Hi coolmama,
I find it VERY strange that your dentist saw cavities 5 years ago and didn't fix them! Are you sure he wasn't just talking about areas that were looking like they could develop cavities? If you had cavities 5 years ago and he didn't fill them, then you need a new dentist!
Anyhow......about the root canals........Sometimes, if a tooth is ground down too deeply, whether for a filling or a crown, it can cause the root to die. When the root dies, it can become very inflammed and infected. When this happens, besides hurting alot, you can lose the tooth.
What a root canal does is to go in below the tooth, into the root space (some teeth have 2 roots and some have 4), and ream all the root out. Then they fill this space with a rubber substance. Somehow, your tooth can now stay alive.
Just because you need to have fillings, doesn't mean you'll necessarily have to have a root canal.
Whether or not you'll need root canals depends on how deep it is, and whether it somehow affects the nerve that is there. I don't think you can even assess that yet. I would just get the fillings, and then down the road, if your tooth starts becoming really sensitive, and starts hurting alot, then you can decide to have the root canal.
I had a ton of huge fillings. After they started falling apart, then I need the crowns. On a couple of those crowns, I eventually needed root canals. But its my opinion that you do one step at a time.
I hope I haven't confused you.
And be sure to have a good endodontist do your root canals.

Thanks! You explained it way better than any of the websites I went to.

I had the cavity filled. I dont think it was that bad cuz you couldnt even see it in the xray.(at least I couldnt)
It took about an hour,but BOY WAS IT EXPENSIVE! Two hundred and eighty dollars for ONE FILLING! I almost fell out of the chair.
They gave some info about a dental plan...so,we'll see.

Thank God I didnt need a root canal!

Tooth care is preventive maintenance......the longer you delay the worse it becomes.....and the more it costs...
So brush, floss and stay away from the candy and soda....you will be money ahead!
Linda C

A healthy mouth is very important to your overall health, Coolmama, so stay on top of that dental work. It is just never done!

Also, if you don't keep up with it, the result is a lot of expensive work needing to be done at one time, and that's miserable and expensive too!

Keep smiling!

Thanks socks.I know it is never done.Geez what a pain. Maybe I'll just get dentures,LOL.

Coolmama......that sounds really high for a filling. Did he need to use several fillings for that one tooth? Did that include xrays, or a cleaning? That's incredibly high. Is this the same dentist that told you 5 years ago you had cavities? I think its time for a new dentist!
My entire mouth is filled with fillings, crowns, root canals. I have a dentist phobia too, and it is VERY difficult for me to go. I force myself to, but its getting harder and harder. I have actually considered dentures too, but my wonderful dentist goes crazy when I say that. He said that we lose something like 75% of our chewing force with dentures. But......look at the millions of people who have them and seem to do okay.
How are the rest of your teeth?
Since I'm afraid to go to the dentist, and don't like to go every 6 months, I decided to be sure to take really good care of my teeth, by flossing regularly, using "plax" occasionally and what really, really helps is using a good electric toothbrush. I couldn't believe how much better my teeth felt with that toothbrush.
Be sure to brush your gums too.
I think we can have healthy teeth without seeing the dentist every 6 months.

As far as I know it was only one filling (one surface).That DID NOT include a cleaning. It did include an x-ray,but that was only like ten dollars. The whole process only took an hour.
Now,check this out.They asked me If I wanted to come back and start being a regular patient. For the initial exam,with cleaning,and a consultation with a Periodontist,the cost was a grand total of $385.00!!! I told them there is no way I can afford that right now.
I'll have to find a cheaper dentist.My last dentist only charged 30 dollars for the visit and then charged me for whatever work I needed done. This is just insane.

Several people in family have dentures and they swear it was the best thing they ever did.
I probably dont really need dentures yet. My teeth are pretty strong and I have had no real work ever done to them.
Just wisdom teeth removed,and now one cavity filled.
I'am like you though Catherinet~I HATE going to the dentist.
I literally start shaking as soon as I'm in the office.

During perimenopause, my sympathethic system went NUTS. I used to get a little nervous going to the doctor's and the dentist's, but during perimenopause, I went crazy. I guess you could call it a panic attack. My heart would beat about 120/min, and I felt like I was going to die. And then when he would lay me back in the chair, I couldn't breath.
I was put on beta blockers and that helped alot. My heartrate wouldn't get going, and then I would stay calmer. But I got off of the beta blocker about 5 months ago because it caused me to constantly want to eat.
So now.....I'm back to that anxiety. I've solved it by not going to the dentists! But if something happens in my mouth, I'll have to go.
I would just be in heaven, if I never had to go back again.
I live in a small town that's next to a big town. My dentist used to have small town prices, but he's gotten alot higher in the past few years. I would guess that your visit for 1 filling would have cost something like $120-150. I really feel like you are being taken. You could call around and just ask various dentists what they would charge for 1 simple filling, and that would give you a better idea.

I called 1-800 dentist which is how I found this one. Seems like they just reel you in to pay big bucks.Next time I will definitely look for myself.

He doesn't sound like much of a dentist to me. Ask around your friends as to who they go to. There is a big difference in dentists.

Have your teeth cleaned every six months and brush regularly and there is not much chance that you will ever need extensive work on them.