very little tooth left, just the filling and a fragile bit of
tooth around the edges, and if she were just to replace the filling,
there would be nothing to hold it in place. So she says I need a
crown.

Since I've never had this done before, I wanted to ask if this sounds
reasonable. If I really need it, of course I'll have it done, but
crowns are very expensive, and my insurance will pay only 50% of it.
So I don't want to get it unless it's really necessary.

I'd be interested in hearing some other experiences with this. Has
anyone else had the same symptom and ended up getting a crown? Should
I get a second opinion? Is it common for dentists to do unneccessary
work? I've always had really good teeth, so I mostly haven't had any
dental treatment beyond the usual cleanings and x-rays.

I'm 51, and apparently I do grind my teeth in my sleep, so I guess
it's not that surprising that I would be starting to have problems
like this.

Experiences, suggestions, etc, are welcome!

Thanks,
Joyce

So she says I need a
crown.

Since I've never had this done before, I wanted to ask if this sounds
reasonable. If I really need it, of course I'll have it done, but
crowns are very expensive, and my insurance will pay only 50% of it.
So I don't want to get it unless it's really necessary.

Hi Joyce

I've had 3 crowns and the last one I had was for exactly the same
reason as your dentist mentioned, I had a big filling break and take
some of the tooth out with it so that any filling would have been
difficult to keep in. It didn't take long and it didn't hurt and now
the tooth looks just like the others and I can eat ice cream again!

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

On 2006-06-13, wrote:

Since I've never had this done before, I wanted to ask if this sounds
reasonable.

It seems likely to me that you'd need a crown.

GET THE CROWN. 50% is well worth it, and you need the crown!
And while you have the insurance, have your dentist make that
contraption that you wear while you sleep to protect what teeth
you have left. Otherwise, you could be eating a bagel one
day and suddenly break off a tooth in the middle of chewing.
Ask me how I know.....

And as long as you're paying a fortune for a crown, go for the
gold. It's not a front tooth, is it? Then get a gold one, just
for the fun of it. All of my crowns are gold, and I love them.

I have two crowns and a bridge, all gold.

Jane
- owned and operated by Princess Rita

In article ,
wrote:
Hi all,

I could use some dental advice. One of my molars has become very
sensitive to cold over the past several months. Heat also bothers it
somewhat, so I've been chewing mostly on the other side for most of
that time. It's gotten bad enough that I have to use warm water to
rinse my mouth out after brushing my teeth.

Anyway, I recently got dental insurance, and I went in last week to
get a checkup and cleaning. The dentist looked at that tooth and told
me I had a crack along outside edge, and that's what's causing the
sensitivity - from liquids seeping inside the tooth. She said that
there's very little tooth left, just the filling and a fragile bit of
tooth around the edges, and if she were just to replace the filling,
there would be nothing to hold it in place. So she says I need a
crown.

Since I've never had this done before, I wanted to ask if this sounds
reasonable. If I really need it, of course I'll have it done, but
crowns are very expensive, and my insurance will pay only 50% of it.
So I don't want to get it unless it's really necessary.

I'd be interested in hearing some other experiences with this. Has
anyone else had the same symptom and ended up getting a crown? Should
I get a second opinion? Is it common for dentists to do unneccessary
work? I've always had really good teeth, so I mostly haven't had any
dental treatment beyond the usual cleanings and x-rays.

I'm 51, and apparently I do grind my teeth in my sleep, so I guess
it's not that surprising that I would be starting to have problems
like this.

Experiences, suggestions, etc, are welcome!

Thanks,
Joyce

wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I could use some dental advice. One of my molars has become very
sensitive to cold over the past several months. Heat also bothers it
somewhat, so I've been chewing mostly on the other side for most of
that time. It's gotten bad enough that I have to use warm water to
rinse my mouth out after brushing my teeth.

Anyway, I recently got dental insurance, and I went in last week to
get a checkup and cleaning. The dentist looked at that tooth and told
me I had a crack along outside edge, and that's what's causing the
sensitivity - from liquids seeping inside the tooth. She said that
there's very little tooth left, just the filling and a fragile bit of
tooth around the edges, and if she were just to replace the filling,
there would be nothing to hold it in place. So she says I need a
crown.

Since I've never had this done before, I wanted to ask if this sounds
reasonable. If I really need it, of course I'll have it done, but
crowns are very expensive, and my insurance will pay only 50% of it.
So I don't want to get it unless it's really necessary.

I'd be interested in hearing some other experiences with this. Has
anyone else had the same symptom and ended up getting a crown? Should
I get a second opinion? Is it common for dentists to do unneccessary
work? I've always had really good teeth, so I mostly haven't had any
dental treatment beyond the usual cleanings and x-rays.

I'm 51, and apparently I do grind my teeth in my sleep, so I guess
it's not that surprising that I would be starting to have problems
like this.

Experiences, suggestions, etc, are welcome!

Thanks,
Joyce

I had that exact same situation - but they told me I needed a root canal
first (to take out the nerve). That cost just a little less than the crown.
Didn't they tell you that it would be necessary first?

--

Hugs,

CatNipped

See all my masters at: http://www.PossiblePlaces.com/CatNipped/