Hi everyone, I’m really vulnerable right now about this so I ask you to please keep your replies gentle; I genuinely feel like i’m at the end of my rope because of this, and need some third party input. I’m 25F, former smoker (only smoked cigs for a year in grad school in 2023) but i vape daily and have seriously cut back on my use (1-2 hits per hour, but sometimes less than that) because of these issues.

I brush twice daily, taking care not to brush too hard, and floss at night with floss and dental picks (dipped in fluoride toothpaste). I also rinse with salt water and water pick on occasion. 

In short, the last year of my life has been an absolute nightmare. My dad died, I was unemployed for over a year post-grad and i’ve had recurrent dental infections which, when present, have a real impact on my functionality (i get brain fog, the side of my body that the tooth is on gets crampy, and i have an almost constant taste of decay/cavity in my mouth). Without dumping too much, the following is a synopsis of every single visit to the dentist for me—those with question marks are days I know i visited the dentist but was unsure what exactly it was for. Additional, external contexts are added as needed: 

2/2024: First crown on tooth #18, from a dentist in a previous city, broke after 2 yrs

3/6/24: Visited new dentist; diagnosed with infection under crown, and impacted wisdom tooth behind tooth 18 which needed removal. antibiotics and steroids prescribed (1st prescription)

3/25/24: wisdom tooth removed, crown fitted; given temp crown

3/26/24: Check up (??)

3/27/24: temp crown fell off at home, replaced with new one

3/29/24: temp crown fell off again (??)

4/2/24: 2nd crown (first done by new dentist) cemented

4/4/24: dry socket infection; prescribed antibiotics and steroids (2nd prescription)

4/8/24: check up (??)

4/25/24: check up (??)

5/21/24: Infection came back under crown after foul smell; prescribed antibiotics and steroids; referred to endo to review issue (3rd prescription)

6/4/24: endo reviewed, said crown margins didn’t line up and dentist needed to redo

6/20/24: crown removed (??) temp crown placed(??), x-rays done 

7/16/24: Another visit, perhaps temp crown fell off?

8/13/24: 3rd crown (2nd by new dentist) cemented

9/5/24: Filling on tooth #17, in front of crowned tooth

9/9/24: cleaning, missed appt due to disorganization, and loss of dental insurance following my parent’s death

2/17/25: diagnosed abscess, prescribed antibiotics and steroids (4th prescription), referred to endo for root canal renewal on tooth 18; was told root canal needed redone and crown replaced—was possibly told i needed a crown on tooth 17 as well

2/18/24: scheduled as cleaning but was actually just exams; given massive treatment plan that didn’t account for suggestions re: tooth #17 & #18 from previous day’s appt

3/4/25: deep cleaning done

3/13/25: Root canal redone by endodontist; crown on #18 was shattered before drill ever touched it, per endodontist, who saw the fine cracks on the crown with the fiber optic light at the end of their drill

3/20/25: Temp Crown placement and core build up done

4/14/25: Crown order was cancelled by lab due to incomplete scans; temp crown removed and x-rays done, second temp crown placed 

5/1/25: 4th crown (3rd by new dentist) cemented; I asked for and was provided post-cementation x-rays for corroboration—this is attached to this post

To give extra context: our endodontist is a close family friend so they’ve been very helpful with this process. My dentist is very lovely, and I felt I could trust this office; but after all of this I am so deeply skeptical of the quality of their work, and I’m at the point where I can’t get another root canal, I’ll just have to get an implant. I cant afford an implant and i’m terrified at the prospect of one when i’m only 25 and I don’t yet have dental coverage with my new job. I’m just so disappointed and confused and this all feels 100x more difficult without my dad, who offered that financial safety net for me. 

I share all of this NOW because, after having my third crown cemented by this office just three days ago, I’m already having discomfort and the taste of cavity/decay coming out of it. 

I’m sorry for the long post, but i feel so lost with all of this. I’d really appreciate any help or advice or guidance because i feel so helpless and like I can’t go on with the same issue that has increasingly negative impacts on my life with no reprieve. 



Having repeated infections on tooth: 3 crowns, two root canals in only a year. Seeking input and encouragement