I have extreme sensitivity in a tooth with a 10-year-old pulp cap. Last May, I bit into an RX date…read morebar (I've had these many times) and felt sharp pain in tooth #4. For six months I dealt with sensitivity, mainly triggered by hot and cold. I could eat and chew just fine as long as I started chewing on my left side first.
Last May, I spoke with my dentist, had X-rays taken, and he told me I'd eventually need a root canal. He didn't give me any other solutions, so I just waited to see if things would get worse.
Six months later, I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Gharib's office because the sensitivity was getting to me (even though it was on and off), and I started feeling pain up my cheek. I was worried about potentially having an infection or, even worse, an abscess.
Christine at the front desk was so kind and accommodating. It was easy to schedule an appointment. She told me that Dr. Gharib is very conservative and only recommends procedures when absolutely necessary. I figured that was just something she said to everyone.
At my appointment, I had X-rays done and reviewed them with Dr. Gharib. He was very kind, soft-spoken, and answered my many (many) questions while listening intently to my concerns. I did not feel rushed at all--I felt like I was actually being heard.
After his examination, he didn't see any infection on the X-ray, but it did show a slight fracture in the pulp cap filling, which could be the cause of the heightened sensitivity. He didn't pressure me to do a cone beam scan or even suggest it; I personally requested it because I wanted to be absolutely sure there wasn't an infection at the root, since that would make a root canal necessary.
The cone beam scan confirmed I had no infection whatsoever--thank goodness.
He sat with me for a long while discussing what I could do to help the sensitivity and the slight fracture. He said it might be as simple as replacing the filling with an inlay or onlay, but since my pulp cap is very close to the nerve, that carries the risk of needing a root canal if it fails. He suggested trying Sensodyne for a few weeks and then having my dentist check whether an inlay or onlay, to replace the filling, is an option. There's a chance that might fix the problem.
After my appointment, I felt so much more at ease. I was relieved that I didn't have an infection and grateful that I actually had options before committing to a root canal.
Dr. Gharib even wrote me a long email afterward, reiterating everything we talked about. That, right there, is a dentist who truly cares. If and when I ever need a root canal, I'll be going to Dr. Gharib.
He is professional, honest, thorough, and welcomes ALL questions. All the positive reviews you've read are true. Not every dentist cares like this!
