Is this dentist scamming me? went to the dentist recently and he said that an old cavity needed to be removed and replaced with a crown. however, i have went to the dentist earlier this year and she said i only needed a new filling. he said that the fil

It : It is extremely difficult to determine what specific restoration the tooth in question needs, sight unseen. One dentist might feel it can be restored with a filling, and the other may feel it needs a crown; both are entitled to their professional opinion as to how the tooth should be treated. What concerns me more is that you were told every restoration in your mouth is faulty and needs replacement. Although not impossible, it is highly unlikely, especially since another dentist deemed the restorations intact.

An Art not a Science: Dentistry is an art. That's why they call it the practice of dentistry. A filling might be okay, or it might break later causing you to lose the tooth. I would go with the dentist you feel has the better reputation. It counts for a lot. Often we try to save the patient money in the short term, but it costs them more in the end.

Normally not: There may be a difference in philosophy and training for each dentist. One dentist may be more conservative than another. If in doubt, get a third opinion until you are satisfied.