[rdavies]

Sorry long winded

Last year, starting about 6 months ago, I had treatment on an old filling, because according to my dentist, the filling would eventually become infected.

After cleaning this filling out, I had to go back numerous of times as the pain I had was unbearable. I had been on a course of 6 antibiotics and several fillings and eventually a root canal treatment done.

It has now been several months and apparently the root canal has chipped, I have always had a bit of a weird sensation after the root treatment, when pressure has been applied around the gum which had the treatment, but no pain when 'tapping' on the filling as apposed to before, when I couldn't eat or apply any pressure on the tooth, which resulted in pain.

Now, the dentist is suggesting I have a crown put over the tooth, now this is where I'm confused.

I have asked my dentist whether I would need another injection like he did several times before (sorry to be a baby about this but I was never afraid of the dentist or needles until this experience happened) I can't go through with anther injection, the more he injected me the more painful each time seemed to get, the injection was positioned right at the back of my mouth, and it was painful the more he had to re-clean the infected tooth out, so I'm now traumatized and never want a goddamn needle near my mouth again, I want to be completely knocked for six before it comes close to me.

I have no idea what to do, I feel like crying and screaming, part of me thinks to just get it extracted but my dentist really isn't keen on the idea, but I have had so much hassle with this tooth, I doubt a crown will solve the problem.

Any advice so much appreciated, I'm also trying to get a second opinion.

[ginnie]

Bryanna will sure respond. If it were me, I would never crown a root cannaled tooth, as that tooth is only temporary at best. I also know about needles. The area in the back of the mouth between your jaws, is where the nerve is to deaden. It takes a skilled and gentle dentist to give the injection so it doesn't hurt. I am 1st class chicken. I am 61 years old and just found such a dentist. There is also a little stimulator device, that can be put on or near the area of injection. This wiggles the entire area, and distracts you so you don't feel it. Also a topical should be used before anything. I do wish you all the best. I just went to the dentist today. YEH! no more work to be done..... hope this happens for you soon too. ginnie

[rdavies]

Originally Posted by ginnie

Bryanna will sure respond. If it were me, I would never crown a root cannaled tooth, as that tooth is only temporary at best. I also know about needles. The area in the back of the mouth between your jaws, is where the nerve is to deaden. It takes a skilled and gentle dentist to give the injection so it doesn't hurt. I am 1st class chicken. I am 61 years old and just found such a dentist. There is also a little stimulator device, that can be put on or near the area of injection. This wiggles the entire area, and distracts you so you don't feel it. Also a topical should be used before anything. I do wish you all the best. I just went to the dentist today. YEH! no more work to be done..... hope this happens for you soon too. ginnie

Thank you so much for your reply, that's helped me a bit and comforting to know you can empathise with the way I'm feeling... like a big baby Look forward to hearing from Bryanna.

[Bryanna]

Hi rdavies,

I'm sorry you have been through so much misery with your tooth.

The most important thing to know here is that ALL root canaled teeth remain infected irrelevant of how well the procedure was done...or how many times the procedure is done... or if the tooth has a crown put on or a new filling put in. The reason the tooth remains infected is simple...... there is no access to the tiny canals inside of the tooth allowing the removal of the dead nerve tissue which becomes infectious bacteria. The only infected nerve that is somewhat removed during the root canal procedure is what is found in a few large canals and what the dentist can visually see. There are other anatomical reasons why the tooth remains infected and why the infection can become a systemic problem but they a bit more complicated to explain here. So it is not uncommon for someone to have such pain as you have described with their root canaled tooth..... because it continues to be infected and inflamed.

Unfortunately, the only way to get rid of the infection and the pain is to remove the source of the infection.... which is the tooth. If you wait to remove it, there is a high possibility that the infection will spread from the tooth into the jaw and possibly to other areas of your mouth, etc.

Regarding the pain you experienced with the injections...... sometimes needles can hurt depending on where they are positioned in the mouth. Sometimes the injection is given too quickly or too rough and that would make it painful also. However, the first injection may be uncomfortable... but the subsequent ones if given in the same spot, should not hurt at all because the entire area where the needle goes in would already be numb. If the dentist was giving you injections in various areas of your mouth, then each one of them might pinch a bit. But rarely should they be SO painful that you are afraid to have another one. I'm sorry that you had that bad experience.

If you decide to have this tooth removed... please seek the care from an oral surgeon and not your general dentist. Especially since he seemed to be so rough with you. Also, it is up to you as to whether or not you want to remove your tooth, not your dentist. Root canaled teeth are routinely extracted by oral surgeons every single day... perhaps it is one of the most commonly performed extractions that they do.... because these teeth are always infected and eventually they all need to come out.

I'm sorry for the bad news... but it is your right to be properly informed. I wish there was a way to make this tooth better... but the outcome is inevitable for the reasons that I have stated above.

I hope you get the care that you deserve and all goes well for you!
Bryanna

Originally Posted by rdavies

Sorry long winded

Last year, starting about 6 months ago, I had treatment on an old filling, because according to my dentist, the filling would eventually become infected.

After cleaning this filling out, I had to go back numerous of times as the pain I had was unbearable. I had been on a course of 6 antibiotics and several fillings and eventually a root canal treatment done.

It has now been several months and apparently the root canal has chipped, I have always had a bit of a weird sensation after the root treatment, when pressure has been applied around the gum which had the treatment, but no pain when 'tapping' on the filling as apposed to before, when I couldn't eat or apply any pressure on the tooth, which resulted in pain.

Now, the dentist is suggesting I have a crown put over the tooth, now this is where I'm confused.

I have asked my dentist whether I would need another injection like he did several times before (sorry to be a baby about this but I was never afraid of the dentist or needles until this experience happened) I can't go through with anther injection, the more he injected me the more painful each time seemed to get, the injection was positioned right at the back of my mouth, and it was painful the more he had to re-clean the infected tooth out, so I'm now traumatized and never want a goddamn needle near my mouth again, I want to be completely knocked for six before it comes close to me.

I have no idea what to do, I feel like crying and screaming, part of me thinks to just get it extracted but my dentist really isn't keen on the idea, but I have had so much hassle with this tooth, I doubt a crown will solve the problem.

Any advice so much appreciated, I'm also trying to get a second opinion.

[rdavies]

Originally Posted by Bryanna

Hi rdavies,

I'm sorry you have been through so much misery with your tooth.

The most important thing to know here is that ALL root canaled teeth remain infected irrelevant of how well the procedure was done...or how many times the procedure is done... or if the tooth has a crown put on or a new filling put in. The reason the tooth remains infected is simple...... there is no access to the tiny canals inside of the tooth allowing the removal of the dead nerve tissue which becomes infectious bacteria. The only infected nerve that is somewhat removed during the root canal procedure is what is found in a few large canals and what the dentist can visually see. There are other anatomical reasons why the tooth remains infected and why the infection can become a systemic problem but they a bit more complicated to explain here. So it is not uncommon for someone to have such pain as you have described with their root canaled tooth..... because it continues to be infected and inflamed.

Unfortunately, the only way to get rid of the infection and the pain is to remove the source of the infection.... which is the tooth. If you wait to remove it, there is a high possibility that the infection will spread from the tooth into the jaw and possibly to other areas of your mouth, etc.

Regarding the pain you experienced with the injections...... sometimes needles can hurt depending on where they are positioned in the mouth. Sometimes the injection is given too quickly or too rough and that would make it painful also. However, the first injection may be uncomfortable... but the subsequent ones if given in the same spot, should not hurt at all because the entire area where the needle goes in would already be numb. If the dentist was giving you injections in various areas of your mouth, then each one of them might pinch a bit. But rarely should they be SO painful that you are afraid to have another one. I'm sorry that you had that bad experience.

If you decide to have this tooth removed... please seek the care from an oral surgeon and not your general dentist. Especially since he seemed to be so rough with you. Also, it is up to you as to whether or not you want to remove your tooth, not your dentist. Root canaled teeth are routinely extracted by oral surgeons every single day... perhaps it is one of the most commonly performed extractions that they do.... because these teeth are always infected and eventually they all need to come out.

I'm sorry for the bad news... but it is your right to be properly informed. I wish there was a way to make this tooth better... but the outcome is inevitable for the reasons that I have stated above.

I hope you get the care that you deserve and all goes well for you!
Bryanna

Thank you so much for your reply.

I did read on one of your previous threads regarding root canaled teeth that they would always remaining infected, I really wish my dentist would just be honest and tell me this. I've also read about the infection spreading which is why I'm so nervous about keeping the tooth in!

It sounds silly but my intuition all along has been telling me to just remove the whole tooth and I admit that I wanted to remain ignorant to the fact that my tooth has never been quite right since the root treatment, but I just didn't want to go back in that chair again!

The injection he was giving me wasn't multiple times in one sitting, but each time I returned to get the tooth re-filled, he would inject around the same area, maybe it was psychological on my part, but the injection would hurt progressively more the more I had it.

I will most definitely be contacting an oral surgeon to remove the tooth, not my dentist. Thank you so much for your post it's giving me confidence and put me right at ease and for the sake of anyone else reading the thread I'll update on my situation.