Hi cjuch,
Thank you for posting the radio graphs.
Because you mentioned that you are concerned about your physical health and how your teeth relate to that, let me first clarify the systemic health risks associated with all root canaled teeth. Due to the biology of bacteria and the intricate anatomy of both the teeth and the jaw bone, there are no exceptions when it comes to non vital teeth being inflamed and diseased.
Irrelevant of how many times the teeth are root canaled, the status of the vitality does not change and the inflammation and infection does not dissipate. Because the blood vascular system of the mouth is the same system that supplies blood to the rest of the organs and body, the bacterias and toxins that live in our teeth, jaw bone and gum tissue continually travel throughout our entire blood system. So the potential for systemic health problems are greatly increased in people who have retained their non vital and infected teeth.
Regarding the post.... any size post is damaging to the delicate structure of the tooth. The post acts like a wedge in a very confined area and eventually bacteria forms around the post and decay occurs.
A side note about the thyroid gland and something to think about and even do some research on. The thyroid has numerous important functions but it is also a major filtering organ for the entire blood supply that is continually being utilized by the body. So the bacterias that end up in our blood from infected teeth, filter through the thyroid before they move on to other areas.
If all of those radio graphs on the screen pertain to your teeth, then you have several root canaled teeth. All of which appear to have posts in them. Since you are writing here today about your lower left first molar which is tooth #19, I will focus on just that one.
Tooth #19 is root canaled, has a large post in it and it is indeed infected. It has a very pronounced infection in the jaw bone in at least 3 different places. One is surrounding the mesial or front root, another is at the distal or back root and the third place is at the furcation which is located at the junction where the top of the root structure comes together. There is diseased and moderate bone loss around the circumference of this tooth as well as at the furcation. Also the distal, back root, appears to be fractured about a third down from the top of the post.
Regarding the replacement of this tooth.... to be truthful, placing an implant in this area would carry an elevated risk of failure and infection because of the longevity and intensity of the infection in the bone. It is imperative that if you have this tooth extracted that you see an oral surgeon for the procedure. A general dentist will most likely have some difficulty removing this fragile tooth. It is equally important that you advise the surgeon that you want him to be sure he is very thorough in removing the entire tooth, the periodontal ligament and all visibly diseased bone to try and prevent further problems down the road. Although these surgical steps are suppose to be done with every extraction, you cannot just assume they will be.
Regarding the antibiotics.... the most an antibiotic drug will do for you with tooth #19 is temporarily subside some bacteria and inflammation. The only attempt at curing this infection is to remove the source, which is the tooth along with the rest of the diseased tissue and bone.
Regarding oral home care.... Thorough tooth brushing with a soft bristle brush or an electric tooth brush twice a day and thorough flossing and tongue scraping before bed are what will keep the plaque from accumulating on and in between the teeth. Avoid mouthwash that contains anything other than herbs or essential oils as most mouthwashes are derived from toxic chemicals and alcohol. All of which irritate the oral mucosa and reduce the flow of saliva predisposing the user to tooth decay, gum disease and in some instances oral cancer. To freshen you breath you can put a few drops of peppermint oil in warm water and swish around. Another therapeutic measure for the health of the gum tissue is called oil pulling. You would use a teaspoon or so of coconut oil and swish it around in your mouth for about 30-60 seconds, spit and rinse out.
Regarding supplements that benefit oral and dental health... there are many of them. However, they would be most beneficial to someone who does not have any root canaled or infected teeth because supplements cannot alter the process of disease that is going on inside of a tooth causing further breakdown in the bone. So it would be a waste of your money to invest in them and misleading for me to suggest them to you at this time.
Be careful of what you are eating while avoiding gluten and dairy. Many products on the market that proclaim to be gluten or dairy free are highly processed and loaded with unhealthy additives. I always suggest that when someone really wants to get their diet on track, to work with a nutritionist for the proper guidance.
I hope this information has been helpful to you.
Bryanna
tooth #19 your lower left first molar.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cjuch
Hello,
I find this forum extremely information and after reading your comments on root canals and infections I already know what you will say but I figured I might as well share my issue and hear it for myself 
About 10 years ago I received a root canal on my lower left tooth- the second one from the back (not sure what number that is-number 16?). All was well for a few years and then all of a sudden about 4 years ago I would get a fistula on the gum next to the tooth. It would come and go (which I regret not having it taken care of sooner since I let it go for a few years before having anything done) and I got a root canal retreatment last year in January of 2014 as per my dentist and the endodontist. All was well again and then in June the bump came back and I went back to the endodontist who took an xray and we found that post that was put in by my general dentist after the retreatment was too large and causing an infection.(originally for this retreatment my general dentist prepped the tooth and took mold for the crown, the endodontist did the retreatment and then I went back to the general dentist for the post and crown to be put on). So my GD took off the crown and replaced the post and crown (luckily at no charge since he messed up)
Now it's March 2015 and the fistula is back. Luckily I found this forum and read many of the threads with people with the same problem. I had an appointment anyways with the GD for another crown on the opposite side to be put on so I had him look at the tooth. He put me on Clindomycin and said that the antibiotics should take care of it unless I want the tooth extracted. after reading your forum I knew that extraction would be best and happy that an apicoectomy wasn't suggested. I told him that I want the tooth out and want to leave it alone for a long time (have no desire for a bridge or implant) although, of course, he is suggesting an implant. I attached a picture of the tooth that i took while it was up on his screen so I'm not sure if you can really see anything-it's the picture of the tooth in the lower left of the screen.
I don't want a bridge and I don't like the idea of a screw holding up a tooth from my jawbone for an implant. Just doesn't sound right to me. Luckily, he says that whatever I want to do is best so he's not super pushy but says that if it was him he would get an implant and that having the tooth pulled can lead to the other teeth closing in on it a bit (doesn't sound too bad) and the upper teeth getting longer since there will be a gap and shared that eating will not be fun or easy. Still- doesn't sound too horrible to me since a recurring infection scares me and makes me wonder what it's doing to my overall health.
Also- about 3 years ago I was diagnosed with Hashimotos Thyroiditis- an autoimmune disease that attacks my thyroid and am worried that my lingering infection might have been the cause or atleast contributed to the problem. Since my diagnosis I'm gluten free and slowly working on dairy free but I guess that information is for another post on a different thread.
Besides offering advice on what to do next on my tooth, do you have suggestions about what to do to maintain the health of my teeth besides brushing, flossing, mouthwash- any supplements?
Anyways, based on the previous posts tooth extraction is probably the best without a bridge or implantation, right?
Please advise at your earliest convenience and I apologize for asking for help with something I've seen that has been explained many times here.
Thank you,
CJ |