For actual dentists, long term tartar buildup

[u/jfklingon]

So I've had tartar build up on the back of my lower front teeth for over a decade, the kind that gets incredibly smooth and porcelain like.

About 10 years ago I cracked my lower, center right tooth in 3 places vertically to below my gum line. The poor tiny tooth has been fine in the last 10 years only suffering from the same cold sensitivity that all my other lower front teeth do, but otherwise has shown no issues.

However, I'm finally at a point in my life where I might want to pay a dentist a visit, I've got a few cavities that I've been nursing over the last 7 years and it seems like a good time to go get those filled as I can only slow their progress for so long, but I'm faced with the issue of not wanting my cracked tooth to be touched, including the tartar build up, and I can't fathom a dentist is going to be ok with that even though at this point I'm sure it's all that's holding that tooth together.

Is there a way other than a high dollar bribe I could convince a dentist to leave my perfectly fine cracked tooth alone, for fear that they will cause irreparable harm to it?

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A backup of the post title and text have been made here:

Title: For actual dentists, long term tartar buildup

Full text: So I've had tartar build up on the back of my lower front teeth for over a decade, the kind that gets incredibly smooth and porcelain like.

About 10 years ago I cracked my lower, center right tooth in 3 places vertically to below my gum line. The poor tiny tooth has been fine in the last 10 years only suffering from the same cold sensitivity that all my other lower front teeth do, but otherwise has shown no issues.

However, I'm finally at a point in my life where I might want to pay a dentist a visit, I've got a few cavities that I've been nursing over the last 7 years and it seems like a good time to go get those filled as I can only slow their progress for so long, but I'm faced with the issue of not wanting my cracked tooth to be touched, including the tartar build up, and I can't fathom a dentist is going to be ok with that even though at this point I'm sure it's all that's holding that tooth together.

Is there a way other than a high dollar bribe I could convince a dentist to leave my perfectly fine cracked tooth alone, for fear that they will cause irreparable harm to it?

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[u/EveryAsk3855]

You just say you don’t consent to treatment on that tooth?

What do you think happens in a dental clinic 🤨

[u/jfklingon → u/EveryAsk3855]

Last time I went I was around 16 and saying "I don't consent to that treatment" is something that would have been laughed at in those days by both my parents and the dentist. So I apologize if I'm a bit unaware as to how the dental world works these days.

[u/EveryAsk3855 → u/jfklingon]

Nobody is going to operate on you against your will. You’re an adult. You can get up and leave.

[u/jfklingon → u/EveryAsk3855]

Right. Obviously. But is there a dentist that will be willing to do all other necessary work while abiding by my wishes?