Root canals and the saving of teeth
 

Oh so true about the root canals...
I had a lower molar extracted with an oral surgeon.
Dentist and endo both referred me there.

Problem was consult prior to extraction was a computerized program on bone grafts and implants that I had to pay for.
No consult on my infected root canal tooth and how it would be extracted or what Block would be used as I have total body RSD.

Now I am having to do the 'sinus block' myself with 4% liquid lidocaine down my sinus to the vegas nerve to try to interrupt the sympathetic firing..

I too have a hole I have to be very careful with now. I don't think the surgeon irrigated it as you stated.

Noe it's the puncture from the injections that are a problem..

More questions for Bryanna- implants? TMJ?
 

Hi Bryanna,
It has been 3 weeks now since the problematic #31 tooth extraction and I am feeling much better. There is no pain now but the socket looks like a bit of a sunken hole that is not quite come together (#2 & #3 sites look much better than this one). I ended up going to another holistic dentist yesterday that I just found that is closer to me (2 hr drive rather than 6) because I wanted to discuss with him my replacement options and what it would take to go metal-free. First, he felt that #2 and #3 looked good for implants but he felt #31 would need bone augmentation and asked why that was not done at the time of extraction and secondly, he says that the main reasons that implants fail is that the person's bite is not aligned and an implant being placed into jaw bone that has infection present or that there is not enough available bone to provide a proper anchor. He questioned me a lot about my bite, headaches, popping, pain, etc. I do have neck pain, and morning jaw soreness since the extractions and sore ears and holding my mouth open for those extractions was really painful but I never thought of myself as having TMJ. Anyways, he did a number of checking things with my bite, etc. and told me in his opinion that there was no point going forward with metal-free, new crowns, implants etc until the bite situation was handled. He said that that for molds, the appliance, all the needed adjustments, the trigger point therapy of the muscles and joint involved that this could take up to a years time or so depending on how I do and that it would be $3,700. My first reaction is shock but I have no prior experience or information on this issue and was wondering what you think of this?
Thank you,
Samantha

I found this thread after having an extraction that apparently perforated the sinus. The tooth was infected (see attached photos) and I obviously waited too long. I realized it was perforated when I tried to sniff I could feel air bubbles coming up through my tooth which just had bone graft material put in. It looked fine to my dentist in the xray. When I go home I bent over and a little bit of blood came out of my nose. I also spit out a small clump of blood surrounded by mucus. Since then (24hrs later) everything seems fine. My sinuses are clear and I only have minor pain at the site where the tooth was and no swelling anymore. I started on a Z-Pack yesterday. Should everything heal without the need for further treatment? I'm worried I'm not out of the woods yet. :confused:

I see my dentist in two weeks for a fitting for a permanent bride and I will also be getting a filling or possibly a root canal (if she can't save it) on another tooth (upper tooth #13). The tooth is not in any pain BTW. She says it's close to the nerve but after begging her to try to avoid a root canal she said might be able to get away with a filling.

After reading this thread as well as some of Dr. Weston Price's writings I'm concerned about getting a root canal. I have one other in my mouth that has never caused a problem but the idea of keeping another dead tooth in my mouth just defies common sense. I feel when implants get more established the ADA is going to tell everyone to remove them and replace them with implants just like the amalgam removal has come into vogue.

My dentist seems clueless (as most dentists are) when it comes to the dangers of implants. What should I do? Refuse a root can and opt for an extraction and a bridge? I'm not sure I'm psychologically ready for another extraction again being that she worked on me for three hours with this last one!

Hi Magi,

Thanks for sharing the pictures! It appears that you had a very large cyst at the apex of one of the roots. Typical of root canaled teeth.... not healthy, but typical. It is not a question of waiting too long to have this tooth removed ... most root canaled teeth develop apical cysts at some point. Or they develop large abscesses.

Did the air bubbles occur while you were in the dental chair? Is that when he took the xray after this occurred? If not, then you should notify him of the air bubble and the blood coming from your nose.

There is no way to know if the sinus or the site will heal well or not. It is best to follow the surgeons post op care instructions... avoid any mouthwash other than warm salt water.... no smoking or alcohol.... until the site has closed over. If he suggested to avoid blowing your nose then follow that suggestion also.

Bryanna

Hi Samantha,

You may only need to do an implant in the #3 site if you still have #30 to chew against. There is usually no reason to replace second molars unless you are missing your first molars. If you replace #2 with an implant you would need to also replace #31 as #2 would need a buddy to chew against. I hope all of that is clear......... !

I would suggest to get a written list of things that he intends on doing to alter/adjust your bite for $3700.00. What does he do for trigger point therapy? What type of appliance is he making you? Is he going to do an occlusal adjustment and when?

Bryanna

Thanks so much for the quick response.

It wasn't a root canal even though is was the base of a three unit bridge. At least I don't remember it being a root canal. It was hurting me on and off for a year as if the nerve was live. Toward the end it would kill when I ate something cold or used the waterpick on. I love my waterpick. :)

The bubbles happened when I was still in the chair. She did an x-ray right after that happened and said it looked like it wasn't perforated. She also has me taking Claritin (antihistamine) to keep things dry. The blood from my nose was the consistency of plasma more than thick blood and never happened again. The little clump of coagulated blood I spit up was thick and mucus covered yet never occurred again either. I also was given a Motrin at the dentist office which is a blood thinner. Haven't taken another Motrin since. It's feeling better and better. Mostly my gums and surrounding teeth are sore from all the pulling and rocking she had to do to get everything out in two whole pieces.

BTW, what is your take on getting a root canal on tooth #13?

I was just thinking... I think I snorted the clot out from the side of the sinus. I probably did it in my sleep being that I spit it up right after I woke up from a nap. Hopefully another clot has formed. But like I said before the socket is filled with bone graft material and sutured shut on the mouth side. Yet on the sinus side there was probably a small hole in the membrane. I feel as if it has closed up however. It's not feeling raw up there anymore.

BTW, Before the extraction they had me sign a release that stated everything under the sun that could go wrong. It was very unnerving seeing all the things that could go wrong right before the procedure! Are most dentists doing this now a days?

Hi magi,

Generally root canaled teeth develop an apical cyst, but any tooth can.

The bubbles you described are indicative of a sinus perf. Perhaps it was very small and has healed over already.

The clot that you spit up may or may not have come from your sinus. It is possible that you swallowed some blood during the extraction and it worked it's way up your throat.

I am not in favor of root canal therapy because the procedure renders the tooth non vital, necrotic and infected. There is no access to the tiny canals so they will harbor nerve tissue that becomes infected. So as long as you retain the tooth, it will be unhealthy.

Root canal therapy cannot make a tooth healthy again. It is done simply to allow the patient to "retain" their tooth for a undetermined amount of time. It is important that patients be informed of the risks of "retaining" a non vital tooth and unfortunately most dentists do not offer that information.

Here is a informational link where Dr Mercola talks about those risks....
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...ot-canals.aspx

Bryanna

Magi,

Yea, the clot could have been from the sinus or the throat. It's a good sign that you are not feeling any further sinus issues at this time.

Regarding the release form...
Some offices have patients sign these forms for many procedures. While other offices never use them. So is it not routinely done in every office that's for sure.

Bryanna

I've read that article as well as Dr. Price's stuff. What's missing is an alternative. An extraction then a bridge? I read an article that when an extraction heals bacteria is still present under the gum as well. Not to mention a whole slew of other potential risks that were stated when I signed that paper. Also the bride is going to effect the surrounding teeth it's anchored to. I'm sure those teeth are much harder to keep clean and have a higher incidence of decay. For some reason they don't ask you to sign for a root canal. I need to ask the dentist why that is. These anti-root canal studies seem one sided because they don't seem to balance the risks associated with extractions and bridges with the root canal.

From what I see you're damned either way. I guess what you're saying is all/most root canals lead to an extraction anyway, as well as other nasty side effects, so why no get it done up front? Correct?