Expert: Tony Appleton BDS DPDS - 2/25/2009

Question
I've had this cavity since I was a little girl and my parents couldn't afford to even have it filled.  I just left it alone as it wasn't bothering me.  I'm already 26 yrs. old and the cavity has gotten bigger to a point where I can fit the tip of my tongue in it.  It doesn't hurt or cause any discomfort, but it just bothers me when I gargle (mouthwash) or eat something cold (it feels very sensitive).  I currently do not have good dental coverage.  I'm only relying on the discount dental plan that comes with my current medical plan.  This has what been keeping me from seeing a dentist because I'm afraid of the cost of fixing this problem.  But I know that I need to have it done and it might give me bigger problems in the future if I don't fix this now.

My questions are... Which is the cheapeast solution for this?  Will it be more practical to have it extracted instead of having a root canal therapy?  If I'll have it extracted, what will be the effects of this?  Will this cause my other teeth to shift?

Thank you very much for your help and advice! :-)

Answer
Hi Alexandra

Really you should see a dentist and get all the options then.  It may be that you only need a routine filling, or you may have to decide between root canal or extraction.

It is not a good idea to lose a tooth unless you really have to, as it does have a knock on effect on your other teeth.

Regards

Tony Appleton