First I'm not a dentist nor in that field *admin edit*

Now that link shows that several visits are needed to really fix a root canal, it's needed to really 'clean' a tooth before finishing the root canal. My first root canals were done back in early 90's by a general dentist that cleaned my teeth inside more than once before putting in the rods, then capped the teeth. Here it is 2013 and absolutely NO problems with those teeth. Now I've had a couple of teeth done by a few other general dentist that have really had no clue how to do a root canal: 1 put in inferior rod and the cap broke and the rod has broken. I'm thinking the rod was polymer and not titanium. Another went through the SIDE of the tooth, into the bone and disrupted the sac around the tooth. Emergency visit to the "endo" to patch and spent over 2 weeks on pain pills with a very swollen face.

I have no answers for your tooth but if it's that infected after the root canal and it's going to be that expensive then it might be better to do an implant after the infection is cleared up. I'd hate to do that myself. The latest dentist I went to is talking pulling teeth i.e. the broken root canal. I'm for letting the endo that saved my last tooth go in and look to see if it can't be saved. I'm going to read the rest of the posts to see what has happened, if you're posted since.

I wish I could find another dentist that does root canals in more than one stage and really "cleans" a tooth like the dentist that did my first root canal.