So the nerve is gone, of course, and there’s no pain, but what little of the tooth was left has rotted. It needs pulled, and a bridge installed. I know there are options other than a bridge, but that’s what I can afford. Terrified. Will it mean cutting the gum? Has anyone had this procedure?
I had a root canaled tooth pulled last January - I do sedation dentistry, so I didn’t find it painful, and as far as I know it was a relatively easy procedure. No gums cut or anything like that.
The pain afterwards was almost non-existent. The tooth had been given me problems for years, even after the root canal (yeah, they’re not supposed to hurt after a root canal - I guess sometimes they still do) - having it out has just been a relief. I think that having a rotted tooth pulled out will be nothing but good for you. My dentist gave me two week’s worth of antibiotics to take before the extraction - I hope yours does the same. I think the danger of pulling a rotting tooth is that the infection could get into your bloodstream.
I’m planning to have a bridge put in where that molar was, too. I don’t know how that will go yet. 
Are you scared about having the tooth pulled, or the bridge put in? Because having a tooth pulled isn’t such a big deal, unless it’s impacted. (I’ve never had a bridge, so I couldn’t tell you)
I managed to break the titanium post holding the crown on one of my root-canaled molars. There wasn’t enough root left to try another post, so I had it pulled to make way for an implant. No cutting was involved, but it got rather theatrical, because the tooth had a hell of a root; the dentist ended up actually kneeling on the chair beside me, trying to get more leverage, and grumbling at me to “Let go, already!” It looked like a scene from a comedy skit.
There was no pain to speak of; I was thoroughly numbed. When the tooth was finally out, he packed the gap and stitched the gums closed over it. The stitches were a bit sore and itched/tickled a little, but that was about it. Months later, when the bone graft had set, I went back into get the screw put in t hold the replacement. That was just a sort of a pinch–I haven’t had my ears pierced, but I would guess that it’s pretty similar. I’m not sure what will be needed for your bridge, but I doubt it will be any worse.
I had such a tooth pulled years ago. They told me I’d be sedated and needed a ride, and I had trouble arranging one so I asked if they couldn’t just use local, and the surgeon got on the phone and said “Really? You want to try that? Well, I guess we could try that.”
There was a surprising amount of tugging involved, and even with a sturdy assistant trying to hold my head still, I bounced around a surprising amount. The root came out in several steps. The fact that the root had split into two pieces earlier turned out to be the likely explanation of why a root canaled and capped tooth still hurt so much. There was no gum cutting.
It wasn’t at all painful during the procedure, and a little painful for a day or two after, but I think non-narcotic pain killers took care of it well enough.
If it’s a bridge you’re getting, as I understand, it’s just a cap that covers two teeth and spans a gap between them. I have not had a bridge but have had plenty of caps, and they are pretty similar to getting a filling, as far as sensation goes. It takes longer, and they do it in two visits. The first visit is longer, and they reduce the size of the tooth, which means just a lot of drilling, but around the exterior of the tooth rather than penetrating into its interior. Then they take molds to work out what the shape of the cap must be. This molding information goes off to some lab where they make a permanent cap, while you have a small plastic temporary cap for a week or so. During the second visit they pull off the temporary cap, glue the permanent one on, and do lots of fine tuning to make sure the cap meets the opposing teeth properly and doesn’t stick out too far.
I think it’s easy to imagine what getting a bridge is like, if it is just a long cap that covers two teeth plus a gap. If anybody knows different, please straighten me out!
It is one area where you want a dentist who looks like Swartzenegger. A big strong dude who can just break it free and pull it out is awesome. Someone who has to push and pull and pry for 5 minutes leaves a lot more pain.
Thanks, not a bit worried about the bridge, as I already have one, it’s the fact that this tooth-gone-bad has the post down into, what, bone? Sounds awful, and Cat Whisperer, thanks, I will asked for an Rx.
Moved MPSIMS --> IMHO, home of threads on medical and dental advice and anecdotes.
Go for it - after decades of having work done when I wasn’t completely frozen, I don’t want to be awake and aware for any work they do any longer.
I had one pulled a couple of years ago. It was no big deal. Novocaine, a couple of tugs, and poof, it was gone.
No pain Rx, told to take Tylenol. Actually, the pulling and aftermath hurt a HELLUVA lot less than the damnable root canal.
It was a problem tooth, had given me grief for many, many years, and I think was even the source for my long-standing TMJ business. Since it was the tooth furthest back in my head, no implant or bridge has been necessary.
I thank God the stupid thing is GONE.
~VOW
“…and that’s how sedation dentistry was born!” 
I won’t have teeth pulled without being as unconscious as possible, not because it’s painful but because I can’t stand the noise. Give me a liability waiver to sign, pump me full of drugs, and yank away. What I don’t know won’t hurt me.
I haven’t had to have any of my many root-canaled teeth pulled (knock enamel), but if you’re getting a tooth-to-tooth permanent bridge placed to cover the gap, that’s no big deal. Basically the same procedure as getting crowns on the 2 adjacent teeth, so grind them down, fit for the device, then place the device. I’ve had one of those for 30 years and no problem with it at all. It was one of my least painful (but most expensive) dental procedures.
Nope, it’ll hurt a tiny bit, NGL, but the most painful part for me was the novocaine. They have to get deep down into the muscle, I guess, so the the shots really pinch*. But even then, it’s not really that bad, and it’s over, lickety-split! Once it’s out, it’s out, just like a splinter, as my dentist said. (They did give me some nice pain pills – percs, just in case) It’s mostly uncomfortable – you want to eat something other than soup or Jello, and at first I’d feel like the tooth was still there.
The only time I ever had actual sedation was when I had my wisdom teeth out. And they had to do it twice, because they couldn’t take all of them out at once.
I hate needles and I loathe novocaine. Blech, that stuff tastes awful, and it makes me shiver, for some reason
I had a root-canaled (with post) tooth pulled.
It’s in my top ten worst pains of all time.
I guess the post was in there pretty good, or there was an infection. Infections block the painkillers, so you want to be on that sucker fast.
Sorry wolfman, it doesn’t work that way. Teeth are held in the bone by ligaments the pushing and pulling streches and breaks them allowing the tooth to come out. Remember you can’t just pull straight up or down, there is another jaw in the way. You have to pull toward the side. It is like pulling a fence post or stick out of the ground. You wiggle it back and forth enlarging the hole until it comes free. If you just put forceps on it and pull you’ll just break it off at about the bone level. Of course there are lots of veriables but technique is much more important than strength. Had a fellow student in my dental school class who was 4’ 11’’ about 85lbs, she could get teeth out just fine.
That would make sense if I had anything about the dentist just yanking it straight out, however I didn’t say that , evidenced by the phrase"break it free"
Fair enough, meant nothing personal by the post, but pulling teeth isn’t a strength issue it is a tecnique issue. Many teeth have to be pushed and pulled for a while no matter how strong the dentist.
Mine was no big deal. I don’t know that the root canal had a post, per se. It had cracked, so the root canal itself turned out to be a big waste.
I had IV sedation - due to a history of severe dental phobia, combined with / caused by a history of local anesthesia not working well, so I don’t know how difficult the extraction itself was. There was a dissolving stitch holding the gum closed over the socket; that was annoying as hell until it finally came out about a week later.
Pain was fairly minimal; I think they may have given me a scrip for Vicodin but I used little to none of it.