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Joined on
11/1/2007
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I've heard a lot of talk lately about people having trouble with their tooth fillings and scuba diving. I have just gotten a couple of fillings and I'm worried that they could get crushed or something else that will cause lots of pain may occur. How common is this and does anybody know why it happens?
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Joined on
2/10/2010
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The only time this occurs is if there is an air pocket inside a filling or dental work. Highly unlikely in new professionally done work. The few times I have heard of filling (usually major bridge work) imploding is when it is old, not properly maintained or done in a country with low standards of dental care. The chances of you having a problem are very, very slim. However if you start your descent and feel any pain in your dental work, (not unlike when clearing your ears), just go up a little bit in the water column, wait 30 seconds, or until the discomfort passes and then slowly start your decent again. You should be fine.
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Joined on
3/31/2006
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Tooth squeeze is actually quite rare. The current state of dentistry is so good that there is almost never a gas pocket left in a filled tooth.
Feeling ain in a tooth during diving, however, is not so uncommon. What feels like very sharp tooth pain is usually pain in the sinus which is located just above the teeth. If you think you have tooth squeeze, it is more likely sinus squeeze due to not being able to equalize the sinuses. Unfortunately, unlike the ears, sinuses cannot be equalized voluntarily. They are either open or they are not. Sometimes colds or other infections cause the tissues to swell and seal off the openings, making equalization difficult or impossible. If you cannot equalize your sinuses on any particular day, that is a day you cannot dive.
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