Broken tooth because of old filling - what is the process now?

I%26#039;m a very nervous patient. A little history if you care: My childhood dentist filled many non-existent cavities then committed suicide. He did this with many patients. As a result I have many overfilled teeth where the fillings are now 20 years old or more and I have been told that I will need crowns or something to fix them all. A couple days ago a piece of one of these teeth broke off (top rear). I went to the store and bought temporary filling to fill the space so that nothing would get inside but I%26#039;m very nervous about going back to the dentist. Every time I go it%26#039;s very painful and it%26#039;s always some big bad news. Can a dentist or someone who has had a similar experience with a broken tooth because of an old filling tell me exactly what is likely to happen when I go in?





Thanks for your hand holding in advance :-)

Broken tooth because of old filling - what is the process now?
Hi, I%26#039;m a dentist; maybe I can help.





If a part of your tooth fractured off, there are a few possible treatment options. I%26#039;m assuming you have metal (amalgam) fillings, since you mentioned these were done 20yrs ago, and amalgam was the way to go back then. The large metal filling in this broken tooth will need to be removed (drilled out). You will have to be numbed for this (yes, a shot). If you are so anxious about having dental work done, ask your dentist to prescribe you some versed before your appointment. It%26#039;s a benzodiazapine, much like valium, but unlike valium it lasts just a couple of hours. It will really mellow you out for your appointment. If you don%26#039;t want to be drugged, you can opt for nitrous oxide (laughing gass) that should help with your anxiety somewhat (though this admittedly doesn%26#039;t work for everyone).





Your options after the old filling is removed are to have the tooth crowned, which will likely require a %26quot;buildup%26quot; as well. A buildup is a filling material that %26quot;builds up%26quot; the missing tooth structure to help support the crown. You may also opt for an onlay or another large filling to replace the old one, possibly a pin-retained amalgam or a large tooth-colored filling. The crown or the onlay are the best bets for longevity. The fillings would be the quick-fixes.





Depending on whether or not there is any decay underneath the old filling (which may have contributed to the tooth fracturing) you may also need to have endodontic therapy (a root canal). If that%26#039;s an option, honestly I%26#039;d opt to just have the tooth extracted and an implant placed, though the healing time will be at least 6 months for an implant before you can get a fake tooth placed on top of the implant.





You really just need to get yourself to a dentist to evaluate that tooth. Once you%26#039;re there you%26#039;ll know much more. All I can do is give you my best guess as to what you%26#039;ll need.





Good luck!
Reply:You need to go and get it professionally filled, if not it will start decaying and causing pain, which will then need a root canal and a cap which is outragously expense even if you have insurance.
Reply:I feel your pain no pun intended The same thing happened to me and I had to have a root canal Good luck
Reply:If the filling only came out, you may be able to have it refilled. However, from what you have described you probably need a crown. This will cover the whole tooth and provide support so it won%26#039;t break anymore. As long as the tooth does not hurt or still have decay, you shouldn%26#039;t need a root canal. With a crown, they will drill some of the enamel off the outside of the tooth. This will make room for the covering that will cover the whole tooth.
Reply:I had the same problem. I had a tooth with a filling in it and part of my tooth chipped. I went to the dentist and ended up having to get a root canal and crown. Cost about 1800.00, but I didn%26#039;t have dental insurance.



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