Syd,

I would advise against your general dentist removing this tooth. Due to the proliferation of this long standing infection, it is a surgical extraction that will involve removal of diseased bone, tissue and in all probability there will be some sinus involvement. MOST general dentists are not trained in handling this type of extraction and their surgery will be incomplete. The "source" of the infection has been this tooth, however, it has become much more than that. To keep the tooth means to keep the ongoing infection because irrelevant of what is done to this tooth, it will remain infected. Hopefully I have made that clear....... ? The infected bone and tissue has to be surgically removed as much as possible in order for an antibiotic to be effective. Antibiotics will not cure the infection by itself even after the tooth is removed because it cannot undue the damage that has already been done.

The sinus also needs to be surgically debrided in order for an antibiotic to be effective because the diseased tissue needs to be removed in order for the antibiotics to work properly.

You can arrange the mutual surgery with your ENT or an oral surgeon. This is the most complete way to deal with your infection. If you have the surgeries at separate times, you risk infecting the surgerized site. Please consult with your ENT and an oral surgeon for their opinions.... but please reconsider NOT having your general dentist perform this extraction.

Please keep in touch..
Bryanna