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Hi Bryanna,
Nice to hear from you again (even with dental issues!) I thought the tooth was infected because it was hurting. However, no fistula or anything like that. You can visualize the crack on the tooth--and right where the tooth is cracked and meets the gum you can see this reddish brown...looks to me like decay spot. There are other cracks and crazes I am also aware of as is the dentist. I don't have any sensitivity to hot or cold, and barely to pressure with a bite stick. The pain is like a toothpick in the center of the tooth...it's a pricking pain and then like a low level ache. Motrin helps. The metal filling is rather large and deep and has been in for 30 years. The pain is minimal. He did take an xray and he said the tooth looked ok and that it wasn't abscessed. Normally, in patients with this level of an issue he would recommend crown, he said. However, when I pressed him about the relatively constant low level pain--he said, then most likely a RC and then crown. But, he said, since we have come to an understanding about no more RCs he wanted to give me every opportunity to keep the tooth--therefor trying the temp crown. In the end, I just could see no point at all since the tooth was already hurting. He said the crown may or may not stop the pain. The crack(s) are not new...I knew it was borrowed time with this tooth and I also understand it is borrowed time on two last teeth (last upper right and last lower left) with the same problems. After those go, the teeth I have left are not in the kind of bad shape as were all of those premolars. This dentist I like because--well like today, we talked this through for almost an hour, and mapped out a plan going forward as we look at these other teeth going bad
with the huge old fillings. He was there when I was having all the problems with my last RC ever and the facial pain and nerve issues...so he understands the NO RC rule. I guess I just wanted to run it by you. I have an excellent oral surgeon...and am at peace about the no RC rule...I feel bad about losing these teeth. It's almost like a shameful feeling. My dentist said I am kind of a victim of good intentions of dental history. The braces I wore for almost five years...they pulled two good eye teeth for those, which to this day I do not understand, but I was only 12 when this started. I had 10 horrible cavities after the braces and none going in...huge metal fillings...and I still had an overbite AND my arch was narrowed...add to that immunosuppressing drugs since I was 25 for Rheumatoid Arthritis and here we are...I know you asked three questions and now I am rambling! I'll stop now! Thanks for responding!