[Greenleaves]

Two years ago I had this severe toothache. I went to the dentist and he couldn't find anything wrong with my tooth. The X-ray did not show anything was wrong.

The dentist just gave me some antibiotics and sent me on my way.

I was still in severe pain so I sought a second opinion. I went to another dentist.

This dentist also could not find anything wrong wtih my tooth. He then deduced that it must be a cracked tooth. He gave me some Ibuprophen and sent me to a root canal specialist.

Meanwhile I was in severe pain and the meds did not help at all. So I just suffered for about 3 weeks until the pain just went away.

I saw the root canal specialist after a few months. He could not find anything wrong with my tooth and since my tooth stopped hurting, he suggested I just wait to see if the pain returned.

Now 2 years later, I have benefits from work so I went for my routine cleaning and checkup.

I got the complete exam and the dentist told me I had an abscess where the painful tooth was two years ago.

He told me I need a root canal and crown placed on my tooth. I also have a very small cavity.

It is estimated it will cost $2000 to fix all this. My insurance covers 80% and I think there is a maximum that can be covered. I think that max is either $1000 or $1500.

So after seeing 2 dentists and 1 specialist, I still end up with an abscess! I'm guessing I've had it for nearly 2 years! I am not happy.

I just read all sorts of horrible things about dental abscesses, like brain infections and all that.

How did this happen to me?

[thunderbear]

Ouch! I know those hurt! But the main concern about abcesses is an infection that can cause heart problems. I've never heard of a brain infection though. But abcesses can happen to the best teeth. Maybe you have gum diesese that runs in your family. Everyone in my family had to get dentures before they were 35 because of pyria. It's genetic and I have it and my oldest son is showing signs of it.

[DOWNINNATICK]

Oh my gosh, that just shows doctors don't listen. If it was in one of your upper teeth, I surprised you didn't get a sinus infection. Thanks for posting this, it just shows you have to push hard to get someone to listen.

[Greenleaves]

I got my root canal and my temporary crown. Now I'm waiting for the permanent crown.

I don't think I have gum disease. The dentist said my tooth was probably cracked. It's from the teeth grinding I do at night.

Somehow or another, I got an abscess. I hope it is gone now.

I'm just a little angry about the severe pain I had 2 years ago. Obviously there was something wrong, but everyone just brushed it off.

That is really something... wow... your poor tooth.. and body... (((hugs))) if I may... and your body must have been fighting.. that abcess for 2 years now...

maybe with it gone.. and after healing... the impact on your overall.. health...can just imagine..that things will be so much better...

the frustration not being listened to.. and them missing it.... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......

[Perna]

Absesses can be pretty common and don't necessarily hurt but can be "fixed" with antibiotics. The dentists did x-rays and gave you antibiotics and did what they could with what was showing; if they can't see anything they can't see anything. Dentistry is a bit harder than regular medicine as there are only so many tests and things one can do to see what's wrong. My dentist was trying to decide whether a problem I had was one tooth or the other (which to replace the crown on) and I suggested he just replace both and it turned out both had decay underneath and both needed replacing. Sometimes you have to tell dentists to pull teeth or drill/do root canals, etc. as they're often not going to want to make you spend that kind of money only to find there was nothing wrong.

My husband had a couple of the bad absesses and one's whole face swells up; it still turns out fine if you start the antibiotic right away. If they didn't see anything and there wasn't any swelling, just pain, it could have just been an exposed nerve from the cracked tooth/little bit of decay. That's where you get really bad pain. Sometimes though those cracks are tiny or between teeth, etc. and can't show on the xrays because of their location. They need to invent an MRI or CT scan for teeth, LOL.

I've had 5-6 root canals now; they get more common the older you get and cavities will get less (mostly because of all the root canals and crowns; you can't very well get a cavity in a fake tooth :-) They've got such good materials nowadays though that I think some of my crowns are now older than the tooth they were put on was when they were put there :-)