Root canal or not?

[maslex]

I had a filling done last month on one of my bottom front teeth. My dentist said it was a pretty deep filling almost, down to the nerve. She put a medicine on top of it and then did the filling. All has been well except this past week. I'm now starting to get dull aches, some throbbing, some pain that moves from one tooth to the other or parts of my jaw to the other. I went back in to see her and she took an x-ray and it came back that I have an infection in that tooth. She said down the line after the infection goes away if it keeps coming back then I have two choices. I could either pull the tooth or get a root canal. Over the years I've heard many horror stories on root canals and it doesn't make me want to get one. But then again I don't want to pull the tooth because it's my bottom front tooth. What have been your experiences with a root canal. I'm assuming they're a lot better now with the technology than they were years ago. I'm hoping

 

[Disneylover99]

I had a root canal about 3 years ago.
No regrets.

I’ll get another if necessary. I really like and trust my dentist. That makes all the difference too.

 

[ronandannette]

I had a filling done last month on one of my bottom front teeth. My dentist said it was a pretty deep filling almost, down to the nerve. She put a medicine on top of it and then did the filling. All has been well except this past week. I'm now starting to get dull aches, some throbbing, some pain that moves from one tooth to the other or parts of my jaw to the other. I went back in to see her and she took an x-ray and it came back that I have an infection in that tooth. She said down the line after the infection goes away if it keeps coming back then I have two choices. I could either pull the tooth or get a root canal. Over the years I've heard many horror stories on root canals and it doesn't make me want to get one. But then again I don't want to pull the tooth because it's my bottom front tooth. What have been your experiences with a root canal. I'm assuming they're a lot better now with the technology than they were years ago. I'm hoping

I’m a night grinder and over the years I’ve fractured 6 of my molars. I’ve had root canals and crowns on all but one, which was broken into the root and couldn’t be saved. The worst thing about the procedures (besides the price ) is how long it takes. About an hour, but that’s for molars that have 3 or sometimes 4 roots. Front teeth would be much quicker and with today’s modern anesthetics you could sleep through it if you wanted although I never needed to.

Don’t give up a front tooth unless there’s no alternative. You’ll be without it for at least 6 months before they’ll do an implant. That alone would be embarrassing and the cost will be exponentially higher than saving it.

 

[a1tinkfans]

No issues with root canals.. when they re done by good dentists.
You should not have gotten an infection. That means it Wasn’t cleaned out enough, they left space for it. I’d get Another opinion Pulling a tooth, a front one is a last resort imho. Seriously. Get another opinion. Good luck!!

 

[anthony2k7]

I had a root canal about 3 years ago.
No regrets.

I’ll get another if necessary. I really like and trust my dentist. That makes all the difference too.

I had one done about 14 years ago. It was my first time visiting my current dentist and I heard loads of horror stories as well about root canals.

She told me I would need two sessions to complete it and that it wouldn't last forever either. I went ahead anyway. First session she only used a little anesthetic but it went fine - very little pain during and none after. The 2nd session to remove the final bits she said she will try without any anesthetic but if it hurts too much she would inject me with a little. Again, no pain! No need for an injection at all.

For years since she reminded me that it wouldn't last and it would need to be removed if it started to hurt again.

Well over the last 14 years I have had pain from it quite a few times but it always turned out to be sinus related or when I was exhausted. She hasn't needed to actually do anything with it. 14 years later I'm still happy.

But she definitely is a fantastic dentist. No one can believe me when I say how little anesthetic she used.

 

[Pooh2]

I have had 4 root canals.
All completely miserable.
But glad I did it to save my teeth.
I really don't like the missing tooth look!

 

[maslex]

I’m a night grinder and over the years I’ve fractured 6 of my molars. I’ve had root canals and crowns on all but one, which was broken into the root and couldn’t be saved. The worst thing about the procedures (besides the price ) is how long it takes. About an hour, but that’s for molars that have 3 or sometimes 4 roots. Front teeth would be much quicker and with today’s modern anesthetics you could sleep through it if you wanted although I never needed to.

Don’t give up a front tooth unless there’s no alternative. You’ll be without it for at least 6 months before they’ll do an implant. That alone would be embarrassing and the cost will be exponentially higher than saving it.

Are they not covered by insurance?

 

[ronandannette]

I have had 4 root canals.
All completely miserable.
But glad I did it to save my teeth.
I really don't like the missing tooth look!

Yep. Not pleasant procedures but totally unthinkable to be gap-toothed, especially a front one.

 

[billlaurie]

I have had multiple root canals, not my favorite thing to do but not painful, just uncomfortable because you need to hold your mouth open so long. I always go to an endodontist. Definitely do it, especially for a front tooth!

 

[Praying Colonel]

I was on business about 15 years ago and developed throbbing pain in a lower front tooth that got really really bad. I saw my dentist when I got back and he said I'd developed an infection and abscess in the tooth.

He sent me to an endodontist for a root canal and it went fine, no problems with the procedure or anything since. (FWIW, the position of the root canal and filling meant they didn't have to put a cap on the tooth, an added bonus.)

I'm very glad I went that way instead of getting it pulled, just because I want to keep my original equipment as long as possible.

 

[ronandannette]

Are they not covered by insurance?

Sure but my policy maxes out at $2,500/year. A root canal and crown is about $1,600 per tooth and even at 60% coverage, it doesn’t go very far. Dental care is extremely expensive here in Canada. When I needed to get 3 done at once I actually went to Mexico for the procedures. My insurance still covered their share and even with the price of a nice week-long holiday thrown in, it was still cheaper than at home.

 

[cabanafrau]

Also consider the implications of a missing tooth, one being that it's likely that your other teeth may very likely start shifting a bit because of the change in available space. A root canal is IMO unpleasant, but far from unbearable.

 

[mjkacmom]

Sure but my policy maxes out at $2,500/year. A root canal and crown is about $1,600 per tooth and even at 60% coverage, it doesn’t go very far. Dental care is extremely expensive here in Canada. When I needed to get 3 done at once I actually went to Mexico for the procedures. My insurance still covered their share and even with the price of a nice week-long holiday thrown in, it was still cheaper than at home.

Here in the US, dental plans tend to cover the basics like 2 cleanings a year, a cavity or two. Wisdom teeth removal, root canals, crowns, etc. usually have a lot of OOP expenses.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I had a filling done last month on one of my bottom front teeth. My dentist said it was a pretty deep filling almost, down to the nerve. She put a medicine on top of it and then did the filling. All has been well except this past week. I'm now starting to get dull aches, some throbbing, some pain that moves from one tooth to the other or parts of my jaw to the other. I went back in to see her and she took an x-ray and it came back that I have an infection in that tooth. She said down the line after the infection goes away if it keeps coming back then I have two choices. I could either pull the tooth or get a root canal. Over the years I've heard many horror stories on root canals and it doesn't make me want to get one. But then again I don't want to pull the tooth because it's my bottom front tooth. What have been your experiences with a root canal. I'm assuming they're a lot better now with the technology than they were years ago. I'm hoping

I've had numerous root canals. Almost all my lower teeth have had them and a few uppers.

I'd take the root canal over extraction. By the time I'd get a root canal the infection was so bad and the pain so enormous, that just getting the Novocaine was a relief. I've had 2 root canals that I've since had to to have the tooth extracted, Both of them about 30-50 years later. Extraction is really the last resort.

EDIT: Just adding some more info, all my root canals, but one, were done by an endodontist. With Novocaine (or lidocane, actually). My regular dentist has nitrous, I wish the endo did, also. But, I was in so much pain before the procedure that I welcomed the numbing and was happy to get anything done to fix it. There was some pain afterward, but "good" pain, you know, the kind that feels like things are getting healed. I just used Tylenol and/or ibuprofen.

 

[cabanafrau]

Here in the US, dental plans tend to cover the basics like 2 cleanings a year, a cavity or two. Wisdom teeth removal, root canals, crowns, etc. usually have a lot of OOP expenses.

I was talking with my dentist's office about this a few years ago. Apparently a lot of the standard amounts insurance will cover for procedures has remained the same for 30 years. Obviously the dentists' cost of doing business haven't stayed anywhere near those levels, so their charges can't either. It's so strange dental insurance premiums haven't stayed at the levels of 30 years ago either.

 

[lorimay]

I had a tooth last year that was bothering me, the dentist said he could put the crown on without a root canal, I was so happy.
The crown never felt good from day one.
I went back six weeks later and he said the nerve was exposed and he had to do a root canal, he did the root canal right then and there, cause he knew I was a chicken, so he gave me zero time to think about it.
Best decision I ever made, I thought it was the crown bothering me but it was the nerve. Now I don't even remember I have a crown at all.

 

[mnrose]

I've had quite a few root canals. They've all worked, but are not "permanent." My oldest ones are beginning to fail (we're talking 30 years or so though, so honestly, it's ok). So, now I've got two implants. Get the root canal. In the hands of a competent professional (an endodontist...no way would I use a general practice dentist), it's an effective way to save a tooth.

 

[OneOftheB's]

Bottom front tooth? Go with the root canal. Pulling teeth, especially bottom teeth, leads to bone loss unless you get an implant (which might require the dentist to add cadaver bone). The root canal is the easiest, cheapest and least invasive of the two best options.

 

[HadesFan]

I had less trouble with a root canal than some of the fillings I've had. I had an infection and a hole in the side of my tooth, under the gumline. This was a tooth with a crown. I went to an endodontist, she numbed it up, gave me a little happy gas and a pair of glasses and I watched a movie. Took a little longer, she had to peel the gum back to fix the hole, then stitch it back up. Not bad at all, and I'm a huge baby when it comes to the dentist.

 

[wvjules]

My DD had a root canal on Wednesday. The procedure was fine. But afterwards she got a really bad headache and had some residual soreness from the numbing injection and keeping her jaw open for so long.