Amount of pain expected for correction of Bugs Bunny Teeth?

[Sunny]

Mariah the person who wrote that post, did so in 2005. I think a few of the posts back then were less positive about how easy it is to get and wear braces.

Luckily we're able to relate that pain is rare ... and since I've not had any related to having braces, I'm more than happy about that!

I've had a few cavities ... again no pain ... mostly as a child of the 70's. I never knew I had them until my school dental checkups and they were filled without pain and from memory the only annoying part was not being able to chew on that side (where the filling was) for a few hours. As an adult I've not had any fillings, but have had to have fillings replaced ... and again ... pain free!

[Zoso]

Originally Posted by Sunny

An x-ray should pick this up and show the cavity well before the tooth needed to be treated in such an invasive way. For a cavity to form, enamel will be affected in the area and this should show up when being x-rayed.

Regular dental checkups are recommended for everyone, and if the person should have any tooth ache, then definitely go see a dentist.

In actual fact, it is quite possible for a cavity to be present and yet remain for some time undetected by X-ray, especially if it forms under an existing reconstruction. Additionally, what are referrd to as “drop surface” cavities - decay that begins in the tiny natural fissures that go down to the dentine - destroy the tooth from the inside out - the external surface will appear healthy until decay has progressed so far that it can be seen on X-rays or by literally seeing it as a discoloration under the surface of the enamel.

And of course severe tooth pain can also have other causes than decay - the root of a tooth may start to become necrotic for a variety of reasons, including trauma. In this case a root canal would usually be indicated.

But all of this does just underscore the importance of regular checkups, and annual dental X-rays. Being "penny-wise" by refusing for a few years the extra costs associated with the X-rays can suddenly seem quite "pound foolish" when extensive reconstructions, or even extractions end up being needed. And for those who worry about the radiation: consider that the dose you receive is less than that you'd get from the additional exposure to cosmic radiation on a long haul flight and I think it's plain that this is the right thing to do.