Not the "princess" kind of crown

Did you ever notice that, when you go to the dentist, you always end up needing more than you thought you needed in terms of dental work? It's like going to get your oil changed on your car and being told you need a new filter, new tires, and a new transmission. Plus belts or something. So, anyways, here's what happened:

- I enjoy Hot Tamales candy.
- I was enjoying them yesterday quite vigorously in lieu of dinner while Bob and I were finishing up moving in.
- I felt a crunchy bit in one of the pieces of candy I was chewing (I think you know where this is going).
- After that bite, while chewing another piece, my gum/tooth hurt a bit.
- So, I finished that piece and found a gaping hole on the right bottom side in one of my molars.
- I thought a filling had fallen out, because I had one there before. I made an appointment with a dentist around the corner from our new place for today at 2.
- At the appointment, an x-ray is taken, and the dentist determines that it wasn't a filling that fell out... it was a piece of my tooth that broke off. I ATE THE PIECE OF TOOTH. How meta is that?
- So, I don't need a filling. I need a crown. This makes me a sad panda. I've never had a crown before, and they were ready to prep the tooth and put on a temporary crown today. Let me tell you, I was NOT ready for that jelly. I have pretty mild dental anxiety, and I really need to research and prepare for something new and invasive and expensive like a crown. So, the dentist just put filling material there for now. They were sweet people, but I really want a second opinion. I don't want a crown, mainly because they have to shave down my tooth to put one on, and if "shave down your tooth" doesn't induce paroxysms of terror... well, I just can't relate to you. Additionally, let me share with you that sometimes root canals have to be done after crowns are applied because of damage to the nerve. She showed me a chart of what a root canal looks like, and the middle image, the cross-section of a tooth with a thin metal drill snaking down into the root, will haunt me for the rest of my life. I'm sure that isn't allowed under the geneva convention.