Hi all, just after some thoughts/personal experiences, please. I started having pain when chewing Tuesday, went to the dentist Wednesday. It seems I have a dead tooth, with a beginning infection (I am now on antibiotics).
It is a premolar, and shows when I smile. I feel my dentist was very thorough, laying out the options, (detailed above, except she also mentioned an implant, and I am not considering that, for cost reasons).
My gums, and the bone in my jaw are apparently healthy and strong. I am inclining towards the root canal + crown, thinking that once a tooth is gone, it can’t be returned.
I think you are making the correct choice. Root canal w/crown work lasts much longer today than they did oh, say, 25 years ago. You’ll likely be fine with that tooth for the rest of your life.
A single tooth denture would require prep on each of the teeth surrounding it, meaning that they would be permanently altered in order to anchor the braces of the denture. If the rest of your teeth are good and you don’t anticipate further dental work right away, I’d steer clear of a process that affects 3 teeth rather than 1.
Caveat - I’m not a dentist nor do I have any dental background. This is an opinion only.
As my dentist told me, the pain will go away after 2 days of antibiotics for most people.
The reason a root canal is needed is that the infection will return since your tooth cannot really get a big enough dose of antibiotics to knock it all the way out.
When you think about it, dentistry is about where surgery was 500 years ago - crude.
Want to medicate a tooth? Fine, I’ll just grab my drill…
This is because there is virtually no blood in the tooth - no circulation to get medicine into the tooth. Which would be OK, except for the nerve. Of all the tissue types, let’s put a big 'ol SENSORY NERVE in there.
I have a list of changes I’d like to discuss with the Homo Sapien Design Department.
Yes - root canal (remove the dead nerve before it rots and starts destroying gums and bone.
If there is enough solid tooth left, the crown can be placed on the remains of the tooth.
If the tooth is too far gone, then the post is installed to provide an anchor for the crown.
My first root canal was over 50 years ago, and I just had 3 more break off at the gum line.
Yeah, I have a bit of background with this.
DO NOT OPEN a health tooth unless it cannot be avoided.
Hi all, thanks for the responses. Stillownedbysetters, I was not aware that there would need to be work done on the adjoining teeth if I went with a denture, as I did not fully pursue that line, as it was not my preference.
In regards to the rest of my teeth - unfortunately they are not all that flash - lots of 30+ year old very big fillings in my molars, and over the last few months, two have lost chips of enamel off the side (required filling only, though I was offered a crown). I think I need to set myself a plan to have some non-emergency work done, bit by bit, before it becomes an emergency.
Encouraging to hear good examples of root canals. Bijou Drains, yes, the antibiotics are a stop gap only, I have made an appointment to go back and take whatever next step I decide on.
I had a root canal on the molar in the back 10 years ago. Wasn’t too terrible except for the part where the dentist gave me some extra local anesthesia by squirting it directly in the tooth. That was really painful.
I was under the impression that a root canal always required a crown afterwards, but apparently that’s not the case, I got a normal composite filling. The tooth needed some more work over the years but it hasn’t given me any real trouble.
Dentist here. FWIIW I’ve had six root canals and done in the neighborhood of 2000. If the tooth is saveable, a root canal and crown is the way to go in almost every case.
Not sure what stillownedbysetters meant about removing tooth for a one tooth denture. The most common type of one tooth denture(flipper) looks like an orthodontic retainer but has a tooth on it. These are fairly inexpensive and adequate for a lot of people. One could also get a real denture type single tooth replacement(Nesbit appliance or spider partial). These are fairly uncommon now due to cost and they aren’t much better then the flipper. Generally neither one requires removal of tooth.
A fixed bridge on the other hand is like a crown on the tooth in front of and behind the empty space with a fake tooth inbetween. These require prepping(cutting down) the adjacent teeth.
Usually better to do work on one tooth than three.
Thanks rsat3acr opinion both here and in meatspace is more and more inclining me to the root canal + crown. I now have an appointment for Thursday next week. so all I have to worry about now is my credit card balance!!
opinion both here and in meatspace is more and more inclining me to the root canal + crown. I now have an appointment for Thursday next week. so all I have to worry about now is my credit card balance!!