No one is happy about having their teeth filled, although nowadays people are more aware that it is a better alternative than waiting for tooth decay to worsen to the point that a root canal, extraction or surgery is necessary. even more invasive. You want to trust your dentist, but at the same time you are a bit skeptical and would like to understand if the filling is really essential, especially if you do not feel pain, discomfort or there are no aesthetic problems. There is a lot of debate within and outside the dental community about whether to maintain a patient or aggressive approach to fillings. However, you shouldn't avoid going to the dentist because you feel confused or lack confidence; Instead, try to read up on the subject, ask questions and don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Know the Symptoms and Treatments
Step 1. Don't ignore pain or dental problems
You may have read articles and publications about the spread of unnecessary dental procedures and decide that no dentist is trustworthy. However, regular checkups are essential to ensure good oral and general health; signs of pain or discomfort should never be ignored. Refer to several dentists if you see fit, but remember to see them when needed.
- Only a licensed dentist is able to diagnose and treat oral problems. As for fillings, they are almost always the first option to solve the situation when you suffer from: pain in the nerve (of the dental pulp), severe discomfort (for example due to the jagged edge of a tooth), functional problems (difficulty in chewing) or obvious imperfections.
- This article offers good advice and some home remedies to temporarily manage pain, but none of them replace doctor's intervention.
Step 2. Get regular checkups
It is true that a minority of experts argue that the traditional two visits a year are excessive and that it is sufficient to go once every 3-5 years. However, a checkup every six months remains the standard and, if nothing else, you can get up-to-date information on dental health on these occasions. The dentist can perform x-rays to check for caries, root canals and implants; in this way, you can make informed decisions in case there are any signs of dental deterioration.
- Postponing dental visits until pain occurs almost always involves the need to proceed with fillings or other treatments. Having regular checkups allows you to choose from various options to manage potential developing problems or cavities.
- There is also a lot of debate regarding professional dental cleanings, but this is almost always a standard component of a visit. If you have any doubts or questions about cleaning and removing tartar, discuss it with your dentist.
- Prevention is always less expensive and invasive than treatment; make regular appointments!
Step 3. Learn about preventive procedures
The best way to avoid fillings is to keep your teeth clean and healthy by regularly brushing them, flossing and making wise food choices while limiting your intake of acids and sugars. If your dentist identifies possible cavities or a developing one, you still have treatments available to avoid drilling and filling.
- When your doctor advises you to proceed with the closure of the cavity, never be afraid to ask if it is possible to evaluate less drastic solutions first.
- Although some dentists hastily suggest filling to patients without providing complete information, there are other professionals who are more open to alternative approaches to managing risks. This means undergoing regular checkups and treatments that focus on neutralizing acids, eliminating bacteria from the oral cavity and strengthening enamel.
- Sometimes, resin sealants are used to stop the progression of tooth decay on the chewing surfaces.
Step 4. Learn the basics of caries and fillings
In very simple terms, caries is a hole caused by the deterioration of the teeth (in turn generated by bacteria, acids and so on). This hole passes through both the protective enamel and the underlying dentin, reaching the inner chamber of the tooth. Incipient lesions, sometimes referred to as "microcars", do not reach the dentin and represent the first stage of deterioration, when the damage involves only the enamel.
To proceed with a filling, the cavity must be cleaned with the drill, often affecting the surrounding material to create a bacteria-free opening that is filled. Local anesthesia is often performed and the filling is intended to seal the internal chamber, as well as replace damaged and excised dentin and enamel. Different materials can be used, such as gold, metal alloys, ceramics or other compounds which should last at least several years
Part 2 of 2: Collaborate with the Dentist
Step 1. Ask the dentist what his approach is to caries
As in all fields of medicine, the most sophisticated diagnostic instrumentation allows dentists to identify potential caries in a much more timely and simple way than in the past. As a result, some practitioners have developed an "aggressive" approach to intervening and stopping incipient (or even potential) injuries before they evolve into something more serious.
Others go in the opposite direction, using this increased information on caries development to create a "controlled waiting" protocol. In practice, it is a question of deciding whether it is appropriate to "kill the caries in the bud" or to wait to see if it evolves into a real problem. Some dentists nowadays use lasers to treat deterioration through minimally invasive procedures
Step 2. Be aware of unnecessary practices (but don't assume all of them are)
The increase in the "aggressive" attitude has raised some doubts about the motivations of dentists. After all, these professionals are paid by patients and insurance companies for the work actually done, and the decision on the need for such procedures is left to the doctors themselves; it can therefore be assumed that the dentist has an economic interest in practicing non-essential fillings and in some cases it has been shown that this is true.
However, many, if not all, dentists who prefer to immediately fill small cavities honestly believe in the value of promptly and proactively eliminating deterioration in the bud. If your dentist prefers this approach, you have every right to ask for clear explanations on the reasons and to understand if he is really convinced that it is the most suitable treatment for the situation; you basically have to decide whether or not to believe in the doctor and his opinion
Step 3. Decide if you can wait and see how the situation evolves
If your dentist recommends proceeding with the filling, but you are not experiencing pain or discomfort, you can ask if it is worth waiting and seeing if the tooth decay progresses. Dental deterioration does not always respect a predefined and universally valid pattern, and some incipient injuries never turn into a full-blown hole.
- Current evidence shows that cavities develop slower than is often believed, taking 4 to 8 years to fully form. However, if you go to the dentist every six months, you should theoretically have plenty of time to locate and treat them before they turn into a serious problem that would require root canal or extraction.
- You should also ask for an intraoral camera check to see if the lesion has gone through the enamel and can become a problem.
- After all, it's about your mouth and your choice. Don't let the dentist scare you into making a decision, but accept the fact that he is an experienced practitioner in the field. Read up, ask questions, and be prepared to weigh the risks and rewards of a wait-and-see approach.
Step 4. Get a second opinion
Getting a filling isn't typically too expensive, painful, or invasive, but that doesn't mean you should proceed without asking for a second opinion. Just like with any other medical procedure, if you have any concerns or concerns, you should be prepared to seek alternative professional advice.
