i have really bad dentist anxiety but finally bit the bullet and went to the dentist. 4.9 stars and over 1,000 reviews made me confident that it would be fine. I went in for a cleaning but then they said I had a small cavity that needed filling. I probably should have asked more questions or asked to see the xrays but I was really overwhelmed so I just said ok and they did it.

They did my filling two weeks ago on my upper right molar and since they did the filling I havent been able to eat from that side because I have really bad pain. I also have bad pain when flossing.

I went for a bite adjustment three days ago and they filed down the filling and had me bite on the marking paper asking me if it still hurt. I kept saying yes. They did this 3 times and it still hurt after. It hurt when he was filing it down in certain spots too. I kept saying it hurt and then the dentist just said the filling doesnt come out on the marking paper anymore so they cant file it down more and he thinks the pain will just go away. He said if it doesnt go away I need to see an orthodontist to file down the tooth under that one on my lower jaw because "the marginal ridges are too high on one side". My tooth was perfectly fine before and Im sure as hell not letting someone file down my healthy tooth. But I dont know what else to do

It still hurts, if anything it hurts more when I floss. I havent tried to eat of out that side because I dont want to irritate it more. I dont have sensitivtiy to cold or hot, and it doesnt hurt at any other time. I think I grind my teeth at night so that might be making it worse but I havent felt any pain at night or anything, literally just when I chew on anything or floss.

This tooth never hurt before so Im really concerned. Im worried about the pain never stopping, Ive lost my trust in dentists and dont want to go back, Im worried about it being an unnecessary filling and there never having been a cavity there. Not sure where to go from here. Just moved to a new state so probably wont have dental insurance for a little while. Any advice would be appreciated

Hi there!

This is my testimonial of the experience I’ve had with Aspen Dental. The experience is my own, and all of the details are 100% true.

In 2019 I went to Aspen Dental and was given a quote for the full scale of work I needed done.

The work: full removal of every tooth, top and bottom. Installation of permanent dentures in the top, and temporary removable dentures for the bottom (connected by 2 metal fasteners in the lower jaw) with the intention of upgrading to permanent dentures on the bottom. (Cost)

In early February, 2020, I had my teeth removed. The plan was after healing they would install the dentures. Covid 19 delayed me receiving the implants until December, 2020. Almost a year on a soft food diet. I understood, no worries, Dr Gillan in Orlando is awesome. He got it done as fast as it could be done.

Then, I moved across Florida to Bradenton on the west coast. When I went to the Bradenton Aspen office they refused to work on my dentures. Said they weren’t even allowed to take them out to clean them. I asked why, he couldn’t say. Referred me back to my Orlando office, 4 hours away.

I called the Orlando office and was told that denying to clean my teeth was odd, they didn’t know why it was an issue at that office. They sent me to the Sarasota office about 40 minutes south.

The Sarasota office refused to help me, said they couldn’t and referred me back to Orlando. Then we tried Tampa, same story.

Had to drive 4 hours across Florida to have my teeth worked on at my original office, then 4 hours back home.

I’m a 50 year old man. That hurt, physically and mentally.

I’ve since moved back home to Indiana to help take care of my Mother. I’m experiencing wear and tear issues, and feeling fractures in the denture that are making the teeth loose.

I went to Aspen in Valparaiso, the closest branch, (an hour north of me), and was told that they couldn’t help me because that office didn’t have an Aspen lab to do the work, to pull the dentures out and clean them I had to go to a branch with a lab.

Fair enough, is this why no one else would help me? Seems easy enough to explain, why would I have so much trouble getting help?

I decided to call the Aspen customer support line for help finding an Aspen branch that has a lab in house that can do the work.

Here’s the rub: CUSTOMER SERVICE IS TELLING ME THAT MY $50,000 DENTAL INVESTMENT IS ONLY WARRANTED AT THE ORIGINAL LOCATION I GOT THE WORK DONE AT!!!!!!!

The WHOLE REASON I CHOSE Aspen was its network availability, I knew I would eventually be back home and they assured me every Aspen dental can do the work.

This was apparently a lie. Apparently the ENTIRE business model, from the customer facing side, is a bait and switch.

I’m waiting on a call from a “regional manager” that the corporate customer service set up. That doesn’t feel like I’m going to get anywhere.

Here I am, losing faith in Aspen …and they don’t care.

Fun Side Note: Each and EVERY branch I’ve been to for help has offered to upgrade my teeth to the cubic sarconia all one piece dentures …. The cost? Oh, just another $15,000.

I’m telling you this because people need to know.

I have no recourse, a regional manager won’t magically change their corporate philosophy.

I’ve kept very detailed records, calls, visits, names, locations. Every document they’ve given me. All ready for litigation if they continue this abuse.

Honestly, the moderator for this little sub will probably just remove my post.

Spent a year saving half the money needed, my proton, and insurance paid the rest. My portion was roughly $20,000 out of pocket.

Molars: https://imgur.com/a/ZNZ5Osq

When I bite my right molars hit first and sometimes my left molars never hit. They feel smooth and look like they have been ground down. Is there some kind of additive restoration where they can accurately build my height back?

I am really nervous about getting anything done because I don't want to end up with a worse bite so I really value precision. Any recommendations of what to ask for?

There is also some dark lines on my back left molar, I'm not sure what that is but my dentist hasn't said anything on my recent visit.

Thanks so much

Pictures of the tooth are on my page if anyone can look and please tell me.

Please help im 23 f and 13 weeks pregnant, my whole left side of my mouth/ cheek is completely swollen the pain spread to my jaw and left ear. I cant open my mouth wide at all i cant even force it. Im having a difficult time swallowing now and eating had been difficult ive been sliding a spoon in and eating soups but thats even painful. I have a dentist appointment in 7 days but im going to call tomorrow to hopefully be seen sooner. Im just worried they cant do anything for me if i cant even open my mouth, im really worried the pain is escalating id say when it started it was like a 4 but rn is like an 8 drinking water is making me cry in pain. I posted this a few other places. Im trying not to panic but im very scared

Hi!
So I got 2 of my partially impacted lower wisdomteeth removed last friday (17th july) in the morning.
Is it OK to fly a 2 hr flight tmr? Im still a bit swollen but otherwise fine. A bit scared of dry socket.

Thanks 🥲

Hi! So about a month ago I had really bad tooth pain. I waited a few weeks to see if it would go away. When it didn’t, I went to the dentist. I need my bottom wisdom teeth pulled and the molar next to one pulled as well. One wisdom tooth grew normally so that won’t be an issue. The other one is impacted and needs to be taken out in two parts because it’s defiantly going to break apart. There‘s a gaping whole on that molar that was causing all that pain. I‘m also getting an implant for that. I’m very nervous about wisdom teeth removal. I’ve never wanted to do it. I want recovery to be as quick and painless as possible. What can I do?

Hi there,

Im due to have 4 fillings in next 2 weeks which will be my first. Im kinda nervous about it.

Can anyone share their experience on it? Is 4 being done at the same time brutal? Does it hurt? Thanks!!

I'm getting my 6th molar in the top row to the left extracted soon, I have abscess and the decay is so bad that it needs to be extracted, I don't want to do an implant and I want to leave the gap empty, I am a 25 year old female and I want to know how long will the drifting side effect start happening? And I also want to know what will happen to the bone that was supporting the molar? I need honest straightforward answers please :3

Background: I'm not a clinician — I'm an independent inventor doing R&D on a medical device concept and looking for expert feedback on clinical feasibility. 

I've been working on a concept for a transdermal (skin patch) sedation delivery system — no IV, no needles, no inhaled gas — using dexmedetomidine, aimed at short procedures (dental work, wound care, pediatric imaging, field/battlefield trauma stabilization) where IV access or trained anesthesia staff isn't always available.

Realistic onset would be somewhere around 15-20 minutes, lasting 45-60 min.

Before I go any further with this, I'd genuinely rather hear from people who actually do this work than assume I know what's needed. A few honest questions:

• Is lack of needle-free sedation actually a real problem for you, or is IV/intranasal already good enough?
• What would make you not trust a device like this?
• What's the biggest practical dealbreaker you can think of?

Not selling anything, just trying to figure out if this is worth pursuing further. Appreciate any blunt feedback.

Hi! I got a root canal on tooth 28 back in Dec 2025. I did not get my crown done and still need to go back fast forward to now present time. I am absolutely terrified of the dentist and was not prepared for additional out of pocket cost. I am wanting to go back and finish but I wonder if it is too late. Thoughts?

I would really appreciate a professional opinion from dentists or endodontists.

I had a lower second molar that was planned as an abutment for a 3-unit zirconia bridge.

During the root canal treatment, my dentist told me he could only treat one canal because he could not negotiate the other canal.

According to my records:

only one canal was filled,

I have no documentation of a post-operative periapical X-ray,

the definitive zirconia bridge was cemented about two weeks later.

About six weeks later I developed pain, the tooth became infected, and it had to be extracted. The bridge was therefore lost.

My question is:

Would you consider it acceptable to use such a tooth as a definitive bridge abutment, or would you normally wait, refer to an endodontist, or confirm healing first?

I am not asking for legal advice, only whether this treatment would generally be considered good clinical practice.