My First Filling!

[Holdfast]

I feel like I'm all grown up now.

I go to the dentist today for my annual check-up. New dentist, too (new for me, I mean; she's been a dentist for ages) but she seems pretty cool. But what does she find when she roots around in my mouth? For the first time in my life (and I'm in my early 30s), I'm going to need a filling. I think she realised I was skeptical about the need as she took a couple of pics to prove to me it was actually there.

I'm going back tomorrow to get it down as there wasn't really time today. I can't say I'm happy about it. I mean, I've never had any trouble with my teeth (beyond having orthodontic work as a young teen and some cosmetic bleaching done about five years ago). I even went a decade without seeing a dentist between my late teens and late twenties, with no problems. But I guess luck has to run out eventually, especially since I never floss and only brush once a day.

When did you have your first filling?

Anyone older than me who's never had one?

Do you bother to always get the local anaesthetic for fillings? I'm going to ask whether I actually need one tomorrow. I gather one doesn't need it it's particularly shallow (she told me it only needed a fairly small filling), though I suspect it's in an awkward enough position that I might prefer to be jabbed. I'll ask tomorrow.

Finally, can I just say "yikes" at the cost? £120 for a composite filling? I never realised they cost so much! Maybe I'll start brushing twice a day, or even, god forbid, start flossing.

 

[Kestra]

I needed dental work for a cavity before I was even old enough to brush unsupervised. I have the worst teeth ever. Every time I would go to the dentist they'd tell me I had three more cavities and one didn't believe that I was brushing and flossing and yelled at me until I started crying.

I stopped going to the dentist.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

I had my first filling last year. My family tend to have quite poor teeth des[ite a reasonable diet (the good news is that they're also very white, so they may be a load of rubbish but they don't look it ).

 

[Lindley]

Do you bother to always get the local anaesthetic for fillings? I'm going to ask whether I actually need one tomorrow. I gather one doesn't need it it's particularly shallow (she told me it only needed a fairly small filling), though I suspect it's in an awkward enough position that I might prefer to be jabbed. I'll ask tomorrow.

You should only need Novocaine. It's not really an anesthetic, only a numbing agent. Your lips will feel huge for a few hours after the procedure, but it's otherwise not a big deal. If it's fully effective, you should feel the vibrations from the drill (still a bit strange), but no pain.

I definitely recommend the white fillings if you don't get cavities often. Me, I've had enough fillings that I've taken to getting the metal fillings for anything in the back, because it's cheaper and lasts longer.

Actually one of my metal fillings broke recently, so until I can get it fixed, I've got a hole in one tooth which tends to catch food. I've been giving it extra attention when brushing so hopefully things don't get worse.

 

[B.J.]

I'm with Kestra - teeth the consistency of a wet sponge. It's actually the exception when I go to the dentist and I don't have a cavity to be filled. And I do a good job at brushing, too. Actually had one dentist say I brushed *too* hard!

 

[Shazam!]

Finally, can I just say "yikes" at the cost? £120 for a composite filling? I never realised they cost so much!

Private or NHS?

 

[Shazam!]

I didn't go to the dentist for a decade. When I eventually plucked up the courage to go, I needed a wisdom tooth out and one filling.

Been fine ever since with your basic brushing daily routine. I know one guy who went in and needed 9 fillings. I guess I got lucky when they were handing out teeth although my front two kinda overlap and one has a tiny bit chipped off the corner from when I banged them on the bottom of a swimming pool. That hurt.

 

[Holdfast]

Do you bother to always get the local anaesthetic for fillings? I'm going to ask whether I actually need one tomorrow. I gather one doesn't need it it's particularly shallow (she told me it only needed a fairly small filling), though I suspect it's in an awkward enough position that I might prefer to be jabbed. I'll ask tomorrow.

You should only need Novocaine. It's not really an anesthetic, only a numbing agent. Your lips will feel huge for a few hours after the procedure, but it's otherwise not a big deal. If it's fully effective, you should feel the vibrations from the drill (still a bit strange), but no pain.

Thanks Lindley. I'm familiar with Novocaine and similar drugs from my medical training. It is a local anaesthetic, but I take your point that it's not a big deal and the doses are minimal enough to not cause much beyond a little numbing. That's reassuring to know.

I still wonder whether I need it at all. A friend of mine never bothers and just lets them drill, unless it's a big cavity, so I wonder whether I actually need it at all.

I have a meeting at work a couple of hours after the dentist. Nothing crucial, but still, I'd prefer it if the gormless drooling was relatively limited by then.

I definitely recommend the white fillings if you don't get cavities often.

Yeah, I think the composite she mentioned was what makes the white fillings.

What causes fillings to break? Just wear & tear?

Finally, can I just say "yikes" at the cost? £120 for a composite filling? I never realised they cost so much!

Private or NHS?

Private. They give you better tasting mouthwash.

 

[TerokNor]

I think I was 8 years old...was my first and last filling (till now). I was on a birthday party with sleeping over and I was in SO much pain (and I could eat no sweets at all.... at a bithday paty..imagine that!), because of that tooth and because I was very irritated, I cryed all night till my mother came picking me up, waking the friend of my uncle (who is, like my uncle, but that one was on vacation, a dentist and has his own practice) and in the middle of the night he gave me that filling...and as I am quite sensitive when it comes to pain, hate dentists and doctors in general and HATE HATE HATE injections ( I was and am really scared of those!) I was not a very good patient and it was a very terrible night. Guess thats why after that I never needed a filling again... The stupid thing is, it was a staying tooth, so I still have it with the same filling that he gave me in that long ago night...and I guess that it needs to be replaced one day, especially because its not the modern stuff used for a filling, but the stuff thats by now forbidden to use, because its not good for the body... but just thinking about letting the dentist take the old filling out and putting a new one in gets me into the state of panic!

TerokNor

 

[Lindley]

I still wonder whether I need it at all. A friend of mine never bothers and just lets them drill, unless it's a big cavity, so I wonder whether I actually need it at all.

You're going to want it. The drill causes what is basically the mother of all ice cream headaches very abruptly (I know because sometimes they don't give me enough the first time and have to add more after they try to start). The last thing you want to be doing with a drill in your mouth is flinching, even if it's just one of those compressed water drills.

I have a meeting at work a couple of hours after the dentist. Nothing crucial, but still, I'd prefer it if the gormless drooling was relatively limited by then.

Usually it doesn't look as silly as it feels. No promises though.

What causes fillings to break? Just wear & tear?

Pretty much. Some never break, others do within 6 months. Most dentists will replace broken fillings (that they did) for free.

 

[Mary Ann]

I had my first filling at about 9 and had them all replaced a few years ago (I'm 41). They were the old mercury ones and they were starting to wear out.

I would never have any dental work done without having my mouth numbed, but I'm a wuss when it comes to pain. The numbing effects take a few hours to wear off and you'll feel as if someone gave you a fat lip and that you're drooling everywhere, but I think it's worth it.

Heh, I paid my dentist £120 earlier today when I had some work done on my sensitive teeth. They didn't have cavities but the gums are receding, so my dentist (who looks like George Clooney with Mel Gibson eyes...yowza!) coated the sensitive areas. It took less than 30 minutes, and I learned that dentistry students must pull 250 teeth before they can graduate.

 

[StolenThunder]

I've been basically irresponsible and haven't seen a dentist in about five years - thankfully without any horrendous emergencies, pain, etc. I need to go when I have a bit of money, but I'm not looking forward to what I expect will be a reasonable bit of work done.

 

[WillsBabe]

I'm not sure how old I was when I had my first filling. I think I was young - a child. After that I didn't have another filling until I was well into my 30s. I have good teeth and I've looked after them. My problem, ironically, is that all that brushing has made my gums lousy. I have poor gums even though I floss etc. I've had a fair few fillings lately and I suspect my dentist of inventing work to make money. I vowed the last time I was there that I would refuse treatment unless they gave me a good reason. Fortunately, my teeth were apparently up to scratch on that visit...

 

[Kestra]

I still wonder whether I need it at all. A friend of mine never bothers and just lets them drill, unless it's a big cavity, so I wonder whether I actually need it at all.

Let me just say that the only time I've ever prayed to god with an actual request was the time I was in the chair at the dentist's office and they started drilling before the area was numb. They had given me a shot of who knows what, which hadn't started working. They then gave me another shot (these aren't entirely painless, btw) and started drilling again when we discovered it still hadn't gone numb. After the third shot I was fine, and proceeded to lose feeling in that side of my mouth for the rest of the day.

For the most part though, when they've done it right it just numbs it and there's no drooling or anything ridiculous like that. You're just numb for a little bit after.

 

[Cali]

You're only just about to get your first filling?

Oh, wait until you need a root canal.

 

[Holdfast]

What causes fillings to break? Just wear & tear?

Pretty much. Some never break, others do within 6 months. Most dentists will replace broken fillings (that they did) for free.

Interesting. Thanks!

Heh, I paid my dentist £120 earlier today

It's a conspiracy.

...my dentist (who looks like George Clooney with Mel Gibson eyes...yowza!)

You know, my new dentist totally looks familiar to me and I just can't place her. I mean, beyond "she reminds me of someone" and into "I'm pretty sure I've met her before". But despite racking my brain, I can't think of where. We both slipped into a first name basis very quickly, more so than I normally do, partly because of that feeling of familiarity on my part. I'm kind of hoping I haven't met her somewhere and have forgotten doing so. Or at the very least, that I was nice to her then!

I've been basically irresponsible and haven't seen a dentist in about five years - thankfully without any horrendous emergencies, pain, etc. I need to go when I have a bit of money, but I'm not looking forward to what I expect will be a reasonable bit of work done.

I haven't looked into it, but I'd guess that provided one's oral health isn't bad, and you have good "teeth genes", one's 20s shouldn't be a high risk period. Presumably everything's still in pretty good nick at that age and things haven't been eaten away too much. Good luck!

... I suspect my dentist of inventing work to make money...

I'd laugh, but the same thought flitted across my mind today, until I saw the photos for myself.

Let me just say that the only time I've ever prayed to god with an actual request was the time I was in the chair at the dentist's office and they started drilling before the area was numb. They had given me a shot of who knows what, which hadn't started working. They then gave me another shot (these aren't entirely painless, btw)...

Oh, wait until you need a root canal.

Thanks girls, I feel so much better now...

 

[scotpens]

You should only need Novocaine. It's not really an anesthetic, only a numbing agent. Your lips will feel huge for a few hours after the procedure, but it's otherwise not a big deal. If it's fully effective, you should feel the vibrations from the drill (still a bit strange), but no pain.

Novocaine doesn't sedate you or knock you out, but it numbs the area it's injected into. That makes it a topical (local) anesthetic.

I had two fillings in my upper back molars when I was sixteen (that was 40 years ago). I haven't had any cavities since. About two years ago, one of my fillings had deteriorated and needed to be replaced -- total cost $100. My fillings are the traditional amalgam, which is the cheapest and most durable material. There's a lot of scare hype about the mercury content of amalgam fillings. If you have just a few metal fillings, I wouldn't worry about getting mercury poisoning from them.

 

[Lindley]

Novocaine doesn't sedate you or knock you out, but it numbs the area it's injected into. That makes it a topical (local) anesthetic.

I'm not familiar with the medical definition, but when I think of local, I think of what I got when my wisdom teeth came out: something that keeps me awake enough to be responsive (so I'm told), but so far down that I can't remember anything after the fact.

 

[Trippy]

Wow! You must have great teeth!

Me, not so lucky. I've had fillings since I was about 8, dental surgery at 10 (I had extra molars), teeth pulled the same year (I had extra incisors) then braces and head gear for 4 years, 2 root canals, then lastly, a broken tooth that was beyond repair was pulled about 6 weeks ago (it was a molar and hurt like hell!).

I've been tortured by dentists/orthodontists all my life I still believe, if you want information from someone, send them to the dentist!

 

[scotpens]

Novocaine doesn't sedate you or knock you out, but it numbs the area it's injected into. That makes it a topical (local) anesthetic.

I'm not familiar with the medical definition, but when I think of local, I think of what I got when my wisdom teeth came out: something that keeps me awake enough to be responsive (so I'm told), but so far down that I can't remember anything after the fact.

What you're describing sounds like a sedative or “twilight sleep” drug. A local or topical anesthetic is something like Novocaine or Lidocaine -- it deadens sensation only in the area where it's applied. Many over-the-counter preparations for sunburn contain Benzocaine, a local anesthetic.

I've been tortured by dentists/orthodontists all my life I still believe, if you want information from someone, send them to the dentist!

“IS IT SAFE?”