Ever Have a Cavity...?

[Huck Said]

More than likely, but ever have a cavity in a crown?

I went to a new dentist, one that all my family member have been going to for a while, after I moved and then was slack in checkups for a couple of years. So, I have to go through the new patient assessment... and when the dentist is checking me over, he tells his assistant, "Cavity in tooth 13," (or whatever #). OK, so I need to get that filled. I made that appointment for two weeks later and went in, still uncertain which tooth had the problem. The filling process went smoothly enough and it wasn't until I left and the lidocaine wore off that I realized, "Hey, wait, that's my frickin' crown that he just drilled into." So I looked it up online and I did come across a few dentists' websites explaining that this does happen... I just wonder how often.

 

[FreeFlyNole]

Probably cheaper than replacing it there Yuk Mouth.

I have to go to the dentist Monday, I'm afraid that he's going to tell me I need a root canal. I got a crown last year, and there has been a bit of pain since then, I think I may be screwed.

 

[NoleFan2U]

They are all thieves. I had my first cavity at 24. When I was finished, my husband asked if my face was numb. I asked from what? Well, since it was my first cavity, I didn't know anything about novocaine. Fast forward 20 years and I go to a new dentist who takes xrays. He asked me why I have fillings in my back two teeth. I tell him I had a cavity years ago that was filled. He shows me the xray, which I can now read, and there is no cavity in either tooth that was filled. No wonder the first guy never gave me novocaine! I don't trust any dentist. Ever.

 

[mcgrawfsu]

I had a dentist tell me once(after several beers and jack & cokes) that he routinely does fillings on teeth with no cavities and will also do root canals when not necessary. He said "I'll never get rich and retire by telling little Timmy to floss and brush everyday." He said several dentists he knows do the same. He also said those were the highest procedures that insurance will cover.

 

[Huck Said]

They are all thieves. I had my first cavity at 24. When I was finished, my husband asked if my face was numb. I asked from what? Well, since it was my first cavity, I didn't know anything about novocaine. Fast forward 20 years and I go to a new dentist who takes xrays. He asked me why I have fillings in my back two teeth. I tell him I had a cavity years ago that was filled. He shows me the xray, which I can now read, and there is no cavity in either tooth that was filled. No wonder the first guy never gave me novocaine! I don't trust any dentist. Ever.

So, you were able to tell from the x-ray that although there was filling material in those teeth, that there was no way a cavity was ever filled? I'm just curious because I'm trying to imagine what it would look like.
Also, this dentist did compliment the work my previous dentist had done and, like I said, my family has been going to him for a while and they haven't ever questioned his ethics. But, yeah, a cavity in a crown? Isn't that some porcelain-like material, or something that's harder than actual teeth?

 

[Wendy79]

I had a dentist tell me once(after several beers and jack & cokes) that he routinely does fillings on teeth with no cavities and will also do root canals when not necessary. He said "I'll never get rich and retire by telling little Timmy to floss and brush everyday." He said several dentists he knows do the same. He also said those were the highest procedures that insurance will cover.

I think it's fair to post the names of this dentist and all dentists known to do this, so we can all avoid them and proper lawsuits can be filed. Putting people through those procedures with no medical clause? Wow.

 

[LT4PLY]

I don't have any cavities but have one crown (cracked a tooth) and I have seen my XRays... It's impossible to see past the metal. So... what could the dentist have seen????

 

[cmanole]

They are all thieves. I had my first cavity at 24. When I was finished, my husband asked if my face was numb. I asked from what? Well, since it was my first cavity, I didn't know anything about novocaine. Fast forward 20 years and I go to a new dentist who takes xrays. He asked me why I have fillings in my back two teeth. I tell him I had a cavity years ago that was filled. He shows me the xray, which I can now read, and there is no cavity in either tooth that was filled. No wonder the first guy never gave me novocaine! I don't trust any dentist. Ever.

Yes they are. I was told I needed to have a root canal and a crown on one tooth about ten years ago. I put it off and it never bothered me. After about my fourth or fifth cleaning/check up after that (call it 2-3 years) the doctor quit asking me. Just had me teeth cleaned and he doesn't even mention it...

 

[cmanole]

I don't have any cavities but have one crown (cracked a tooth) and I have seen my XRays... It's impossible to see past the metal. So... what could the dentist have seen????

$$$$$$$$ Good insurance...

 

[grady327]

So, you were able to tell from the x-ray that although there was filling material in those teeth, that there was no way a cavity was ever filled? I'm just curious because I'm trying to imagine what it would look like.
Also, this dentist did compliment the work my previous dentist had done and, like I said, my family has been going to him for a while and they haven't ever questioned his ethics. But, yeah, a cavity in a crown? Isn't that some porcelain-like material, or something that's harder than actual teeth?

I'm pretty sure the poster meant that he did not receive the fillings he was sold. And you can see fillings in an X-ray as I have one and it shows up

 

[grady327]

In Tallahassee I recommend Landon Mazyck for a dentist.

 

[MIKE_G]

In Tallahassee I recommend Landon Mazyck for a dentist.

Because he pays the most kickback for referrals for unnecessary procedures, or because he's a good dentist?

 

[grady327]

Because he has only performed one filling on me as a teen, and ten years ago ( my late 20's) told me to only schedule a cleaning once every 12-18 months because I take care of my teeth. He's a good guy and the staff is great. He's been around for 30 years or so.

 

[Bartdog]

I had a weird insurance situation (between jobs) and my wife's procedure was paid for by two dentists, so we wound up with a huge credit. Instead of cutting us a check, the dentist found ways to eat into that credit. He doubled me up on visits, 4 per year instead of two. Even after I started doing a better job (sonic tooth brush, etc) and his assistant even said maybe I didn't need to come in so often, he kept on bleeding us.

 

[RTM58]

Behavior economist Dan Ariely of Duke University weighs in from time to time on how irrational we humans really are. Today, he talks to NPR's Robert Siegel about dentistry and how many of us interact with our dentists.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130356647
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ROBERT SIEGEL, host:

Dan Ariely conducts experiments, too. He's a professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke, where he does research into our predictably irrational behavior. And he comes on the program from time to time to share his research.

Today, Dan Ariely on irrationality at the dentist's office.

Professor DAN ARIELY (Behavioral Economist, Duke University): So, you know, you go to a dentist and the dentist - X-ray your teeth, and they try to find cavities. And one of the - question you can ask is, how good are dentists at that, right?

SIEGEL: Mm-hmm.

Prof. ARIELY: So imagine: You came to a dentist; you got your X-ray. And then we took your X-ray, and we also gave it to another dentist.

SIEGEL: Right.

Prof. ARIELY: And we asked both dentists to find cavities. And the question is, what would be the match? How many cavities will they find, both people would find in the same teeth?

SIEGEL: And I'd really hope it would be somewhere up around 95-plus percent.

Prof. ARIELY: That's right. It turns out what Delta Dental tells us is that the probability of this happening is about 50 percent.

SIEGEL: Fifty percent?

Prof. ARIELY: Fifty percent, right. It's really, really low. It's amazingly low. Now, these are not cavities that the dentist finds by poking in and kind of actually measuring one. It's from X-rays. Now, why is it so low? It's not that one dentist find cavities and one doesn't. They both find cavities, just find them in different teeth.

 

[noleville]

They are all thieves. I had my first cavity at 24. When I was finished, my husband asked if my face was numb. I asked from what? Well, since it was my first cavity, I didn't know anything about novocaine. Fast forward 20 years and I go to a new dentist who takes xrays. He asked me why I have fillings in my back two teeth. I tell him I had a cavity years ago that was filled. He shows me the xray, which I can now read, and there is no cavity in either tooth that was filled. No wonder the first guy never gave me novocaine! I don't trust any dentist. Ever.

I have a MISERABLE but true story about one in my youth. My father worked for the state of New Jersey, so he got top insurance. Well, when I was a kid just after my permanent teeth came in my father took my brother and myself to see this older dentist. This guy was a real ...... you know. Well, he didn't believe in giving children under the age of 16 Novocaine so he would just basically tie you down and drill for gold. Next, he seemed to really find a lot of cavities, I mean A LOT!! I remember my mother telling my father that I had 10 and my brother 12. I use to cry at the thought of going, but I was forced to, and that guy drilled my head off. After he finished he took an ex-ray and found 5 more in each of us. Once again he drilled us until my fear of a dentist made me want to puke. After the last 5 he told my mother that I had 6 more and my brother 5. FINALLY my father wised up (I know, SLOOOOW learner) and he took me to a different dentist who found NO cavities and told my father that my back molders had several fillings in them, meaning the tooth was severally damaged. It's kinda funny looking back (not ha-ha funny, just funny), but when I was an adult I went to the dentist who took an x-ray and said, "ohh, sorry, but I found 2 cavities". He must have thought I was a loon because I was happy, I thought "only 2, wow, that's really good news"..
Because of him my teeth rotted away from time. My back molders are gone and the ones left are on their way out from repeated drilling s and fillings. I finally found a dentist that isn't into sadomasochism, but all he can do is try to salvage what he can and pull the others. I'm looking into those permanent implants, they look great but cost about 45K for a full mouth full. Mexico is looking good..

 

[ericram]

Lots of anti-dentites in the thread. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

 

[Garnet66]

When I was in my twenties, my dentist referred me to a periodontist who said I needed gum surgery and would lose my teeth if I didn't. I was in graduate school and didn't have the money. Plus, I worked with a lady that had a bad experience with gum surgery so I didn't have the surgery. I'm now 71, have never had gum surgery, and still have all of my teeth.

 

[Bartdog]

you guys are really making me wonder. I have a mouth full of metal from my younger years. While it wouldn't be surprising that I had that many cavaties (I was not very good about brushing/flossing) I have other friends who were as bad but didn't have any... hmmmm

 

[Seminole'13]

Only time I had a small cavity was after I developed a habit of using the gumball machine at work. After I had the cavity, never patronized the machine again and no cavities since.

And that's really messed up for a dentist to put someone through a root canal that doesn't need it.

 

[ncnole1975]

I have spent 15 years selling employee benefits. One of the plans I have sold extensively is Dental insurance. I will emphatically state that dentists are some of the most dishonest people on earth. As someone stated before, they will not make money doing cleaning and exams. The average insurance reimbursement for an exam is $26 and a cleaning is $31. $57 dollars for roughly an hour of chair time doesn't cut it. They are sales people and try their best to convince you that you need additional services.
Here is something else they won't tell you- cavities (in most cases) have very little to do with dental hygiene and much more to do with genetics and diet. It is all determined by the ph levels in your saliva. High ph levels cause cavities and those with low ph could probably brush their teeth once a week and not get a cavity.
I worked for MetLife when I moved to Chicago. MetLife is the largest Dental carrier in the US. I was 28 and had never had a cavity in my life. I went to a new dentist that I found by looking on the Met website. This yahoo had just invested in this high tech 3d camera system as opposed to X-rays. He takes all these pics of my teeth and tells me I need 4 crowns and 6 fillings. $8k. I tell him I'm not interested and to clean my teeth.
I didn't go back to another dentist for at least a year. Didn't mention the other guy at all. Clean bill of health. I am now 40. I have seen at least 4 different dentists and still have yet to have one tell me I have a cavity.
ALWAYS get a second opinion or two!

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

I guess getting unnecessary fillings is better than being molested while under the gas. That happens all the time.

 

[noleville]

I have spent 15 years selling employee benefits. One of the plans I have sold extensively is Dental insurance. I will emphatically state that dentists are some of the most dishonest people on earth. As someone stated before, they will not make money doing cleaning and exams. The average insurance reimbursement for an exam is $26 and a cleaning is $31. $57 dollars for roughly an hour of chair time doesn't cut it. They are sales people and try their best to convince you that you need additional services.
Here is something else they won't tell you- cavities (in most cases) have very little to do with dental hygiene and much more to do with genetics and diet. It is all determined by the ph levels in your saliva. High ph levels cause cavities and those with low ph could probably brush their teeth once a week and not get a cavity.
I worked for MetLife when I moved to Chicago. MetLife is the largest Dental carrier in the US. I was 28 and had never had a cavity in my life. I went to a new dentist that I found by looking on the Met website. This yahoo had just invested in this high tech 3d camera system as opposed to X-rays. He takes all these pics of my teeth and tells me I need 4 crowns and 6 fillings. $8k. I tell him I'm not interested and to clean my teeth.
I didn't go back to another dentist for at least a year. Didn't mention the other guy at all. Clean bill of health. I am now 40. I have seen at least 4 different dentists and still have yet to have one tell me I have a cavity.
ALWAYS get a second opinion or two!

The dentist I have now (the one who is pulling my teeth faster than I grew them) told me about the PH levels. He told me that I had such a high level of acid in my saliva that unless I carry around a box of baking soda it really won't help. He gave me some PH gum that he said lowers it, but by this point my teeth are as whole as Anikin Skywalkers body after the lava bath..

 

[NoleFan2U]

On an xray, you can see the metal. If there is a cavity, there will be a hole filled with metal. My xray shows a flat level of metal on both teeth. No hole, void, crevasse, fissure whatever you would like to call it. Just a flat piece of metal on top of both teeth. Funny, I have never had another cavity since.

 

[noleville]

Now I've had cavities UNDER my cap, but there's not drilling as much as breaking a 1K cap to fill a hole in a shreaded tooth only to put another 1K cap on top of it. I've had 2 teeth that had root canals and caps that were pulled, that was roughly $1750 per tooth down the drain.

I should have saved up to get the permanent teeth. It's the EXACT same thing as crowns, same material and everything. All your teeth are pulled, screws are put into your bone under the gum and the new set is screwed into place, they don't come out. No more pain, no more 2K root canals and caps... Going to look into Mexico, 40K here, 5K there..

 

[nole71911]

I have one crown/root canal. I had a filling in the tooth that fell out and the hole was huge. he said he couldn't just plug that back up. It didn't hurt at all, but you could tell the tooth would eventually crack. So I did a root canal and crown. The tooth pain was marginal, it was keeping my mouth open for that long. My jaw felt like someone punched me in the face.