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Well, I have a lower molar with a lot of fillings (from decades ago), & recently a "chip" off the back. I started feeling some pain in the tooth about 8 months ago--not severe, but some. (I think I was partly nervous b/c I'd had a root canal in another molar the year before that was infected, with an abscess, etc.). I went to the dentist, had an x-ray, & he said he couldn't see anything wrong, but if it really started hurting, to go to an endodontist--& they would have more ability to diagnose it.
Then--no more pain for months. But about a week ago, enough pain for me to take a pain pill (?). I'm going to see the dentist next week, & have him look at it.
I'm thinking, maybe it's just normal to have a little pain once in a while in a tooth with a lot of fillings? Would clove oil help? Or any other topical remedies? I don't want to rush into another root canal just b/c of occasional pain.
Suddenly the tooth (#18 molar) has taken a turn for the worse. I noticed last night it's slightly Wobbly from side to side. I'm wondering if the tooth can be saved once it gets to that point? If I need a root canal--then what's the point of putting a crown on a Wobbly tooth?
If it needs to be pulled, would I still need a root canal? I'm dreading this.
If it's pulled, there's no need for a root canal as the root comes out with it. As for being "wobbly" and still possible to heal, yes, it's possible for it to heal and tighten up again. It just all depends on what's the main issue with it.
If it's lots of fillings and chipped as you say, you might want to seriously consider asking the dentist to just pull it. That's the cheapest solution, and provided the teeth on either side are still there, could be your best option at this point.
If it's pulled, there's no need for a root canal as the root comes out with it. As for being "wobbly" and still possible to heal, yes, it's possible for it to heal and tighten up again. It just all depends on what's the main issue with it.
If it's lots of fillings and chipped as you say, you might want to seriously consider asking the dentist to just pull it. That's the cheapest solution, and provided the teeth on either side are still there, could be your best option at this point.
I saw the dentist, & he said I definitely need a root canal & a crown, or to have it pulled. And at first he was saying: "Do you have an extra $3K laying around? BC an extraction would cost 1/10 of that." So I asked, what would you do?
He said; "well, for people who already have some missing teeth, another tooth pulled maybe wouldn't matter. But you still have all of your original teeth, sooo".......
BTW, I'm well into my 60's. And I'm way more afraid of having a tooth yanked out, & the recovery from that, than a root canal. But that's me; for many, just paying $200 or $300 for an extraction could be the best option.
For what it's worth, I'm age 60 and just had my FIRST regular adult tooth pulled a few months back. Beyond wisdom teeth many years ago.
This tooth after a bad abscess back in 2009, need a root canal by my dentist, the root canal re-done from the side by an Endodontist, then capped. This year, 10 years later it started hurting again just like the run-up to the original abscess. I went in to see my dentist, (same one from 2009) and he checked it, started doing another root canal through the cap, said "it doesn't seem right". He took additional x-rays, still wasn't sure, took a few of the newer MRI pics for dentists, and finally realized that it had cracked deep inside.
He then said "there's nothing else for it, but to pull it". He then did so, which went quickly. It took a while to heal since it had had an infection, but it's great now, and the gum has hardened up nicely. I have to be careful not to bite down on something hard capable of getting in there edge-wise and hurting the gum (such as tortilla chips, etc.) otherwise, no issues at all.
I recommend getting it pulled. But it's your decision. You can spend the money for root canal and cap, and it might still need pulling soon afterwards. Or maybe you'll get another 10 years out of it before it gets pulled, like me.
Mike: How bad was thepain from the extraction? And how long to recover? Did you get a bridge, or do you just have a gap there?
I had all my wisdom teeth out in the late 70's--it was a nightmare; I was pretty miserable for about a week. But I dunno now; maybe you're right. I wonder how many root canals fail eventually? I had one in the '90s, with a crown. And another last year. I'd already have 2 missing molars if I'd had them pulled........
The pain from the extraction itself was nothing as they give you numbing shots, or at least I had numbing shots as he was trying to save it with yet a 3rd root canal in 10 years. I still had some residual infection even after 1 weeks worth of antibiotic pills before the work of him trying a root canal, and then him finally deciding it needed to be completely pulled, and that infection was causing a bit of pain.
It took a month or so to heal up completely from the area being raw. There's just a gap, I have no intention at this point of getting a bridge as this is my only missing tooth to date.
If you're considering having the tooth extracted, consider whether it's a back tooth or a tooth near the front where it will show. It does not hurt to have a tooth pulled. I had one pulled a few years ago and it's not this big ordeal you're scared about.
Even a root canal isn't that bad, really. And if the tooth is in a place where it would show, I'd get the root canal and get it over with. If the tooth is way in the back of your mouth, just have it pulled. Don't get all worked up over nothing.
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