Dentistry

[Jon Miller]

So a bit over 4 years ago I last visited a dentist. I was told my teeth were good, but that my gums in upper left back was starting to have problems. I then was very poor and uninsured for a few months and really struggled with that gum location, finally using an electric toothbrush and mouth wash to get it in control. I married my wife and we were very poor and became pregnant and my wife had a bad tooth and I lived in Belgium and Chile and so didn't do anything. At least initially chilvary was part of the reason too as my wife had a bad tooth that she couldn't take care of until about a year ago.

My wife mentioned that it looked like a cavity in that upper back left tooth, but I didn't feel anything. I have had very little experience with cavities having one 15 years ago which was only identified by xray.

Something happened last Wednesday and my upper left back tooth and gum area hurts and has increased in pain since Wednesday. At first I thought it was just gum problems again but my tooth definitely is painful.

I am in the US right now.

Is this something that I go to the dentist right away for or do I wait until I go to Chile in 3-4 weeks? My wife's bad tooth (that was visually bad and bad for 2 years) was fixed in Chile for ~100 USD, I am sure it is more expensive in the US. Is it likely to be fixable for less than 300?

JM

[loinburger]

Obviously I'm not a dentist, but it sounds like you're going to need a root canal which will cost around a thousand dollars on a molar. Wait til you go back to Chile if the pain is tolerable.

[loinburger]

Also unless you've got pus leaking all over the place then I doubt that whatever is wrong with your tooth will kill you anytime soon, so, wait til you get to Chile

[Proteus_MST]

I don´t know how much it costs (costs are taken by my medical insurance), but if it is Karies (which I guess), it definitely is better not to wait too long ... else it may weaken the tooth so much, that it has to be removed.

[giblets]

World's greatest healthcare system

[Bereta_Eder]

jezas

[Bereta_Eder]

As a rule of thumb, the longer you wait the more expensive it will get.
One month can be nothing or can make all the difference.
If the infection is about to enter the root of the tooth then you have to do it now (and it will be a simple filling)
If it has entered the root, it will be root canal and crown.

And the structure of the tooth plays a part but this is not important for one month (it can withstand it). The serious thing is the root and how long untill it gets infected.

Who can answer this question? (if the root is or is about to get infected)?
A dentist (which we visit every 6 months)

I payed for a root canal and crown around 900 euros (and didn't even collect the state rebursement, didn't need it plus I'm an idiot)

[Lorizael]

Hmm. I don't think Poly has any dentists. Not sure how JM is going to solve this problem.

[Bereta_Eder]

EVen if it had he needs hands on approach and an x-ray

There are some crude ways of identifying. But I'm not sure about those.

For example, if it responds to cold/heat or pressure then something, something

[Proteus_MST]

EVen if it had he needs hands on approach and an x-ray

There are some crude ways of identifying. But I'm not sure about those.

For example, if it responds to cold/heat or pressure then something, something

Aye ... same here ... during my half-yearly screenings my dentist always uses a bent pin with which he applies pressure on the top or side of each tooth in order to check the stability/strength of the dental enamel.
In cases where I tell him about any suspicions about certain teeth (like pains or hypersensitivities towarcs heat/cold) and he doesn´t find anything with the pressure test he also does an X-Ray, just to be sure

[The Mad Monk]

Hmm. I don't think Poly has any dentists. Not sure how JM is going to solve this problem.

Off hand, I would suggest by visiting a dentist.

[Lorizael]

Yeah, then he could convince the dentist to join Apolyton!

[The Mad Monk]