TL:DR Me and my father both had experiences with very pushy dentists/hygienists who exaggerated our dental conditions. Very, very expensive: I am now switching dentists.
I went in recently for a cleaning, as it had been around a year without one, and I was having severe aches in my back molar every time I ate. I had had problems in the past with that tooth, but every time I came in, they told me that there was a crevice in the tooth, and that I didn't need any work done. The pain would leave and then return, but they never told me I had to get work done.
December 2018, I came in before my winter break for a routine cleaning/x-rays, and when I saw the x-ray I saw strange marks on the back molar where the pain was, and on the tooth next to it. The hygienist chides me for my dental hygiene, and granted, I am not very consistent with it, so I expected as much.
Any time beforehand, they cleaned my teeth and sent me on my way, and I stress, always told me that I had no problems, except lack of consistency in my dental hygiene. This time she told me I had 9 cavities that had just randomly appeared in my mouth. I found this shocking, as I had never had cavities before, and I don't really consume much that would cause intense decay.
The dentist tells me that I have to get a root canal on the back molar-- I show up on the next week, he says it's actually not necessary, gives me two fillings on the back molar and the tooth. I proceed, without giving my x-rays to a second dentist (which I now fully regret), to get nine fillings. My dad covers it, and it sets him back approx. 1800 dollars.
Everybody in my family is confused as to how I've gotten all these cavities, and upset over cost. I finally finish with the ordeal, feeling guilty and dumb as hell, and they text my father saying that I'm overdue for a cleaning. They hadn't finished the first one, and now they wanted more of my money.
I asked my dad about it, as he had switched dentists from Alma to Mid-Main, a non-profit dental centre. He said that while at Alma, the hygienist scolded him and said his teeth were in terrible condition and that he would need work done, and when he went to Mid-Main, the hygienist said his teeth were fine.
I then come to this page today, and see how many people had the same experience as me. I am planning to have the x-rays sent to my new dentist, and see what condition my teeth were in. Hope that I didn't make a mistake getting all the fillings done, as I see so many people in this comment section who were cheated. read more
