Help! Dentist suggested root canal??

[manderz]

So, the title pretty much sums it up. I had some pain in a molar, went to the dentist, and it's infected. He suggested a root canal, I said OK and scheduled. Fast forward to today, I'm spending some time with the family, and a couple of them suggest that I have the tooth pulled instead, that it's faster, cheaper, and better for my body. I have done literally no reading on the topic, but apparently it could adversely affect my health later in life? BTW, I already had a root canal in my front tooth when I was 10 years old, because I fell and broke it off, and later developed complications. I've had fabulous luck with it ever since.

So, my question is, what would you do??? Extraction or root canal? I REALLY don't want to have a missing tooth, especially since is a good chance that it would be visible when I smile. I'm not cool with that, so I would end up, most likely, getting an implant when I could afford it. I thought I was cool with a root canal, but now the family has me second guessing the decision.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I would never pull a tooth unless it was a last resort AND I was able to get an implant. Teeth shift and missing teeth leave unsightly gaps in your smile.

A root canal WITH a crown would be my suggestion. My dentist says that crowning a tooth after a root canal is the best prevention of further infection.

 

[manderz]

I would never pull a tooth unless it was a last resort AND I was able to get an implant.

This was my thought, until this evening. Now the family has me freaking out a bit!

With the previous root canal I had, I didn't have a crown, though that may be because the tooth is almost completely made out of the bonding resins. Again, I've had no problems in the 20+ years since then, so I was pretty comfortable with the idea.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I honestly don't understand your family's rationale for suggesting pulling your tooth. A root canal is not a bad or extremely painful process and I don't understand how it would be bad for your body.

 

[manderz]

I've been trying to read up on it, but the only thing that I can find is that it may harbor anaerobic bacteria which could make you sick later on (possibly causing autoimmune disorders and cancer). The sources are not terribly reliable though. I wasn't worried at all about the pain or anything (just the expense).

Honestly, the more I read, the more it feels like paranoia.

 

[iLander]

Between DH and myself, we've had 5 root canals. It's actually not that big a deal.

They're expensive as hell (my last one cost me $2200, but that included a rebuilt tooth too) and there's no bling out of the deal. Which ticked me off, a LOT!

But there's no lasting health issue that I know of. Maybe they're mixing it up with old-style mercury fillings (which they don't do anymore)?

 

[asscherisme]

I would never pull a tooth unless it was a last resort AND I was able to get an implant. Teeth shift and missing teeth leave unsightly gaps in your smile.

A root canal WITH a crown would be my suggestion. My dentist says that crowning a tooth after a root canal is the best prevention of further infection.

This! NEVER pull a tooth if you can save it.

Also, I would not let the dentist do it. I would go to an endodontist. I had a root canal done by a dentist 8 years ago and it caused me on and off pain over the years. I had to have it redone and went to an endodonist who discovered it was infected because the previous dentist missed an entire canal. Even with that, I still don't regret the root canal, I regret not going to the specialist in the first place.

And I agree with above to crown it after. If you don't, the tooth can crack and the root canal was wasted.

I would only pull a tooth as a very last resort and in that case, would go with an implant.

 

[asscherisme]

I honestly don't understand your family's rationale for suggesting pulling your tooth. A root canal is not a bad or extremely painful process and I don't understand how it would be bad for your body.

agreed. If you are numbed properly, you will feel pressure but not pain. The worst part was the novacaine shots and holding my jaw open for long periods of time. But the actual procedure, no big deal.

 

[asscherisme]

I've been trying to read up on it, but the only thing that I can find is that it may harbor anaerobic bacteria which could make you sick later on (possibly causing autoimmune disorders and cancer). The sources are not terribly reliable though. I wasn't worried at all about the pain or anything (just the expense).

Honestly, the more I read, the more it feels like paranoia.

Cancer from a root canal? Sounds like internet conspiracy paranoid theories. Research is important, but make sure you are using reliable sites! I have never heard of long term health issues from a root canal. If needed, I would not hesitate to do it again to save another tooth. Like I said earlier, I did it twice on one tooth. But go to a specialist!!

The only reason I had the dentist do it rather than the endodontist was because the dentist was $400 cheaper and my ex husband talked me into the cheaper route. I should have trusted my gut! Ended up costing me more in the long run.

 

[stracci2000]

Well----let me tell you about my root canal story.

Five years ago, I was having pain in one of my lower bottom molars. The tooth had died.
The dentist said if the tooth was pulled, it might be visible when I talk or laugh, so I agreed to a root canal.
After the root canal, I'm at home, and the numbness from the nerve block isn't completely gone.
Next day, still numb. Called the dentist, she said to be patient, it might take a while.

So fast forward, five years later, yes---I am still numb.
It's called paresthesia, and I have numbness and tingling in the right side of my bottom lip, teeth and chin.
It was nerve damage caused by the drug Septocaine, which is the shot they give you for the nerve block before they begin working on you.
The dentist sent me to two oral surgeons, who couldn't find any thing wrong in any Xrays. They deduced that it was damage to the inferior aveolar nerve, which runs from the back of the jaw to the front of the chin. This is the nerve that the dentist aims for to do the nerve block. In my case, the Septocaine injection caused damage to the nerve.
All the dentists seemed so surprised, and claimed this to be a very rare occurrence. However, the internet is full of stories just like mine. I even ran into a few people since then that have this same situation. It isn't rare. The dentists all lied to me.

I went to see some lawyers who said I didn't have a case, because the damage was done during routine preliminary procedures, not during the actual root canal.

So. That's my story. I'm just glad that my tongue isn't numb, and that I don't drool. It took me a while to master applying lipstick to the numb side of my bottom lip.
When you cant feel the lipstick going on, you keep going outside the lines.

Sorry about the rant. Every once in a while I need to tell the story.

 

[kenny]

Natural teeth are PRECIOUS!
I'd do anything to save them.

A root canal is no big deal.
I just had one and have a fantastic endodontist I'd refer you to.
Do you have my email?

If you are stressed about the procedure definitely get an Rx for valium or Xanax.
I do.
Why suffer?

Then besides local anesthesia they can give you nitrous oxide, aka laughing gas, to put you in lala land.
If that's not enough he can call in a qualified anesthesiologist.

Mine was a very difficult challenge and it's a miracle he was able to save the tooth.
Implants and bridges are way more expensive an an implant can take months or longer.
Plus when a RC is done you still have your original tooth.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Root canal is such a better solution than getting it pulled! Listen to your dentist, not your family.

 

[Calliecake]

I've had many root canals and don't find them to be a big deal. I would definitely have the root canal and have the tooth capped.

 

[manderz]

Thanks, everyone, for re-affirming what I was already thinking. I posted in a panic before I had even done any research of my own, because not only have I already had a root canal for 20+ years, but I was set to go and not even worried about the new root canal. I really don't want to have a tooth pulled. It would be visible, and I can't afford an implant at this point in time. I don't want to go through all of that, either. I want to keep MY teeth.

The whole conversation with my family (mostly my mom) sounded very conspiracy theory to me, especially now that I was able to do my own research. I really don't think that my mom gets that any idiot with a keyboard can post anything they want, all over the internet. Just look at me, for example

I appreciate the suggestion about going to see a specialist, but I love my dentist. He's very good, and his bedside manner is phenomenal. I have some dentist anxiety as a result of a childhood injury, and he does everything he can to make sure I am comfortable.

Kenny, thanks the referral suggestion, but I believe we are very far from one another. I'm in WNY.

 

[dk168]

One of my back molars had a root canal treatment and was capped with a gold crown afterwards and it lasted for good ten years, before it was pulled out due to neglected gum disease (it was not that painful, just dull ache from time to time, so I left it without being seen to for a while).

I am sure it would have been saved had I had regular dental treatments - I do now!

DK

 

[kenny]

Opps. Sorry.
I'm not sure I thought you were local to me.

 

[manderz]

Opps. Sorry.
I'm not sure I thought you were local to me.

I wish I were local to some of you awesome people on here! I'm not local to ANYONE (I live in a VERY small town).

 

[isaku5]

Natural teeth are PRECIOUS!
I'd do anything to save them.

A root canal is no big deal.
I just had one and have a fantastic endodontist I'd refer you to.
Do you have my email?

If you are stressed about the procedure definitely get an Rx for valium or Xanax.
I do.
Why suffer?

Then besides local anesthesia they can give you nitrous oxide, aka laughing gas, to put you in lala land.
If that's not enough he can call in a qualified anesthesiologist.

Mine was a very difficult challenge and it's a miracle he was able to save the tooth.
Implants and bridges are way more expensive an an implant can take months or longer.
Plus when a RC is done you still have your original tooth.[/quote


Kenny is absolutely right. Your own teeth are precious; but, root canals are expensive up here so I made sure before I retired to take advantage of our 'platinum' coverage.

While retired I've had two root canals. My dentist was a pro and he knew I was scared silly from earlier crazy dentist procedures. By comparison, this was a 'walk in the park'. I took advantage of the nitrous oxide which left me pain-free but not spacey.

 

[ame]

I've had TONS of rootcanals and retreats. No big deal. I think I have maybe 5 teeth left in my head that have not been treated to a root canal. I have soft teeth AND I grind. No way around it. I would never pull a tooth unless I absolutely HAD to, as in the tooth is cracked to the point of no repair. Get a good endodontist--preferably one that specializes in microscopic endodontistry. They can see at a better magnification inside the tooth.

 

[ckrickett]

I've never had a root canal. But I have had loads of dental trauma. I was in literal AGONY from constant severe dental pain for 5 years. I didn't have insurance, and was in college so I couldn't afford anything. It was horrible. fast forward 12 years I and got 6 teeth pulled in the back because it was the only thing we could do. I have no issues eating, chewing, no gaps have appeared (its been 6 years since the surgery) and everything is fine. I had an AMAZING dental surgeon who did the work (not my regular dentist) and I would highly and I mean HIGHLY go to an endodontist rather then just a dentist. Especially if you are worried about risks -they are much better and more knowledgable then dentists. Not that dentists aren't great (mines wonderful) but for anything like that I would go to a specialist.

I do think you should go the root canal route. Even though I didn't, and have no problems (no pain, numbness or gaps) It is not always like that and pulling should be a very very VERY last resort.

 

[luv2sparkle]

I have had probably 6 root canals. I hate them, but I am a huge dental baby. My dentist does them and he is really good at it. My last one had to be done on canine (third from center ?). I was totally freaked and thought it was going to ruin my smile. I can't even tell. One thing I will always do now if I ever have to have another is get a totally porcelain crown with no metal in it at all. So much better.

 

[ame]

I agree with that. My current dentist does those and some of my crowns are like 15-20 yrs old and need replacing. We are having them redone with porcelain and dang are they nicer

 

[Sky56]

I've had several root canals done by an endodontist and had good results. I also had a few teeth pulled, they were in the far back.
Moral of story: Be very careful when eating olives, nuts, cherries, bread. Hard, crusty bread can break teeth. I bit down on cherry pits and bread and cracked teeth.

 

[manderz]

Hey again! I just wanted to thank you all for calming me down when I was a little freaked out last week.

I've had my first of 2 appointments for this, and feeling great about the decision, though a little off because of the numbing medication. I react strangely to it, and the last couple of times, it's been much worse, but after a good night's sleep, I know I'll be feeling back to normal. I talked to the dentist about it, and he said women are more likely to react to it, and it's not uncommon, so all we have to do is use something different next time.

 

[kenny]

Glad it's going well for you and you decided to save your natural tooth!

 

[missy]

Good decision manderz and I am glad it is going well.