• This topic has 37 replies, 19 voices, and was last updated 10 years ago by rugbyguy223-spam.
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  • Root Filling or Extraction?
  • Haze
    Full Member

    Had a pre-emptive visit to the dentist today, I have a tooth that’s clearly seen better days and it’s periodically starting to give me grief so thought I’d get in early and have it sorted before I entered a world of on-going toothache.

    The outcome is either a root filling and crown or extraction.

    Now given that the bike always comes first and I’m currently on the brink of securing a new one, I’ve decided that extraction might be the preferred/cheaper way forward.

    Also considered that a root filling might still only be putting off the inevitable if only for a few years, fair assumption?

    Worth mentioning that it’s the next door neighbour of a previous extraction, anybody got two adjacent molars missing…and how do you find it with eating etc.?

    cinnamon_girl
    Full Member

    Hmmmmm. I’ve been reading a lot about root canal treatment, here’s some info, flame away:

    http://www.mouthbodydoctor.com/category/root-canal-fillings/

    I would say that your dentist needs to advise re being without two molars, did he not mention anything?

    My own personal feeling is that I don’t want root canal treated teeth in my mouth but they would need to be replaced by implants. Almost coming to the end of mega treatment and would like a break from the dentist!

    Haze
    Full Member

    Cheers for the reading/watching, I’ve had a break from the dentist for a fair few years so I guess I’ve been lucky ’til now.

    He didn’t mention the missing one but nodded in agreement when I said that was a concern. He didn’t advise against it or anything.

    I’m not particularly averse to favouring the other side of the mouth when eating etc. but wonder how I might get on.

    Haze
    Full Member

    Just watched that video, she’s not exactly championing the root filling option!

    thecaptain
    Free Member

    Save up for an implant. Root canal will buy you some time, but the tooth will likely erode over time. Implants really seem to work (none myself, but other family members do).

    slowjo
    Free Member

    I have had both.

    All the root canal work I had has been solid as rock for > ten years so far. It was a real PITA while it lasted. I too had taken a dentist break and then had to spend a lot of time in the chair over six months.

    A few years ago I had a molar extracted (this one hadn’t had root canal work). I hardly notice it now while eating but two…..dunno really.

    oldboy
    Free Member

    I had two (out of a planned three) unpleasant root canal treatments on a back tooth. Unfortunately, towards the end of the second session my dentist broke his file, leaving a bit in the root. I could tell he was seriously peed off at this stage, especially when he proceeded to give me three options:

    Extraction, go private, or he could refer me to the Leeds teaching hospital where, presumably, students could have a go at it.

    Obviously, he felt giving good NHS treatment wasn’t worth the extra effort.

    I went for the extraction, but I hate the gap in my teeth, even though it isn’t visible, even when I smile.

    I have a new dentist now, obviously!

    Haze
    Full Member

    Implants, would I just have the tooth removed then the implant fitted further down the line when the socket has healed?

    cheers_drive
    Full Member

    Hi had root canal, it’s not painful, just boring and time consuming. It only lasted 2 years before it deteriated and had to be extracted so wasn’t worth the hassle.
    I’ve had several teeth taken out for braces in by teens, 2 wisdom, and a molar that the wisdom tooth destroyed. I can’t say I miss them.

    busydog
    Free Member

    Save up for an implant

    ^^ IMO this would be a better choice. I had a molar that had a root canal done and several years later it started hurting and it had to be extracted and I had it replaced by an implant.

    The implant is great, no problem at all and feels completely normal. The whole process does take some time: extraction, healing, placement of the implant post (which has to sit there a few months for the jaw bone to grow around it, then the implant is placed on the post.

    My alternative was to get a bridge, but my dentist convinced me to do the implant as he said that in doing a bridge, it would require crowns on the adjoining teeth and the cost not much different. He also said if he extracted the tooth and left a gap, I’d face a risk of adjacent teeth moving towards the gap and creating additional problems

    Haze
    Full Member

    Hmm, mixed experiences with root then?

    TBH I don’t mind the hassle of getting it done but don’t want to be paying out over £200 only to lose it in a few years anyway.

    I’m missing a molar on each lower side and don’t notice it, I guess I could lose this one and maybe get a bridge/implant or something further down the line if it doesn’t work out?

    fasternotfatter
    Free Member

    If the roots are in good condition go for the root canal. I had one over 10 years ago and it is still OK. There was no pain and once it goes I have the option of going for an implant.

    darrenspink
    Free Member

    Depends on your age as well. Over 40? Get it pulled.

    Haze
    Full Member

    Right – extract, buy new bike then save for implant?

    cinnamon_girl
    Full Member

    You’ll need to factor in testing for sensitivity of whatever material implant would be.

    Sorry!

    Haze
    Full Member

    Okay, but that would be if/when I decide to get the ball rolling on an implant right?

    I fully understand that this may be a lengthy process (particularly the way money seems to go through my hands like water), I’d have probably learnt to live with my gap during that time.

    cinnamon_girl
    Full Member

    😀

    backinireland
    Free Member

    Root treatment would be preferable to an implant as long as tooth is restorable.

    Don’t assume an implant is possible as anatomical structures may mean it is not. Upper tooth your sinus is there and there may be insufficient bone. Lower tooth your id nerve is below and if too close to implant site risk is a numb lip.
    https://www.dentalhealth.org/tell-me-about/topic/routine-treatment/root-canal-treatment
    That’s a good site for dental info
    Plenty of my patients have multiple missing teeth and cope well, some loose one tooth and struggle.

    Cougar
    Full Member

    I had to make the same decision a couple of years ago, with a lower bicuspid. I was in absolute agony with it. Dentist reckoned it was 50/50 as to whether the tooth could be saved, so I said “off you go then” and opted for the root canal.

    Took a couple of attempts to get it right, but it’s absolutely fine now. Don’t regret it for a moment.

    I’ve had a couple of root canals, that was the second. First was for a front tooth that was broken and crowned years ago and had subsequently (years later) gained an abscess under it. You hear a lot of horror stories around root canals but they were both a piece of the proverbial; worst bit was when he reached and drained the abscess, I’ve never smelt anything like it.

    Root canal, you know you want to.

    seosamh77
    Free Member

    I’ve had a few teeth completely rebuilt using root canal, go fot it, it can fail but if it works it feels like your real tooth.

    thecaptain
    Free Member

    Yeah, actually on reflection I could revise my previous comment. Both my relatives had root canals that worked well for a decade or more, eventually replaced with implants. But the former was much cheaper and easier, and fine while it lasted.

    ahwiles
    Free Member

    1 month into a root canal here. My dentist told me to wait a couple of months to see if it’s stable before fitting a crown – so far so good.

    There seems to be a collective sense of drama around root canal work, you just have to mention it and people start jumping behind sofas. While i will admit that it wasn’t fun, it wasn’t horrific either, the injections were a bit ‘sting-ey’ but really, i’ve had worse eating a pickled onion.

    i also have 1 molar missing (on the other side), and i reckon losing adjacent 2 molars would a pita. What should you do? – that’s your choice, but don’t avoid a root canal because you’re worried about it hurting

    i’m going to ask for a silver crown to make me look more like a pirate/robot from the future.

    cinnamon_girl
    Full Member

    My root canal became infected. 😐

    cinnamon_girl
    Full Member

    @ backinireland – biased link!

    Haze
    Full Member

    Ahwiles, not worried about it hurting…expecting some discomfort but don’t mind that if all’s well in the long term.

    nickc
    Full Member

    cg Are you still having your amalgams redone with composite?

    How’s it all going?

    theblackmount
    Free Member

    Got a mouth full of root canal treated teeth done > 10 years ago – not a single issue.

    cinnamon_girl
    Full Member

    Hello Nick. Almost done, it’s been a big job due to the large amount of fillings put in by the drill’n’fill dentists when I was very young.

    There’s been a few hiccups along the way but all appear to be sorted. It’s been done for health reasons, ie mercury leeching out and ultimately affecting my thyroid. It’s a controversial subject!

    Haze
    Full Member

    I’m back there in a week or so, will have a better chat with him now I’m armed with a little more info.

    Cheers all 🙂

    nickc
    Full Member

    CG, glad to hear you’re getting sorted out. 🙂

    nickc
    Full Member

    CG, glad to hear you’re getting sorted out. 🙂

    cinnamon_girl
    Full Member

    Thanks Nick. My Endocronologist was very interested to hear about it. 🙂

    Sandwich
    Full Member

    My root canal became infected.

    So did my first one. Due in no small part to the dentist being less that careful with the quill things they pack the nerve area with. He rushed it and left a hole to get regularly filled with muck.
    The tooth was redone by a more competent type and is still with me 20 plus years on. The others I had doe have been mostly ok, one tooth collapsed under toffee abuse.

    backinireland
    Free Member

    Why biased?

    Prob slightly less biased than initial link.

    BTW Mercury would leach out, leeches are something else entirely….

    backinireland
    Free Member

    As for amalgams being redone with composite beware reactions to composite, be aware its not an ideal restorative material in many circumstances, if you do have problems with mercury consider gold inlays/crowns.

    Neil-F
    Free Member

    I’m facing that choice soon, extraction or root canal. I’ll be opting for the extraction to be honest, because I’ve had an experience before on the other side with a failed treatment that resulted in an extraction a year later.
    I have a wisdom and two molars missing from one side, doesn’t bother me in the slightest, but I do have all my teeth on the other side so its not a big problem. If I had teeth missing from the other side it would probably be more of a problem. 😉

    nicolaisam
    Free Member

    Had root canal about 7 years ago,had a few infection problems every now and then.

    Then end of November big problems,woke up at 5am looking like elephant man,face really swollen,went to mt dentist the next day,he took a look gave me Anti-biotics for a week,then went back a fortnight later,face all sollen again,more anti biotics,then a visit to him again on Xmas eve for more antibiotics,he then told me he couldnt remove it as it had Root canal(that he had done) and would need doing a hospital,3 weeks later a visit to Hospital to see a surgeon,he had a look,checked my records,said it needs doing asap, 4 days later i was in Hospital having it done under Local,the Root canal one snapped off,they then had to cut my gum open and remove each root seperately,whilst doing this they noticed that the tooth next to it had rotted away and was fallin to bits under the gum line,so i had that removed aswell..sore for a few weeks after,but now is fine..

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