Root Canals?

[Mimichi]

How many of you have had them only to have to have the tooth pulled anyways?

I need one, but honestly I'm just debating on having it pulled rather than spending all that money only to have it pulled anyways. Everyone I've talked to so far has said they're not worth it and have had the tooth pulled in the end. $700 is a lot and really I can't afford it, I had to get a care credit card because on top of cavities and that it'll be roughly $2,000. So if I can save myself a lot of money, I will.

 

[Jenn]

I was a dental assistant years ago and you don't want to needlessly pull teeth. It is always the best option to keep the tooth in place, as it keeps the tooth opposite and the teeth beside it in place. Depending on which tooth it is, removal can really affect your ability to chew on that side. A pulled tooth would mean you need a bridge or an implant to replace it, which is much more expensive. A root canal done properly will not need to be pulled. The root canal process removes the blood and nerve supply as well as any diseased tooth which is then sealed. The tooth will then need a crown on it to hold the tooth together from crumbling apart.

I agree, terribly expensive, but worth keeping the tooth.

 

[Rockka]

I had one done about a year ago and I have no problems with the tooth. Dont think it will be pulled anytime. If you have a good dentist the pain really isn't as bad as people say either. Everyone is different tho. I went to a dental office that has their own insurance to help cover what your insurance won't and I didn't pay a dime for it. Maybe you could look around and see if you have a clinic in your area with the same program. I pay 35 a year for the extra insurance.

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[Spoof]

I went in to get one done... o.0 eegads. 15 years ago, I'm getting old! Anyhow, it had died when I was in high school and I went in to get a root canal since everyone said you had to have one.

I should have gone to my dentist first, but long story short, I'm glad the place terrified me because I ran(!) out never had it done. It has never given me any problems, it is a molar right behind my wolf tooth and the only noticeable difference is that it is darker than the other teeth. Nobody has ever noticed it unless I've pointed it out.

What my real dentist told me was that unless it became infected, leave it alone. The life expectancy on a root canal for most people is about 10 years anyway, and if it didn't become infected right away it had calcified and would likely stay there for the rest of my life. So I did, and it is still there all happy like. )

 

[Jenn]

I went in to get one done... o.0 eegads. 15 years ago, I'm getting old! Anyhow, it had died when I was in high school and I went in to get a root canal since everyone said you had to have one.

I should have gone to my dentist first, but long story short, I'm glad the place terrified me because I ran(!) out never had it done. It has never given me any problems, it is a molar right behind my wolf tooth and the only noticeable difference is that it is darker than the other teeth. Nobody has ever noticed it unless I've pointed it out.

What my real dentist told me was that unless it became infected, leave it alone. The life expectancy on a root canal for most people is about 10 years anyway, and if it didn't become infected right away it had calcified and would likely stay there for the rest of my life. So I did, and it is still there all happy like. )

I don't think that is entirely true. A dead tooth, or dying tooth, should have a root canal done. Waiting until it gets infected is not a good idea since I've seen some huge abscesses that can occur...an emergency trip to the hospital or dentist, antibiotics and lots of pain. A root canal is simply the procedure to remove any blood and nerve supply and to seal up the canals so they can't harbor any bacteria or become infected. Unfortunately, though, when a tooth has died it becomes brittle over time. A crown is needed to hold the tooth together. A properly done root canal and crown should last the rest of your life. Crowns sometimes need to be replaced over time, depending on how much your gums recede and if caries/dental decay becomes an issue at the gumline or if it has become unsightly.

 

[Rockka]

I agree with Jenn. I know a lady who never got hers fixed and she ended up in the hospital because it got infected badly. I think in the end her bone had gotten infected too. If it gets infected it will hurt bad! Mine got infected and they gave me Vikaden (not spelled right) it's not something to just ignore!

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[Spoof]

How long between when the tooth died and your lady had to go to the hospital? Mine has been dead 18 years now and looks great on x-rays when they take them, just dead.

I've been through four dentists now and they test it and always say if it isn't bothering you don't mess with it?

 

[Jenn]

An infection can happen at any time. Unfortunately just because a tooth has been fine for years doesn't make you safe from it ever happening. You may never get an infection/abcess or it can pop up unexpectedly one day. That being said, my husband also has a dead tooth that has never had a root canal. I can tell it is dead because it is discolored. He has never had an issue with it. Basically, go with what your dentist says. If you need a root canal, don't hesitate to get it done. If he says the tooth is fine and to continue to monitor it, then that's the way to go.

 

[sheena lee]

Personally, I have had 2 teeth (bottom molars, one on each side) pulled. I'm only 26. One tooth was pulled years ago, it was the best decision of my life! The second one I'm a bit on the fence about, it's a little closer to the front and makes it very hard to chew, but it was pulled only recently. I plan to get an implant for at least that tooth (runs at about $2400 each, so it EVENTUALLY comes to the same as a root canal) once I get done with the whole process of braces.

My reason for getting both teeth pulled was two-fold. First, I'm not rich. I'm REALLY not rich. At the time of the first tooth, I had no dental coverage at all, and didn't feel like putting myself in debt for a tooth that had always given me trouble. At the time of second tooth, I was looking at a total of $2000 dental work -- NOT including a root canal+crown -- and only had $700 coverage.
Second, both teeth had been filled twice, and broke twice. The tooth I had pulled recently was mostly filling and not tooth, honestly, and my dentist said that I was better off pulling it and getting an implant later when I can afford it, and I agreed with him. Since I'm already spending close to $10,000 on braces (well, not ME ... my parents are paying about 60% of it ) ), what's another $2500 in a few years from now?

This month I'm having one wisdom tooth pulled out :,( and then braces go on next month... I used to hate dentists, but I've gone so often recently I sort of feel at home there now.

 

[ticklechin]

I was a dental hygienist when I was alot younger and my view of root canals is why. They are done for pure vanity, and are not a life time solution since the tooth that it is done to frequently becomes infected and has to be pulled anyways. Why? Because during a root canal the dentist hollows out the tooth of all the living portions, fills it with guttapercha which is fine and dandy, BUT the guttapercha does not fill the dental tubules. These tiny passages are great for anerobic bacteria to hide where they are protected from the bodies immune system and antibiotis, these ticking time bombs lie in wait and blow up at any time. A dead tooth is the only dead thing we leave in a body, any other dead item we remove so why not a tooth.

 

[Jenn]

I was a dental hygienist when I was alot younger and my view of root canals is why. They are done for pure vanity, and are not a life time solution since the tooth that it is done to frequently becomes infected and has to be pulled anyways. Why? Because during a root canal the dentist hollows out the tooth of all the living portions, fills it with guttapercha which is fine and dandy, BUT the guttapercha does not fill the dental tubules. These tiny passages are great for anerobic bacteria to hide where they are protected from the bodies immune system and antibiotis, these ticking time bombs lie in wait and blow up at any time. A dead tooth is the only dead thing we leave in a body, any other dead item we remove so why not a tooth.

I disagree with you on this Dawn. There is no reason that a tooth,with a properly done root canal, not to stay a productive and functioning tooth for the rest of someone's life. That's why close monitoring of the tooth when cleaning it out and the sealing of the canals, done with an x-ray is so important. People dismiss teeth all too quickly. They are a vital part of the human body. We wouldn't cut off a finger, and I would die before I had a tooth pulled. As stated, they keep neighboring teeth from drifting, they keep opposing teeth from drifting out of the socket, and a missing tooth will most likely shift one's eating/chewing to the other side. If you replace it with a bridge or better yet, an implant, then no harm. But to leave an empty socket, you are asking for future issues. We never had patients come in with a failed root canal. If the root canal had failed it is because it wasn't done properly in the first place. Pulling out a tooth is never the first option, it is a last option.

 

[ticklechin]

I worked in a periodontist office, we saw many failed root canals-from abscesses whether periapical or periodontal. In a general practice you may not see it since the pure volume of endodontic patients is low. I do agree the space should be filled, but I don't agree root canals are a great option, JMO.

 

[sheena lee]

I'm not a dentist but root canals do fail.. My dentist said that the work that would cost me $2500 was not at all guaranteed (at least he was honest), which is why he suggested pulling it. I feel SO much better with it out, but I definitely will be getting an implant a few years from now.

I've never had any issues with my other pulled tooth, and it's been over 4 years since the pulling. The ONE issue is that it's next to my bottom wisdom tooth, and when that tooth is pulled, the wisdom tooth will "fall" -- it begins to tilt forward somewhat (unlike the top ones, which will move to fill the hole.) It sucks but the dentist didn't mention it as a problem, so I'm not worried.

 

[Jenn]

To each his own. I would never get a tooth pulled, but that is just me. I value my teeth too much. If you have faith in your dentist, follow his/her advice as they know you and your situation best. There is no one solution for everyone. Sure, root canals can and do fail, but I worked alongside an awesome dentist and we didn't have any root canals fail. But I would certainly hate to go through the procedure and then have it fail. That would be terrible. Implants are awesome. Insurance didn't used to cover them, I don't know if they do now...I just know they are terribly expensive but they are the closest thing to replacing the natural tooth and they look quite real if done correctly.

 

[DaddyslilDimwit]

I have had 2 root canals and both have had to be pulled anyway.

 

[ChilliPepper]

I have sadly had 7 root canals. I have bad teeth, plus I grind them and get tiny cracks where cavities grow deep inside my tooth. That's how my dentist explained it anyway. So far I still have them all. I may lose 2 because I have not been able to get them crowned. It has been about 6 years since the first one. I went through a bad health crisis several years ago.

 

[Mimichi]

I really appreciate all the advice, but I've decided to go ahead and get it pulled. They told me today that the crown wasn't even included in the $881 so after the crown it would have been over a thousand. It's gonna cost at least $200 to get it pulled so while it may be expensive, it's definitely cheaper than a grand.

I figured after hearing a lot of people, mostly in my family, say that theirs failed not too long after, that it really wasn't worth it. Since I have no job and no dental insurance. Not to mention all the complications that could go along with it. Infections, abscesses, and whatever else. I make money from drawing, but it's not enough to live off of. I still have 12 cavities that need filled so that's still another $800. :[ So I decided, for me, it was best. I do plan on getting a bridge as soon as I get everything else, that I need done, paid off.

I do have that care credit card to use, I still have to make monthly payments, but it's at least somewhat bearable.

 

[DaddyslilDimwit]

Good luck. I know how horrid it is to have dental issues with no insurance. But it is really good you are getting it taken care of. A lot of people without insurance just let it get out of control and let their mouths rot because they won't do a payment plan.