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Long story--back in the early '90's my #18 molar cracked in half b/c I bit into something hard at a restaurant. The top 1/2 of the tooth broke off basically so I had to have a "crown lengthening" by a periodontist (horrible procedure for those who don't know). Then a dentist put on an "onlay"--I thought he was making a crown. About $3K total for both procedures.
(For those who might freak out at the cost of things I'm describing, that was near Boston. Even here in S. NH, crowns & root canals, etc. are VERY expensive at every dentist, endodontist, etc.)
So now I'm 71, & this is the 2nd time this tooth is giving me trouble, like lots of fairly bad pain. I went to a local dentist today & she prescribed antibiotics (& refused to prescribe any good pain med, told me to take tylenol. Thanks Doc!). So we had this discussion about Extraction? Or root canal & crown, & she kind of refused to recommend one or the other. WTH??? Oh, she also grilled me about whether I had seen my last dentist every 6 months!! Over & over, like it was a cop interrogation, so that was fun.
She said a crown & that thing they put in before the crown would be $1700. The last endodontist I saw charged $1373 for a root canal. But my issue is not the money as much as: should I pour more $$ into a 71 y.o. tooth that I had big trouble with decades ago? And is a very back (& damaged) molar). I'm also scared of an extraction.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Originally Posted by WoodyWW
Long story--back in the early '90's my #18 molar cracked in half b/c I bit into something hard at a restaurant. The top 1/2 of the tooth broke off basically so I had to have a "crown lengthening" by a periodontist (horrible procedure for those who don't know). Then a dentist put on an "onlay"--I thought he was making a crown. About $3K total for both procedures.
(For those who might freak out at the cost of things I'm describing, that was near Boston. Even here in S. NH, crowns & root canals, etc. are VERY expensive at every dentist, endodontist, etc.)
So now I'm 71, & this is the 2nd time this tooth is giving me trouble, like lots of fairly bad pain. I went to a local dentist today & she prescribed antibiotics (& refused to prescribe any good pain med, told me to take tylenol. Thanks Doc!). So we had this discussion about Extraction? Or root canal & crown, & she kind of refused to recommend one or the other. WTH??? Oh, she also grilled me about whether I had seen my last dentist every 6 months!! Over & over, like it was a cop interrogation, so that was fun.
She said a crown & that thing they put in before the crown would be $1700. The last endodontist I saw charged $1373 for a root canal. But my issue is not the money as much as: should I pour more $$ into a 71 y.o. tooth that I had big trouble with decades ago? And is a very back (& damaged) molar). I'm also scared of an extraction.
My last implant was at age 67, and it was two next to each other being removed, with one implant and two crowns stuck together. It took about a year start to finish and cost me about $2,000 out of pocket (with good insurance) and I never needed anything more than Tylenol. I did get a prescription but never used it. Being a molar, you could have it extracted to eliminate the pain and just go with an empty space. It wouldn't affect your speech or appearance, but might catch food in it, such as peas. Extractions are just not a big deal, remember that back in the old days it was done by the barbers.
My last implant was at age 67, and it was two next to each other being removed, with one implant and two crowns stuck together. It took about a year start to finish and cost me about $2,000 out of pocket (with good insurance) and I never needed anything more than Tylenol. I did get a prescription but never used it. Being a molar, you could have it extracted to eliminate the pain and just go with an empty space. It wouldn't affect your speech or appearance, but might catch food in it, such as peas. Extractions are just not a big deal, remember that back in the old days it was done by the barbers.
That's what I'm trying to figure out--if I could have it extracted to eliminate the pain and just go with an empty space. That's supposed to be a bad idea, generally, isn't it? Altho it's a very back molar, & only about half of it left.
I also don't know why the dentist wouldn't tell me if there was enough tooth left for a crown--she makes crowns! And she didn't really advise me on whether it was better for that tooth to do a root canal, or extraction. I guess I should go back to the dentist that did my previous 2 crowns & ask him.
I've also read about "dry socket" (alveolar osteitis) after an extraction--apparently its very bad news & very painful.
That's what I'm trying to figure out--if I could have it extracted to eliminate the pain and just go with an empty space. That's supposed to be a bad idea, generally, isn't it? Altho it's a very back molar, & only about half of it left.
I also don't know why the dentist wouldn't tell me if there was enough tooth left for a crown--she makes crowns! And she didn't really advise me on whether it was better for that tooth to do a root canal, or extraction. I guess I should go back to the dentist that did my previous 2 crowns & ask him.
I've also read about "dry socket" (alveolar osteitis) after an extraction--apparently its very bad news & very painful.
I have kind of a similar situation going on with a back molar that had a crown that broke and tooth got infected and hurt like hell....but was during the first lock-down in spring 2020, so I just took lots of aspirin and suffered the pain. Finally stopped hurting, but recently went to a dentist who kind of gave me the same options you got. But, they also said they could put some sort of denture in...not sure how as this is the very last tooth there!
As far as dry socket...yes, hurts like hell as well! I had that when I had an impacted wisdom tooth pulled. DO NOT smoke, drink through a straw or rinse your mouth after an extraction! That is how you end up with dry socket. I rinsed too soon afterward...big mistake! I had to keep going to the oral surgeon who would pack it with some sort of clove stuff...instant relief! But took a few weeks to heal up entirely.
My last implant was at age 67, and it was two next to each other being removed, with one implant and two crowns stuck together. It took about a year start to finish and cost me about $2,000 out of pocket (with good insurance) and I never needed anything more than Tylenol. I did get a prescription but never used it. Being a molar, you could have it extracted to eliminate the pain and just go with an empty space. It wouldn't affect your speech or appearance, but might catch food in it, such as peas
And uh, chewing. Molars are fairly important for that. I have one missing, and have to chew most foods on the other side.
Quote:
Extractions are just not a big deal, remember that back in the old days it was done by the barbers.
Lol. I wonder the complication and fatality rate after a barber extractions, I doubt we'll ever know lol. Its not a big deal, unless it is. My molar extraction took an experienced dentist forever because the roots were so long. I would not want my barber or locksmith doing it.
And that's what I always save pain meds for. I took a vicodin afterward. I'm not going to suffer just because dentists are paranoid about prescribing real pain meds.
If you can afford an implant and crown, then I would go with that option. You have a good many years left at 71. If not, extract it and leave the empty space. Yes, teeth may shift, but it's a slow process. If you are afraid of having the extraction, opt for the drugs to make you feel less anxiety. It will be over with quicker than it takes to numb the area. As for dry socket, take the necessary precautions and you most likely will not get it. All the best!
Long story--back in the early '90's my #18 molar cracked in half b/c I bit into something hard at a restaurant. The top 1/2 of the tooth broke off basically so I had to have a "crown lengthening" by a periodontist (horrible procedure for those who don't know). Then a dentist put on an "onlay"--I thought he was making a crown. About $3K total for both procedures.
(For those who might freak out at the cost of things I'm describing, that was near Boston. Even here in S. NH, crowns & root canals, etc. are VERY expensive at every dentist, endodontist, etc.)
So now I'm 71, & this is the 2nd time this tooth is giving me trouble, like lots of fairly bad pain. I went to a local dentist today & she prescribed antibiotics (& refused to prescribe any good pain med, told me to take tylenol. Thanks Doc!). So we had this discussion about Extraction? Or root canal & crown, & she kind of refused to recommend one or the other. WTH??? Oh, she also grilled me about whether I had seen my last dentist every 6 months!! Over & over, like it was a cop interrogation, so that was fun.
She said a crown & that thing they put in before the crown would be $1700. The last endodontist I saw charged $1373 for a root canal. But my issue is not the money as much as: should I pour more $$ into a 71 y.o. tooth that I had big trouble with decades ago? And is a very back (& damaged) molar). I'm also scared of an extraction.
I had trouble with an "onlay" years ago and ended up having a root canal and crown. I wonder if dentists choose onlay because insurance won't pay for a crown if an onlay will do. I had ins. for a brief time around that time, so maybe that was why. I no longer have dental ins., since it never paid enough to warrant it.
If I were middle aged or younger, I would choose to keep as much of the tooth as possible and crown it, because without it, the jaw in that area begins to deteriorate. However, at your age, that may not make a difference, since that deterioration takes time.
If you don't care if you keep full jaw bone (or whatever you call the bone in that area), just extract it. I had very back molar or the top extracted many years ago (I was out of town, when it severely cracked so had to go to dentist in the area, and that's what he did). I wish it had been crowned, because I was young and I can tell the bone in that area is less than the bone for the other side. I'm older now, so I don't think I'd care much, now.
The 90's might not seem that long ago but the reality is 1992 was 30 years ago. So it's been awhile since you got that crown and they don't last forever.
Personally, if they can save the tooth I would just go ahead and get the rool canal and replacement crown.
I had a similar situation with a molar a couple years ago. Sorry, don’t know which number. It was the 3rd from the back, right side. I do have all my wisdom teeth. In order to get a root canal I would have had to go to a specialist, as the canals were extremely narrow.
I had planned to do that, but couldn’t get an appointment for a couple of weeks, and it was bothering me a lot.
So I had my regular dentist yank it. It was a simple extraction, but I didn’t follow instructions and did end up with dry socket, which was pretty painful. Dentist just repacked it, I was more careful, and it healed fine.
Today, maybe 3 years later, it doesn’t bother me at all. Yeah, I have to do the heavy chewing on the other side, but it’s not even a conscious effort any more.
So a week later I went to see my "regular" dentist. This guy is really good & I trust his advice. He said there wasn't enough tooth left to successfully make a crown; & that I should have it extracted. By then I'd spent several days on the antibiotics & the tooth was feeling much better. I asked him: "what if I do nothing"? He said "the infection will come back, & will come back with a vengeance".
I have an app't. next Friday with an oral surgeon. This exam is $150, & the extraction $439. But the way the tooth is feeling today, I'm wondering if I could put it off for awhile?? Also there are 2 teeth on the xray I sent them, & the app't. woman got all confused & kept asking me if BOTH teeth needed extraction??! (THEY DON'T)
Would anyone else here put off the extraction for awhile--until the tooth starts hurting again? Or, does an infected tooth ever "get better" after a round of antibiotics?
Thanks.......
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