Early last year my filling in one of my wisdom teeth (lower row) came off and it left with a very huge cavity! This happened while I was eating when I felt something big in my mouth. I thought that I had accidentally eaten a small stone!! When I spit out, there were 2 small dark colours (those days the fillers was dark) pieces of filler came out. After that I quickly went to the bathroom to gargle whatever was left in the mouth fearing that I might accidentally swallow the pieces. I felt kind of weird and my tongue keep hovering over the cavity. The hole was really huge!! In fact I could see it clearly whenever I went to the mirror to see.

Funny, it wasn't painful at all. Just weird and uncomfortable feeling. Whenever I eat, I make sure that I chewed on the opposite site. I didn't want any food to get stuck in that hole. But sometimes, you cannot help it. Food does get stuck there. But with a few gargle, the food was dislodged.

I should have visited the dentist soon after but you know with busy schedule and the fear of visiting a dentist led me to postpone the dentist trip many times. Because it wasn't painful, I kept putting it off. Yeah sometimes I do feel the tingling sensation whenever I eat something cold like ice cream. But the minute I swallow everything, the pain disappear. This went on for newly 1 year later when I felt that the cavity was getting bigger!

Finally early this year, I braved myself to visit my local dentist which was really near where I live...about 10 minutes drive. I know the thought off hearing that dreadful drilling sound dentist make, is enough to make me turn around and go the other way. But I comforted myself in saying that the trip was absolutely necessary. Because I didn't make any appointment, I had to wait for nearly 2 hours before it was my turn.

Then the assistant / nurse finally called my name and no more fear. I went into the dentist room. The dentist greeted me with a big smile and asked me to sit in the reclining chair. You know the chair with a big light on top and attached to the small wash/spit basin. Then I lay down and opened up my mouth.

Ehmn, the dentist said I had a big cavity which I knew anyway. Not a surprise! Not only that I had 2 other small cavities as well. Wow!!! That's a lot of cavities in one dentist visit. He told me that the 2 small cavities can be filled. So he did the filling. It was not bad, cause I have prepared myself for the worst. In fact I did not need to be injected with anesthesia. It was bearable.

But with the big cavity, the filling could not done because he said that it required "root canal" and "crowning" process...some dentist term.

_{[ Root canal treatment refers to the process by which a dentist treat the inner aspect of a tooth, specifically that area inside a tooth that is occupied by its pulp tissue. Most people would probably refer to a tooth pulp tissue as its nerve.}

_{Dental crowns also referred to as dental caps, tooth caps or tooth crowns, are dental restoration that cover over and encase the tooth on which they are cemented. Dentists make use of dental crowns when needed to rebuild broken or decayed teeth, strengthen teeth or improve the cosmetic appearance of a tooth. Visit : http://www.animated-teeth.com/ for more].}

And he cannot do it and referred me to another dentist. I asked for the cost and he said that its going to cost me between RM2000 to RM3000. Wow, that's so pricey!!! It will cause another cavity in my purse!!!!

Did I go to the dentist that he referred?? Of course I didn't. First it was pricey, and secondly I knew it was going to be painful during the dental clinical process. As expected, I postponed the visit again.

But then the pain started to get unbearable lately. So I asked my brother who is a doctor if he knew of another good dentist with reasonable cost. He suggested a lady dentist whose practice is about 30 minutes drive from where I lived (1 hour drive during the jam!). So I went (after about 6 months from the last dental visit). I wanted to do it on the same day but the day was full. So I settled for the next day appointment. I have enquired about the "crowning" cost and it was really cheap about RM700 or so. What a huge discount from the earlier dentist!!!

The next day I visited the dentist. The lady dentist was very warm and friendly. I told her what my problem was and I was prepared for the long process of "root canal" and "crowning" procedure. When she examined my teeth, she suggested that she could perform the filling procedure and the "root canal" and "crowning" procedure was not required. Wow, I was really happy!!! Cos these would mean that I could save on the excruciating pain and more importantly safe COST! That's really great!

The dentist was very professional in her work and the pain was bearable (she gave me an anesthesia jab) She had to perform 2 other filling as well and I said great. Just get it over and done with. I also asked her to clean my teeth. This procedure was a little uncomfortable. The dentist used a scaling tool which look like a small pin with a blunt end which repeatedly hammering the tartar until you could see the tartar came off. Well it did sound like a drilling machine (which the dentist normally use to clean the cavity before a filling procedure). The dentist could see that I was fidgeting and uncomfortable. So she explained to me about the procedure and asked me to hold a mirror and see the procedure myself. After seeing the pieces of tartar came off, the discomfort feeling wear off. I was very please to see how my teeth was being cleaned. Then she polished off my teeth to remove any stains. I could see that my teeth was really clean with no more tartar covering the root of my teeth.

I was very satisfied now that my dental problem was solved and could feel how my teeth is really clean. I vowed to maintain that clean status and make sure I floss and gargle with antiseptic mouth wash every morning and night. And you know what it had only cost me a mere RM320 for the whole thing. What a HUGE SAVINGS! I would certainly recommend her to everyone.

So MORALE OF THE STORY IS, always have a second or third opinion on your dental checked up. Not only will it safe you unnecessary dental pain but it certainly safe you costs as well! Go have that dental check every 6 months as recommended by dentist.