Hi Susie QRS,
Your post was fine... not too lengthy or over whelming at all!
Also, thanks for the kind words
I do try to help here as much as I can.
Let me just let you know that I have been in dentistry for 35 yrs as a licensed chair side assistant... etc.
The first thing that pops to my mind is.. get all of the xrays of your entire mouth done before you proceed any further. Unless you had a blaring toothache, you should never have any tooth root canaled without seeing the health of the other teeth first. The main reason is because when attempting to "retain" a tooth, it is imperative to see what is going on with the adjacent teeth as they may be in a similar or worse situation than the tooth in question.
Secondly, why was this tooth root canaled? Do you have an xray of it that you could post here? Just make sure your name is not on it.
Calcified canals in "healthy" teeth indicate that some form of an anomaly (not normal) had taken place. This could occur in utero or during the formation of the teeth or from trauma (even a chronic bruxism habit)... or could be a hereditary condition. Do you have other teeth with calcified canals?
I will repost your questions and answer them in bold type.
<<<1. Can you tell me what the best treatment for calcified canals would be? Should they be left alone? Are they abscessed and should they be removed if root canals are declined?>>
THERE IS NO DENTAL TREATMENT FOR CALCIFIED CANALS. CALICIFIED MEANS CLOSED OR NON EXISTENT. SOME MAY BE PARTIALLY CLOSED WITH LITTLE TO NO LIVE TISSUE IN IT. WHEN RC IS PERFORMED ON A TOOTH WITH CALCIFIED CANALS THE ACCESS IS BASICALLY IMPOSSIBLE. WHAT OFTEN HAPPENS IS THE INSTRUMENTS PERFORATE THE WALL OF THE TOOTH IN TRYING TO MAKE AN ACCESS THAT DOES NOT REALLY EXIST. IF THE TOOTH BECOMES INFECTED, THE ONLY CURE WOULD BE TO REMOVE IT. IF THE TOOTH REMAINS QUIET AND HEALTHY... NOTHING SHOULD BE DONE TO IT. AGAIN, WHY WAS THIS TOOTH ROOT CANALED?
<<2. I was curious about the rash. The endo had not allowed sufficient time to complete and his next patient was waiting. He went straight to the filling after chipping away at the calcium deposited in the root.>>>
YEA, I AM CURIOUS ABOUT THAT ALSO. THAT COULD BE FROM ANY NUMBER OF THINGS. ARE YOU PRONE TO HIVES OR RASHES? DO YOU HAVE ALLERGIES OR SENSITIVITIES TO LATEX OR CHEMICALS? DO YOU HAVE ANY AUTO IMMUNE CONDITIONS?
<<<3. I wonder if this tooth will be a problem to remove? The endo was a man of few words but he did say the tooth root was close to the sinus.>>>
THIS TOOTH MAY BE A BIT CHALLENGING TO REMOVE DUE TO THE LACK OF VITALITY IN IT FROM THE GET GO. TEETH WITH CALCIFIED CANALS TEND TO BE A BIT MORE BRITTLE. HOWEVER, AN ORAL SURGEON WOULD BE THE ONE TO SEE TO REMOVE THIS TOOTH, NOT A GENERAL DENTIST.
A WORD OF CAUTION.... THE BACTERIA FROM THIS TOOTH CAN EASILY TRAVEL TO YOUR SINUS IF THE SINUS IS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE ROOT OF THE TOOTH. YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THIS BUT ALL ROOT CANALED TEETH ARE UNHEALTHY BECAUSE THEY ALL HARBOR BACTERIA AS IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO STERILIZE A TOOTH.
<<I really am not sure about the direction this treatment is going because my dentist is one who believes in "saving" the teeth. A video clip plays in his waiting room with an illustration of how removing teeth can cause the remaining teeth to shift and alter the "bite". I welcome your thoughts and insight. >>
I AM APPALLED AT ANY DENTIST SHOWING THAT TYPE OF VIDEO IN THEIR OFFICE. THE ONLY PURPOSE OF THAT VIDEO IS TO SELL ROOT CANALS AND DENTAL IMPLANTS. IN DENTISTRY THE WORDS "CURE" OR "SAVE" WHEN PERTAINING TO A ROOT CANALED TOOTH MEANS NOTHING MORE THAN "RETAIN". THERE IS NO DENTAL PROCEDURE OR MEDICAMENT THAT CAN CURE AN INFECTED TOOTH OR A TOOTH THAT HAS BECOME UNHEALTHY DUE TO THE CALCIFICATION OF THE CANALS. AND ALL DENTISTS ARE FULLY AWARE OF THIS FACT.
I apologize for being so blunt. It is your right to be properly informed and never forced or persuaded into a procedure especially when you have not been given all the facts. I often say ... I hope to live long enough to see dentistry become an honest profession. :/
Bryanna
Quote:
Originally Posted by Susie QRS
I have been following these discussions for some time now. The guidance and gentle persuasion that Bryanna so kindly offers is deserving of a humanitarian aware
I have multiple dental problems but I will try to break my situation into small pieces so as not to overwhelm.
Several months ago, I was referred to an endodontist for assessment of a maxillary first molar. I agonized over the prospect and finally thought of it as a temporary fix; so that the neuromuscular dentist I am seeing could progress with "tensing" and an orthotic to balance my bite. The molar was needed as an anchor for the orthotic teeth. I trusted his judgement and proceeded with the root canal.
The root canal was a tedious procedure taking 5 hours in two sittings because the canals were calcified. I broke out in an intensely itchy and raised rash on my jaw and down my neck on the same side as the root canal. I have multiple other teeth that intermittently ache and other calcified canals, the full extent unknown because they have not all had periapical xrays as yet, and my dentist is not in any hurry to find them it seems. There are no cavities but the pulp of the tooth seems to be the issue.
1. Can you tell me what the best treatment for calcified canals would be? Should they be left alone? Are they abscessed and should they be removed if root canals are declined?
2. I was curious about the rash. The endo had not allowed sufficient time to complete and his next patient was waiting. He went straight to the filling after chipping away at the calcium deposited in the root.
3. I wonder if this tooth will be a problem to remove? The endo was a man of few words but he did say the tooth root was close to the sinus.
I really am not sure about the direction this treatment is going because my dentist is one who believes in "saving" the teeth. A video clip plays in his waiting room with an illustration of how removing teeth can cause the remaining teeth to shift and alter the "bite". I welcome your thoughts and insight.
(Tried hard to be brief. Sorry for the length of this.) |