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I went to see a dentist today because I noticed that the left side of my face started to swell up a bit. The dentist said I could either get a root canal, which she said would need five separate treatments because of a bacterial infection, or have the tooth extracted. I just started taking clindamycin that they prescribed. My question is, first, why so many visits are required? I thought root canals can be done in just one appointment. Second, the cost is going to be about $1000 for the root canal or less than $100 for the extraction. I was told that the tooth can be saved and doing the root canal is always preferable to extraction. Is that really true or just a way for the dentists to make money? Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Thank you.
Root canals take more than one appointment. In your case the infection will have to be cleared up before they can do anything. Yes, they can "save" the tooth doing a root canal. You will need to have the root canal and then they will fit you with a crown (which will cost more than the root canal). I once had a root canal and then a crown and years later began getting pain in that tooth and had to have a second root canal right through the crown on that same tooth.
I used to work for a dentist. Root canals are usually done in 2 visits. The first one is to open the tooth, the second to seal it. Antibiotics are meant to clear the infection. I have opted for extractions and bridges.
5 visits is due to the dentist lack of skill or desire to multi task and stack appts with other patients unless there is more to this and only the 1st half has been disclosed
numb the tooth, extract the root, pack with more antibiotics and temp filling
return to remove temp and check infection then permanent fill
unless the tooth immediately needs a crown due to size of cavity the there is tooth prep, temp crown while permanent is being fabricated then return to seat permanent crown
for some the root canal only tooth will eventually break off in 3-10 years due to lack of blood supply/ nourishment to the tooth and then you will need an implant or crown anyway
5 visits is due to the dentist lack of skill or desire to multi task and stack appts with other patients unless there is more to this and only the 1st half has been disclosed
numb the tooth, extract the root, pack with more antibiotics and temp filling
return to remove temp and check infection then permanent fill
unless the tooth immediately needs a crown due to size of cavity the there is tooth prep, temp crown while permanent is being fabricated then return to seat permanent crown
for some the root canal only tooth will eventually break off in 3-10 years due to lack of blood supply/ nourishment to the tooth and then you will need an implant or crown anyway
I had a bicycle accident fifteen years ago (a 20-mph faceplant into concrete) that required nearly a year of dental surgery. In the accident, my upper left front incisor was totally smashed and my lower front three incisors were broken out as a unit (the jawbone broke off like a big bridge) and were shoved to the back of my mouth. I hacked the chunk out of my throat and used the mirror of a parked car to shove it back into place, then cycled to the closest dentist's office.
The upper incisor was replaced with a glued bridge--my dentist is amazed that it's still doing well. He'd like to replace it with an implant, but he won't push the matter until the glue fails.
We had initially hoped that the lower incisors would survive, but after about a year it was clear the nerves had died and they needed to be root-canalled. They've done perfectly well since then.
What I've been told by a couple of different dentists is what some here have already said. Implants may or may not last a lifetime. Bridges may or may not last a lifetime. A lot depends on the condition of your gums and jaw, the condition of the surrounding teeth, which tooth it is, and your own hygiene and eating habits (referring to your future gum and bone health). By the same token, a root canal faces the same factors.
My guess from what I have faced is that it's a dead heat: A specific tooth in a specific person would last as well as an implant or root canalled...it depends on what is feasible at the time. Obviously if a tooth has been destroyed (like my upper incisor), it needs to be replaced with a bridge or implant.
But an extracted tooth--as has been said already--does need to be replaced, and any cost estimate for an extraction should take the cost of replacement into mind. If a root canal is an option to extraction, go for the root canal. It will be cheaper than any form of tooth replacement. The failure factors are the same in all cases, so if a root canal would have failed early, that's likely to be true for an implant as well.
Poor bone health is just poor bone health, and will destroy anything you do.
My Dentist did them, but they still hurt and he said he missed the 4th canal. So he sent me to a Endodontist.
The Endodontist redid the root canal in one visit, pain free. However they don't do the final filling. For that I had to go back to my Dentist the same day and get the final filling over the root canal.
They still hurt.
What a ripoff, it costs thousands of dollars for four procedures. It's been over a year. Now I have to get them pulled probably.
I went to see a dentist today because I noticed that the left side of my face started to swell up a bit. The dentist said I could either get a root canal, which she said would need five separate treatments because of a bacterial infection, or have the tooth extracted. I just started taking clindamycin that they prescribed. My question is, first, why so many visits are required? I thought root canals can be done in just one appointment. Second, the cost is going to be about $1000 for the root canal or less than $100 for the extraction. I was told that the tooth can be saved and doing the root canal is always preferable to extraction. Is that really true or just a way for the dentists to make money? Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Thank you.
You swelled because there was an infection in there.
Why didn't he give you anti-biotics? Because they are cheaper than thousands in root canals and caps, that's why!!
I once had an appointment to have a root canal, hmmm 25 years ago maybe. It so happened that on the day of the appointment I was in the middle of catching a cold, and the appointment was cancelled. I was mega-dosing on Vitamin C for the cold, and guess what. In a few days there was no more sensitivity in that tooth. About 10 years later It started bothering again, so off to the dentist I go. Told him about the previous diagnosis, so he X-rayed and there was no infection. Had the tooth capped and it is still good to this day.
Just goes to show you that Most of these root canal procedures are just "Make Work" projects to the dentists.
I'm getting my first root canal done in a week. The last two times I got tooth infections I had them extracted which is a really bad choice but I'm such a dental phobic I couldn't get myself to get a root canal.
I asked the dentist for an anti-anxiety medication since I get really nervous and choke when having any work done which makes treatment longer and more difficult. Hopefully this will help me get thru the procedure and out of that damn office.
I have no idea what makes me so nervous when going to the dental office. I'm not afraid of the place, and it don't hurt but still I'm a nervous wreck.
I agree. I have gotten 3 root canals... and now that I am an adult I can't understand why I have had 2 of the 3 done.
First one was majorly broken. And this is the one I'm dealing with now:
I am in a predicament where one of my crowns fell off with the core and everything. There is very little tooth exposed above the gum line. The local dentist said now I need to get the tooth removed and get an implant. I am not really sure what to do... because I don't want to do this... trauma, infection, not to mention the thousand of dollars it will cost me.
Have you (anyone) read the book called "Cure tooth decay"? For the OP and others facing root canals, I would try taking Green Pasture Cod liver oil/butter oil capsules daily and see what happens. Increase quality Vitamin D and C intake. See what happens. At this point waiting a few weeks is not going to kill you.
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