root canal treatment - NHS and private costs & pros and cons

alison999

you should go, even if in the end you end up just discussing your treatment. the treatment you had last weekend was probably just what she could do for you there and then as a emergency appointment. rct has a bad reputation but lots of people have had rct and dont even remember it, also, if its a private appointment and you cancel, there might be a charge, especially if its just because you want to see the dentist that you normally see, as this could have been forseen (SP?)

Toothsmith

I would guess that at the last appointment she entered the nerve chamber of the tooth anyway, as that's what you do if you suspect an infection. Antibiotic/antiseptic dressings are pretty useless unless the pulp chamber is opened right up to let them in.

That means that the nerve is either dead, or the anaesthetics are working effectively and you're not going to feel anything with that tooth.

I would go along on Monday and get it seen to. As it's obviously still a bit 'hot' and the sooner it's done, the sooner you'll be pain free.

It is perfectly acceptable for you to wait for your regular guy though, and with that first stage done, it should settle down pretty soon, and probably be stable until he has a free appointment - which hopefully shouldn't be too long away. If it's more than a couple of weeks though, I'd go with the appointment you've got.

Remember, school holidays start very soon, and even if you've no kids, and so nothing booked, your dentist might have, which will only cause more interruptions.

Up to you though.

Olympika

Thanks so much! I guess that's why I might be in more pain now than I would have expected after a usual filling, if she already went right into the pulpy bit?? Has settled down a bit overnight though and I got some sleep YAY!

One more quick question... I already lost one tooth that side years ago for train track braces and all my wisdom teeth are also removed, which means that I really only have 3 molars now... if I had this one extracted would have only 2 molars be a big problem? (am guessing it might be)...

I'll have a good chat with the emergency dentist tomorrow morning when I go in, and I guess we'll just take it from there. God I am so scared though *gulp*!

Toothsmith

I really couldn't answer that without seeing how everything else related to that tooth.

I would suspect not, but if everyone's confident that it can be root filled, I really would go for that.

If it were me in the chair, I'd have a root filling over an extraction any day.

Olympika

Thanks again Toothsmith

ETA - Am just back in work after the first session of RCT. It was scary but all went ok, I hope. She initially thought there were 3 canals, but then she found a tiny 4th one. All have been cleaned and now got temp filling in there before going back next Tuesday. Am really nervous about how it'll feel once the injection has worn off but guess I'll find out soon enough...

mandy_44

tonytooth wrote: »

Hi guys..... I'll keep this simple..
Root canal treatment (RCT) is performed on a tooth which has a nerve that is dead or dying..... If performed on a tooth which retains some vitality, the local anaesthetic will still render the procedure painless..
As had been said, it does take time to do properly so the time factor is the worst thing about it.
Also note that no RCT can be guaranteed to be 100% successful, no matter who the dentist is.... Some pitfalls with it including recurrent infections and, as mentioned, broken files left in the tooth.....
However it's often the only option other than extraction in these cases and works the majority of times......

hope this of help, and it is my first post so go easy on me

You know I find it interesting that the majority of people who have RCT seem to have a success story. I have had three RCT's on three Different teeth and I have lost all three of them. How unlucky is that?

mandy_44

tonytooth wrote: »

This wouldnt have been a normal root canal, sounds like an apicectomy if you had stitches placed........ This is less pleasant than root canal treatment, and as you say results in bruising etc often...... But just to clarify routine RCT doesnt result in this

Apicectomy.....I have had that done and that failed as well!

Froglet

Could i ask for some advice again please? A few months ago i posted on here about whether to have a root canal filling or an extraction,.after a gum abscess and awful pain around the bottom corner tooth.I decided on the root canal treatment and after two weeks i went to the dental hygienist.Big mistake,she caused a front piece of the tooth to break,and i was both upset and angry.Ok it may have happened sooner or later but up till then it had setlled down nicely.Anyway the dentist patched it up,assured me it was no big deal and for a further 8 weeks i had no problems at all.

I also have sensitive teeth and a receeding gum in one area at the top,around 2 crowned teeth,but that does not bother me unduly,and i can keep it at bay with good quality toothpaste,flossing and mouthwashes.

Anyway,8 weeks later i get a further gum infection in the same area as before.2 lots of antibiotics later it clears up and i hope that is now it.No reason i could see for it and she couldn't either

However another 4 weeks pass and ANOTHER infection.By now i am getting really fed up.This time i went to the doctor for the antibiotics,as i knew what it was and the pills don't cost me anything as i have a prepresciption certificate.

I am now deciding on whether to go to a different dentist and start all over again.I have had enough expense to last me a long time but equally if this is going to keep happening would i be better to just have the damn thing out?Is it possible the RCT was not done properly,or is it because it cracked.Or is something getting behind the tooth and causing the infection?

Sorry for the long post but i could really use some good advice.Thankyou.

Toothsmith

It shouldn't need repeated doses of antibiotics.

But it wouldn't have been anything the hygienist did that caused the failure.

I would go back to the original dentist first, and ask him for his opinion on why things are going wrong, what can be done about it, and whether it will cost you any more money.

If you don't feel he gives satisfactory answers, would look for another opinion.

But sometimes, things just don't work.

Froglet

Thanks for that.At the time she said that there was a third root canal apart from the 2 she filled,that had calcified and there was nothing she could do,BUT there was a slim chance it could just cause a problem in future.I wondered if it could be that.It does seem to be the sort of practice that don't take the blame for anything and they even tried to charge me when i had the tooth repaired that the hygienist had caused to break off in a piece with the instrument she was using.

At the time when we wern't sure which tooth it was she said if it was the crowned one at the top i would have to go to a specialist.A lot of miles away and a huge expense so it is no surprise that i am beginning to wonder if they are capable of sorting it out.

There is a more local dentist nearer that i used to go to that got expensive but he was the one who did my crowns initially and did a good job.Why do they vary so much!!