A cavity doesn’t always need a filling
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A dentist’s prognosis is not always the final word. Training, personal philosophy and economics can all play a role.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: JOSIE NORTON/NYTIMES
Erik Vance
NEW YORK – Getting a filling at the dentist can be painful, expensive and generally miserable. A crown or a root canal is even worse. Still, you do it because your dentist says you should.
But in a surprising number of cases, you might have another choice. Where one dentist sees a crown, another might see just a filling. And where one recommends drilling, another might suggest trying some prescription toothpaste first.
