Mmmm, thought id bitten into something a bit hard the other day and today I have discovered a large part of a tooth filling is missing. It dosent hurt or anything but do i need to visit my dentist. I live in france at the moment and wont be back in good old blighty till late april?
dont mind visiting the french dentist but if it will wait till i get back to the uk id rather see my own dentist who knows im like the most nervous patient shes ever had and i need numbing to even sit in that awfulf chair of torture, eekk.
Help and advice appreciated
Sue
http://www.trailalpine.co.uk

had something similar (still being sorted) and i’m currently having it crowned as it was at the front, but dentist basically gave two options pull or repair as where it had broke had exposed a bit of nerve, now i was getting no pain just some sensitivity to cold that i didnt have before. so i would say if it hurts get it seen to pronto as you dont want an absess and end up needing more work/pain/cost.

Not sure wait for a dentis to come on!

i thought you were a dentist doctornick????

Simba, if you stick your gob near the screen i’ll have a look and give you my professional opinion!

Basicly keep it as clean as possible (like cleaning any food / plaque from around there or in the cavity after you eat anything) and should be ok, but if it starts to get sensitive, or is difficult to keep clean then go see a dentist to stick a temporary in.

Maybe try one of the temp filling kits from the chemists? But the success of those depends on the shape of the cavity – they work best on simple holes on ths biting surface of the tooth. If its a corner of the tooth thats broken it wont work very well.

If like me your bob scared of dentists then go to your french dentist and ask for a clean and a temporary packer put in.
I bit into a double decker chocolate bar years ago and there was some rock solid nougat (not sure how to spell it) in there that broke my back tooth!
It involves cleaning out the gap with their special liquid (whatever that is) and they fill the gap with a special packing that covers up any exposed nerves and stops infection.
The best part is it doesn’t hurt one bit and you don’t have to have an injection.
This is by no means a long term fix as the packing only lasts for about 3 months but should see you right until you get back to the UK.

Oh and my dentist didn’t charge me but can’t say the same for french dentists 🙂

if you want post a photo (stick your camera on Macro mode, turn flash off and use bright light / torch) and i’ll give you a more accurate opinion!

Broke a tooth offshore once (on soup !!). about 1/3rd of it came out.

Couple of weeks later, the second 1/3rd was becoming really annoying as it wobbled around etc, so I pulled it out with my fingers.

When I finally registered with a dentist when a space became available, 2 years later, they removed the last 1/3rd – no probs at all.

But I wouldn’t recommend the DIY bit, or the 2-year doing nothing bit!

If you’re not in pain, I’d wait – but that’s me, not you.

I’d go and get it seen by a dentist and see what he says. I had a filling come out when i was in France, but despite emergency dental cover on my holiday insurance, left it until i got home.

It needed a white filling as part of the tooth wall had broken away. Cost me over £200! Now wish I’d legitimately claimed on my holiday insurance whilst away (especially as it was a zero excess policy).

thought you were a dentist doctornick????

Hell no – i didnt got to med school , panic on day one , jib out and only read the page on teeth and become a dentist!
i’m a properdoctor!

Only kidding, maybe when i see the toys they have and how hard my dental friends work maybe i was the fool for studying medicine!

Part of my filling fell out a few years ago, I just left it. A few more bits have broken off the tooth and there’s not much left now. Its at the side of my mouth near the back so its not very visible. Never had any bother with it. I don’t really believe in this going to the dentist for check ups lark, regular brushing seems to work fine for me.

Looking forward to the photos . . . 😉

Needed a filling once in France, was in agony!, local Dentist was ace and wouldn’t accept payment…..got her a couple of bottles of red though!

Gary_M – same as I had by the sounds of it. When I registered with a dentist I was expecting a shock / horror reaction and a b0ll0cking from the dentist. Not a bit of it. He just suggested that it would be better out than in, as it had the potential to rot etc. Must admit, it’s a wee bit more comfortable now it’s out.

Not wanting to rock the boat.

But the UK dentirist is regarded as poor overseas

so why go home?

If your in pain see some one

Mine you i lost a cap in malta (different kettel of fish )

If it doesn’t hurt, keep it very clean and it shouldn’t much matter for a long time – provided you eat vegetables not sweets.
I had a massive hole in a molar for years after a filling wore out. (Courtesy of a mad dentist when I was 20). There was no problem except the dentine wore down too fast on the biting surface, and the very sharp edges were a nuisance. I had a crown put on only recently, but no decay and never any pain.