Teenage son has 8 cavities; root canal??

Totally get where you’re coming from.

“I wish dentists were more upfront about what’s urgent and what can wait”

“I wish dentists were more upfront about what’s urgent and what can wait”

Couldn’t agree more. A few years back, my daughter had a similar situation - huge treatment plan, lots of anxiety, and I felt lost trying to figure out what really needed to be done right away. Here’s what helped: I asked the dentist to walk me through each cavity and explain which ones were deepest or closest to the nerve. Turns out, only one was urgent, the rest could be spaced out over months. It’s totally fair to ask for that breakdown, especially when you’re juggling costs and your kid’s comfort.

This is so relatable. When my son had a bunch of cavities flagged in one go, I was overwhelmed by the treatment plan too. I actually brought a notebook and asked the dentist to rank them by urgency - he seemed surprised but was happy to explain. Only two were close to the nerve, so we tackled those first and spaced the rest out over several months. It really helped with both the cost and my son’s nerves. I wish more dentists would automatically break things down like that... it’d save a lot of stress.

That’s actually a really good idea to ask them to rank the cavities by urgency. I wish I’d thought of that when we got our list - my first instinct was just panic and trying to figure out how we’d pay for it all at once. Did your dentist talk about whether any of the cavities might need a root canal if you waited too long? That was my big worry, since one of my son’s was apparently “close” to the nerve but not quite there yet. I kept asking if we could just do a filling and keep an eye on it, but sometimes it feels like they push for more aggressive treatment.

Did anyone else get conflicting advice from different dentists on which ones needed urgent work? At our second opinion, they actually said two teeth could wait, which made me wonder how much of this is subjective...

I totally get the panic mode - when my dentist handed me a printout with five cavities (not eight, but still felt like a small fortune), my brain just short-circuited. The whole “close to the nerve” thing is so stressful, right? I had one dentist say we needed to act fast or it’d be root canal city, but when I got a second opinion, they were way more relaxed and said just to watch it. Makes you wonder if there’s a secret dentist drama club where they debate urgency levels... I ended up splitting the difference - fixed the worst ones, kept a nervous eye on the others, and crossed my fingers. Still not sure if I made the right call, but at least my wallet survived.

Makes you wonder if there’s a secret dentist drama club where they debate urgency levels...

That made me laugh, because honestly, it does feel like that sometimes. I remember sitting in the chair, hearing two totally different opinions from two dentists about the exact same tooth. One was ready to break out the drill immediately, while the other just shrugged and said it could wait. It’s wild how much dental advice can vary.

You did what a lot of us end up doing - tackling the big issues first and keeping tabs on the rest. I think that’s a pretty reasonable approach, especially when you’re staring down a big bill and trying to avoid unnecessary work. Out of curiosity, did either dentist talk about remineralization or ways to slow things down without drilling? When my niece had a bunch of small cavities, her dentist suggested upping the fluoride and changing some habits before jumping into fillings. It didn’t fix everything, but it bought her some time.

It’s such a tough call, especially with teenagers who aren’t always the best at brushing. How’s your son feeling about all this? Sometimes the anxiety is worse than the actual treatment.

Yeah, the range of opinions is wild. I’ve had dentists go from “let’s fill it now” to “eh, let’s just watch it” in the same appointment, and you’re left wondering if there’s some secret handshake you missed. I totally get wanting to avoid unnecessary drilling, especially with teenagers - my little brother was the absolute worst at brushing when he hit high school, and we had a few panicked dentist runs ourselves.

Honestly, tackling the worst stuff first and seeing how the smaller things progress sounds like a solid move. The remineralization thing actually helped me once - I switched to a prescription fluoride toothpaste and started using those little floss picks (way easier for teens). It didn’t reverse anything major but did stop a couple spots from getting worse.

As for the anxiety, that’s so real. Even as an adult, I get jittery before dental work. My brother used to stress out big time until we found a dentist who actually explained everything step by step - took a lot of the fear out of it. Hang in there. It’s not easy, but you’re handling it better than you probably think.

You’re not alone with the “secret handshake” feeling - I swear half the time I’m just nodding along, hoping I picked the right answer. My teeth have seen more fillings than a bakery, but honestly, waiting and watching has saved me from unnecessary drilling more than once. You’re doing great by taking it one step at a time. And hey, if your son’s brushing habits ever improve, send the secret my way... I’ve got grandkids who could use it!

- Totally relate to the “just nod and hope” strategy - been there myself, especially when my daughter was in braces and suddenly had three cavities show up at once.
- I’ve learned that not every dentist jumps straight to drilling. We got a second opinion on one of her “borderline” cavities - ended up just monitoring it, and it never needed work.
- Waiting can be a gamble though. One time, I held off on a filling for myself and it turned into a full-blown root canal. Regret that one. Sometimes, it’s hard to know when to act.
- As for brushing, we tried everything - timers, flavored toothpaste, even bribery (not proud). What finally worked was letting her pick her own electric toothbrush. Suddenly, she was all about it.
- If you’re unsure about the root canal, asking for another look or even an x-ray review can help. Not all “8 cavities” are created equal.
- Hang in there. Dental stuff with teens is a marathon, not a sprint... and yeah, if anyone cracks the brushing code, I want in on that too.

- Eight cavities at once sounds overwhelming, but you’re definitely not alone - teen teeth can be a wild ride. I’ve seen cases where the initial diagnosis looked scary, but after a second opinion, a few “cavities” were just spots to watch, not drill.

- Agree on the gamble with waiting. I once held off on a filling too, thinking I could outsmart the dentist... ended up regretting it big time when it turned into a root canal. But I’ve also seen small spots stay stable for years with good hygiene and monitoring.

- Letting kids choose their own toothbrush or toothpaste really does help. My son went from fighting me every night to showing off his “cool” brush to everyone. Go figure.

- X-rays can be tricky to read if you’re not used to them, so don’t feel weird about asking the dentist to walk you through what they see. Sometimes, just understanding the “why” behind a recommendation makes it less stressful.

- Dental stuff with teens is definitely a marathon. Some weeks it feels like you’re making zero progress, then suddenly they’re brushing without being asked. Hang in there - it does get better.