Author Topic: Sodding teeth (Read 3367 times)

Wowbagger · « **on:** 30 May, 2016, 08:02:48 pm »

I used to be very happy with my teeth. Still got all my real ones, and although all the molars are filled, I'm sure that isn't unusual for >60 year olds.

I have lost a filling which I noticed this morning. At least, I think I did. That particular tooth, an upper left molar, has been filled a few times and I have, between fillings, been so used to it being jagged that I can't remember when it last wasn't. To add to that, I have just been poking around removing some of this evening's cold pork from my teeth, using a toothpick, and I have dislodged another bit of filling from the left lower wisdom tooth. So, it's time to make an appointment.

The last time the dentist filled the first of those two teeth he said it didn't have a lot of life left and it might need to be removed. There's the rub: I am on alendronic acid, for my osteoporosis, and this stuff welds the teeth to the jaw so firmly that dentists don't do extractions. They send you to hospital for the tooth to be removed under general anaesthetic. I have never before had a spell in hospital and I'm not looking forward to one now.

Bugger.

hellymedic · « **Reply #1 on:** 30 May, 2016, 08:06:38 pm »

Dental materials and techniques are developing quite well and it might be possible to fix a tooth that was previously considered irreparable.
Good luck!

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2 on:** 30 May, 2016, 08:10:57 pm »

Yes, but I visit the dentist regularly, so I don't imagine that the developments in the last 6 months or so, during which time that tooth was last filled, have improved that much.

Kim · « **Reply #3 on:** 30 May, 2016, 08:27:40 pm »

Barakta had coronectomies of her wisdom teeth under local anaesthetic, albeit at the dental hospital. Marathon Man references were made. Possibly a reasonable solution if extraction isn't?

Ruthie · « **Reply #4 on:** 30 May, 2016, 08:27:58 pm »

You might get a really nice anaesthetic nurse looking after you, and find that the whole thing is better than you feared

iddu · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 May, 2016, 08:48:53 pm »

>I have never before had a spell in hospital and I'm not looking forward to one now.

Oh, the drugs are good; worse thing if you're on a local is the reverb of the crunching echoing through your skull

Wowbagger · « **Reply #6 on:** 30 May, 2016, 10:28:08 pm »

Quote from: Ruthie on 30 May, 2016, 08:27:58 pm

You might get a really nice anaesthetic nurse looking after you, and find that the whole thing is better than you feared

Are you free?

Ruthie · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 May, 2016, 10:38:56 pm »

Yes, I am free at the point of delivery, but delivery is to Darlington only

ElyDave · « **Reply #8 on:** 31 May, 2016, 07:26:55 am »

Hmm, having not been for a while, I'm in a similar position, fillings starting to fail. Not looking forward to it.

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #9 on:** 31 May, 2016, 07:31:43 am »

When I was a kid all my fillings were done without anaesthetic. 1970s, so there were quite a few of them. These days dentists seem to be barely touching teeth.

T42 · « **Reply #10 on:** 31 May, 2016, 08:02:06 am »

I had my first general anaesthetic in April, and found the experience very agreeable - apart from the 80€ fee over & above social security rates here.

Asterix, the former Gaul. · « **Reply #11 on:** 31 May, 2016, 08:16:14 am »

I've a back tooth that lost a filling and the NHS dentist said it would have to come out. I was already under the impression I was a 2nd class citizen in that mainly private practice so I waved them goodbye and went private elsewhere (NHS vacancies were like hens teeth STS). Their filling is still good nearly 10 years later and the cost wasn't huge. I have been with that practice ever since.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #12 on:** 31 May, 2016, 06:02:15 pm »

Well, I have an appointment for tomorrow, 12.30. The lower wisdom tooth is the concern. That is causing me pain when contacting cold things. Beer is cold, and French beer colder. Therefore it needs to be filled before next week.

ElyDave · « **Reply #13 on:** 31 May, 2016, 07:00:09 pm »

Thursday 0800.

Dentist had deregistered me as NHS, so I have to go private, no communication of that on their part. Receptionist pleads ignorance. I'm now at the back of a 400 person queue for NHS treatment.

In my case it's have a look at a couple of 15 yo fillings and extreme sensitivity of the incisors.

barakta · « **Reply #14 on:** 31 May, 2016, 07:11:59 pm »

Ah yes mine booted me from NHS to private with no comms, I hated the receptionists in full on smug cow mode and the dentist was rude and refuse to speak slowly, loudly, clearly or use a clear mask even though I'm deaf. I haven't been back. I really ought to go and find that nice dentist Kim uses...

Jakob W · « **Reply #15 on:** 31 May, 2016, 08:47:46 pm »

What are the reasons they boot you? Not having been for a checkup in n months/years? I suppose I should really book a checkup again...

hellymedic · « **Reply #16 on:** 31 May, 2016, 09:01:08 pm »

Very likely, JakobW.

In the Bad Old Days, each course of treatment was a separate contract with the NHS for the dentist, who was paid per item of treatment. This led to multiple shoddy suboptimal treatments, for which some of us are still suffering.

Emphasis thankfully changed towards prevention, with an element of capitation for the dentist.

I suspect that a dentist needs to see you occasionally to claim capitation.

I think they are still at liberty to drop some/all NHS work when they fancy.

Kim · « **Reply #17 on:** 31 May, 2016, 09:46:29 pm »

IRTA 'cavitation'

rafletcher · « **Reply #18 on:** 01 June, 2016, 07:55:50 am »

Quote from: Jakob W on 31 May, 2016, 08:47:46 pm

What are the reasons they boot you? Not having been for a checkup in n months/years? I suppose I should really book a checkup again...

Ours (officially at least) will drop you from the NHS list if you miss your 6 monthly checkup. In practice if you communicate with them and make an effort to get another appointment ASAP they don't.

The "dentist" is actually only in private practice himself, with a partner, but the practice maintains an NHS list by taking recent graduates from one of the London teaching hospitals on 6 month rotations. So we generally only see a particular dentist twice before they are replaced. But all are right up to date with best practice (no more poking about with pointed implements at a checkup) and are encouraged to ask him for assistance if they feel they need it - and he always makes time to give it. Once when I went I think he was doing an assessment, as he acted as dental nurse to the graduate dentist that time.

ElyDave · « **Reply #19 on:** 03 June, 2016, 05:23:44 pm »

Came back all OK, six month check up and the dentist say he'd be happy to put me back on the, obviously a cost management exercise for non regular attendees.

Brilliant all OK, teeth all OK, had a poke around at a wisdom tooth, said come and see the hygienist but that's it.

Kim · « **Reply #20 on:** 03 June, 2016, 05:31:41 pm »

Quote from: rafletcher on 01 June, 2016, 07:55:50 am

But all are right up to date with best practice (no more poking about with pointed implements at a checkup)

Ah, is that why they've stopped doing it? I'd wondered...

hellymedic · « **Reply #21 on:** 03 June, 2016, 06:12:30 pm »

Yeah, poking a little crack with a sharp tool can widen the crack and let Bad Bugs in, effectively creating a cavity where none existed before.
Provocative maintenance at its finest: now outdated.

Kim · « **Reply #22 on:** 03 June, 2016, 06:19:01 pm »

I didn't get where I am today without dentists creating a cavity where none existed before.

(Child of the 80s, I also had my molars preventative coated with some kind of UV-hardened epoxy, causing them to fail to mesh together properly, with predictable consequences...)

hellymedic · « **Reply #23 on:** 03 June, 2016, 06:26:01 pm »

Being older than teh Kim, I had what was IMO the very worst of NHS dentistry in my formative years; no preventative treatments, much probing and lots of shoddy amalgam fillings, which seldom lasted long.

Kim · « **Reply #24 on:** 03 June, 2016, 06:35:30 pm »

My childhood dentist's best preventative treatment was terrifying me. Not because of the whole dentistry thing - that's just another unpleasant medical procedure. No, it was because she was the evil twin of the headmistress of my primary school, who I lived in abject fear of in that way that children do. She convinced me to a) stop sucking my thumb and b) clean my teeth properly just by asking nicely. If she'd stopped there, it would have been a complete success.