You need a *good* dentist and you need to listen better.

Steve

- quote -

A couple of months ago my left lower gum got inflamed; the dentist xrayed it
and it turned out the seat was the root of #5, a crowned tooth. The options
were: extraction, rootwork or do nothing. I chose the latter: the
antibiotics worked and things stabilised, more or less. Of course, as soon
as I started believing the gum was fine again, it flared up and I was back
on the antibiotics. This time it's the dentist who's gone for the do-nothing
option, saying we should give it yet another chance, even though this means
I have to eat rather gingerly.

A bit of background: I wasn't happy with the crown when it was fitted (about
two years ago): it didn't fit very well, smelled/tasted foul, and proceeded
to fall out. I did suggest to the dentist that maybe he'd put it in the
wrong way round, but he denied that, and I guess it's pretty unlikely.
Anyway, although it hasn't fallen out again, it does stand somewhat proud of
the neighbouring teeth, meaning that it takes more than its fair share of
punishment, and when I suck it it's clear that smelly stuff collects
somewhere inside it. Today I suggested to the dentist that it should be
replaced, but he pointed out that to do so would disturb the tooth even
more, which would be unwise.

Thoughts?

Adrian