Three weeks ago I went to get a crown on a lower molar. Dentist was unable to finish the prep due to both a recent family emergency and an inability to get the tooth numb despite several injections and much painful drilling, so because I was in agony and taking too much time, they quickly slapped a temporary metal cap on the half prepared tooth, and sent me on my way to come back another time, advising me not to floss the area and to avoid anything cold on that side. I was ready to come back the next week or even next day. Three weeks have passed by, and I have not gotten their office to schedule a follow-up visit to complete the crown prep. When I reached out, they have thanked me for my patience, but I am worried and still have no idea how long is safe to wait for them to finish the job they started. No other dentist in the office to take over, and they have all my prep records on this tooth. I need help knowing how to proceed without being unsympathetic to their family emergency. I am told another dentist won't touch this and would send me back to the first dentist. Can this wait and how long? No pain yet, but I fear the risks of leaving this tooth unfinished. I feel a bit abandoned.

I’m getting my wisdom teeth removed on Saturday and I’m nervous. How should I prepare, and what should I expect? Everyone seems to have a different experience. I’m also anxious about being put under since being unconscious is a trauma trigger for me. Any tips or advice?

Hi everyone!! I’m back with an update from my original post! 🐣

I finally went to the dentist today and managed to get my X-rays.

For context, I’m 20 and had a tooth extracted when I was 15 because it was badly cracked and decayed. Five years later, I noticed what looked like another tooth growing through the gum in the same area.
I previously had 3 extra teeth, but apparently I’m down to 2 now LOL. I guess I was lucky enough to have a few extras 😭

I’ve attached my new X-rays for everyone who was curious! Photo 1 is from 5 years ago on the right side of the photo, photo 2 is now!!

Here’s my original post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/askdentists/s/B6mC14KAkV

Hi everyone, I'm supposed to be getting a root canal next month but that tooth is still hurting no matter what I do. I initially went in because I thought a tooth I already had a root canal on was the one hurting but they said it's the tooth next to it that needs it. What can I do in the meantime? Salt water, Tylenol, naproxen, the red cross stuff, oragel, Listerine and even brushing it isn't working. I can't sleep for more than 5 hours because of this. Please help!

I got this tooth extracted over 10 years ago and never got around to saving up for an implant, I never noticed the condition of my gums because when I open my mouth the empty part doesn’t show until I was considering an implant today and I pulled my lip to the side and noticed the other side of the gums looks like it’s gone. Is there hope to still get an implant? Does this mean they didn’t do a bone graft? What happened to the gums on that side? Do I need gum surgery?

I will say I did chew on that side a lot when the right side of my tooth had an infection and had to be extracted also (that side is newer and gums look normal still, I did have a bone graft for them though but don’t remember for the older one because I didn’t know what a bone graft was back then). 34f

I had to go to the ER in France and they really couldn't help me. I've lost a lot of blood and the er dentist here told me to keep using the mouthwash and toothpaste even if it hurts. I don't know how much blood I've lost.. I do vape and drink but haven't since I've been to the er two days ago....

I got 3 teeth removed on Tuesday, including both wisdom teeth and another tooth next to them.

Today I thought there was food stuck in the bottom extraction site, so I accidentally sucked on it trying to get it out. Now I’m worried I’ve pulled the yellow stuff off that was covering the hole. (Fibrin layer)

I can see a tiny hole next to the stitch, and when I look down into it, it’s dark red. Which I couldn’t see before The gum around it is pink. It’s a little more achy now, but overall the pain is still better than it was yesterday. There’s been no fresh bleeding. The other white bit you are seeing in the picture is a stitch. I’ve been really careful with eating, only soft food and staying to the other side. no smoking or drinking

I’m really stressing that I’ve messed up the healing. Has anyone accidentally done something similar and been okay? I just want to know if this sounds normal or if I should get it checked.

5 years ago, I got my wisdom teeth out. I had a baby tooth that wouldn't come out and an impacted adult tooth. The surgery was originally to get the baby tooth out and attach a chain to the adult tooth and use my braces to bring it down from the gums a little. They suggested getting my wisdom teeth out in the same surgery, so I wouldn't have to go under anesthesia again. I had already turned 18, so it was my decision, and I decided that I might as well.

Earlier this week, my little sister got her wisdom teeth out, and very different post-op instructions. For the most part, the warnings were the same; no seeds or straws and stick with soft foods for a while. The only other instructions I remember getting were suggestions on how to use painkillers to minimize the pain. When I went in for a follow up, they said something like, "You've been doing salt water rinses," and I was like, "No one told me to do that," They talked about a half sheet of paper they sent home, and my stepmom who drove me to and from the procedure and to the follow up that day said, "They didn’t give me anything."

Now, my sister has a cup on the bathroom sink to do rinses, and she was prescribed a mouthwash. We got our procedures done at different facilities, and she's kind of been saying that the place I went to wasn't that great based on the relative lack of instructions. There was also a day a few days after my surgery where I got nauseated and a little groggy, and I couldn't make myself go to my college classes. I thought that was a relatively normal experience for something like that, and now I'm wondering if it could've been prevented.

As the title says, Does my wisdom tooth need to be removed? The dentist said since it’s not hurting I can wait, but the way it looks says something different.

I’ve just got home from the hospital with my daughter. We were in there for 24 hours as she told me her ear was sore and when I looked behind her lobe there was a hard lump. A few different test results later we were told it’s a swollen lymph node. Now the tooth. 5 days ago my daughter was knocked in the mouth at school and it shifted her front baby tooth and it was loose. Today she but into something and the tooth fell out but this is left behind? Could it be an infection and that’s caused the swollen lymph nodes? Does this need a dental visit? Happy to take her but after 24 hours in hospital she is exhausted. Attached a photo of the lump behind her ear just for reference. Thanks everyone 🙏

Hi everyone, I’m in Portugal and my dentist says one of my molars is “dead” and needs to be extracted.

I had a root canal in 2015, but the filling broke/chipped out in 2022. I neglected it, and over the years it developed a large cavity.

Is extraction really necessary, or could they clean the decay, redo the root canal if needed, and rebuild the tooth with a filling/crown?

I’m thinking about getting a second opinion from an endodontist before extracting it. Has anyone had a similar situation?

Thanks!

Quite embarrassed by this really - I haven’t been to the dentist in a while and I grind my teeth at night which I believe makes me more susceptible to cavities. I thought my teeth were fine but I saw this the other day and now have a dentists appointment tomorrow but honestly embarrassed about it. Am I looking at a potential root canal for this tooth? No pain or sensitivity to biting or drinks.

Hi , I had a filling for a cavity between 2 upper insicors done last year . 2 months ago I had it redone because the filling apparently broke off a little.

Ive been experiencing sensitivity near that area. Also it feels tight ? idk how to explain it exactly . Ive had it checked and the dentist has told me that the filling is still intact and there's nothing to worry about.

She said that sensitivity might be caused by microcracks in the filling.

Is it actually alright ? Or is there an issue that needs to be addressed here. It's not really bad sensitivity it's just mild and not like a sharp pain .

Hey! 20 year old me is feeling some tender pain where the red circle is, what do I do to fix it

I recently moved and got a new dentist. She told me that I have bone loss (I am in my late 20s). This is the first time I have ever been told this. I didn't have the chance to ask follow up questions regarding it. I also had a gum test with about 40% being 4s and 5s and 60% being 2s and 3s.

How concerning does this look? Do I need a specialist? This is concerning to me because I have IBD (Crohn's) which has given my mouth lots of trouble. I've spent ~15 years fighting extreme gum ulcerations and general inflammation. Thankfully I've never had serious dental issues. A single filling is about all the dental work I've had.

TIA for any opinions.

I've never felt any pain or whatsoever

I had upper left and lower left taken out yesterday morning at 10am (currently 9am next day). Bottom has stitches (and was a very rough hour long removal), the top one doesn’t. I’ve had a small yogurt and a protein drink and my teeth feel gross and my mouth feels sticky. I tried to brush my teeth this morning for the first time with a tiny kids toothbrush but I was too scared to brush on the left side, I probably missed 4 or 5 teeth on that side as I was scared I would brush the extraction sites. On the other side of my mouth I struggled to brush the back of my teeth because my mouth can’t open wide. I also couldn’t brush the top of my very back teeth because again cant open my jaw wide enough. I brushed very slowly for probably a minute in total. I’m worried about what will happen to my teeth if I’m brushing them this poorly for the next 3 days or so.

Am I just being too cautious and worrying too much?

Is 2-3 days of poor brushing enough to cause irreversible damage?

Hi all! I have this swollen bump on the back, side of tongue. It only feels like a swollen tastebud or a bite, but I shined a light back there and went “what the hell is that??” Do you all have thoughts?

I have ptsd with medical triggers that cause panic attacks. So if it’s bad….. please tell me gently. Or ease my mind! Thank you in advance!

Is this a cavity?

put baking soda with little water in my mouth couldnt drink it so spit it out but the smell and warmth of it is so strong how do i get rid of tye baking soda in my mouth completely. teeth is fine but tongue is very irritated, might be coming from back of the throat also

I recently got my braces off, and I’ve been looking into cosmetic crown lengthening to correct my gummy smile (caused by excessive gum tissue).

Is there a recommended waiting period between getting my braces removed and undergoing crown lengthening (e.g., to allow any swelling from the braces to subside)?

Would I need new retainers after the crown lengthening procedure? Can I wear my retainers soon after the procedure (currently wearing retainers 24/7)?

Broke a molar while eating. The doctor's appointment is on Saturday and the xray is out. She said this xray would determine if we are gonna remove the molar because the root fractured along the molar or keep it and put support then a crown on top. Can someone tell me if it's fractured or not?

Don't drink or smoke and not on any medication.

The past several times I've gone to the dentist for a cleaning the actual dentist has not examined my mouth. It's been at least two to three years since I've had anyone look in my mouth other than the hygienist. If they take X-rays then the dentist always "reads them from the other room". Is this normal??