Tooth xray shadow?? I don't dare google :(

[GlazedOwl]

Yesterday I posted about my absolute fear of going to the dentist again...I was panicking already, but now I'm panicking mega time!

Last time I went to the dentist, they did an xray during my checkup. Planned the treatment, and one of the things the doctor said was she wanted one of the wisdom teeth to come out because there is a shadow there, she didn't want to work on the adjacent tooth filling because of the wisdom one.

Because at the time I didn't have health anxiety, I didn't think much of it. At the time when I did cancel my hospital appointment, the HA was already raging. And now that I have to sign up for the dentist again, I'm thinking that shadow is cancer and it's god knows where :( And googling this didn't help - I looked at the title of the first page and my heart sank I don't have any pain in that tooth, the only problem with my wisdow teeth is that they've haven't come out fully and they're at an odd angle.

Now I'm really really scared to go and sign up, does anyone have words of comfort? Surely if it was cancer they were suspecting they wouldn't have put me on a 3 month waiting list and would've told me? Health anxiety is utter cr*p !

[Mercime]

You answered your own question. If there was anything suspicious you would absolutely not be waiting 3 months x

[Mojo61]

I was a dental nurse for 13 years. A shadow means there is decay in the tooth. That's why she wants it removed rather than leave it to fully erupt (or not depending on the angle) with decay in it.

---------- Post added at 23:04 ---------- Previous post was at 23:01 ----------

Read this:

Why cavities show up on x-rays.

Since tooth decay is an area of tooth demineralization (an area of reduced mineral content), or even possibly an outright hole, those locations where it has formed will appear as a darkened area on an x-ray.

That's because the decayed portion of the tooth is less "hard" (less dense or intact) and therefore the x-rays penetrate that portion of the tooth more easily and ultimately expose the film more so (making the corresponding area on the film look darker).

[Carnation]

I can relate to this topic.

I had a tooth extraction in January and had to go back a couple of months ago because of a bleed in that area which turned out to be an infection in the tooth pocket next to the one that was removed. I had an Xray that showed a dark area in the gum area above the one that had already been removed.
Fearing the worst and not being told that it could be further decay as he left part of the root in, I am still in pain and suffering from ongoing gum infections.

I'm so pleased that someone has brought this up, because it has been on my mind all year! My dentist didn't seem bothered about it all.

[GlazedOwl]

Mojo, thank you for easing my mind a little bit, it's always nice to know there are professionals lurking around here I'm just scared that a shadow might mean something other than a cavity? This was such a sudden onset of panic it's ridiculous - a whole year I thought it was just decay and all of a sudden my brain decides to think differently :(

Carnation, may I ask whether the root was left there deliberately or by accident? You'd think they'd have the whole thing out if they're going for sort of drastic measures anyway? I hope you feel relief soon!

I need to go sign up tomorrow but have no idea how I'm going to persuade myself while drowning in anxiety. Wish my teeth were way stronger than what they are :/