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

Toothsmith

o2brich wrote: »

.....Re-doing root fillings is always less reliable than doing it the first time......

Oh no, I have just had one re-done yesterday and was feeling so proud of myself for having gone through it, although to be honest it was easly in the end 'cos the dentist was brilliant. He did it using the rubber dam and I have to say that although I had nightmares before going and at times thought I wouldn't make it to the appointment, it turned out to be one of the best dental experiences ever.

I had the root canal treatment years ago and have had pain from it ever since but the dentist kept saying couldn't see a problem. I changed dentist recently to a private dentist and straightaway after a scan he said he could tell the root canal treatment had not been done properly, hence my pain and him re-doing it.

Oh well, fingers crossed it will be OK.

What your dentist explained to you - particularly if he took his time, and explained it in a way that you understand - is far more relevant to you than anything I type on here.

I can just deal in generalities. Your dentist's advice to you is specific to you and your tooth.

I can say that in general, re-done root fillings are less reliable than those done well the first time. BUT if it wasn't done well the first time, then you can improve on it.

I'm sure your dentist did your root filling because he thought he could make it better. I have no reason to doubt his advice.

Toothsmith

hethmar wrote: »

toothsmith, a few shades lighter - but the bright white smiles that seem to be in every celebs mouth now, really are quite comical I think. There have been a number of people in Corrie - starting with our "Rawsie" who have gone so OTT, I wondered if it were an "in joke" when Liz had that large photo portrait of her and Vernon "touched up to give you whiter teeth".

I'd agree with that!

I think in the cases you mention, it's more than just tooth whitening that's gone on.

suzanne1960

Found this site- googling pro's and cons extraction upper left 4 and 5 versus RCT
Have had RCT before as a private patient when the only pain I felt was in my purse!!
I have not currently got £700 to spare on my 2 teeth when extraction would cost me £44 and my Dentist is trying to get me to do the RCT rather than extract as there are obvious financial reasons for him to do so.

I cant get a straight answer to my main questions
what are the downsides of extraction and why SHOULD I try to find the money for a RCT. When I finally plucked up the courage to go and take the teeth out- the discussion led to me getting the teeth cleaaned out and temporarily dressed, to help me last till 28th when I am due a check up anyway. If I had the teeth taken out would I have more problems than if I didnt- dont plan to have a denture in the gap
Sorry for th long winded post I am not used to chatting on a forum
Any help would be appreciated to make an informed decision..

Toothsmith

With upper left premolars missing, you'd have quite a gap in your smile.

If that's no problem to you, then you'd probably not really miss them.

Are these the only teeth you'll have missing? If so, you'll still be able to chew perfectly OK. If you are missing more, then the more you have out, the more work the remainder will have to do, and so the quicker they will wear/break down.

If you find that you don't like the gap, then getting implants, or a decent bridge would cost you a lot more than £700. If you went for a denture, that too would be around £700 for a decent one. If you didn't have a decent denture, then a poor denture could easily cost you more teeth over the longer term.

Olympika

suzanne1960 - all I would say is don't fall into the trap of thinking that simply opting for an extraction will solve all the problems... mine really started with the extraction! After a traumatic extraction (very big tooth and roots going in opposite directions), the sinus cavity was exposed (which can happen with upper jaw teeth) and I then got a serious infection in the socket which took a lot of treatment to sort out. And it might sounds obvious but once the tooth / teeth are gone then there really is no going back, and as Toothsmith says the options for closing the gap if you need / want to will cost a LOT more than taking the chance with the RC. I didn't really have an option than to have an extraction, the RC had failed as the last part of the root was too bent round to completely fill, the bacteria were still there, and redoing a RC wasn't going to work.

Good luck and I really hope things work out for you.

suzanne1960

Thank you for your advice.
Looks like I will have to raid the savings- and give up my holiday next year to do it though. I am not so sure this is the last I will have either. Maybe my 'fillings' dentist might be better than my extractions one.

Talking of which- why dont ALL dentist exract teeth at the time of filling a tooth and deciding it needs extracting, with me all numbed up- instead sending me to a colleague days later 'in hysterics', because he was an 'Oral surgeon'.
I would have been 'fine' with 'my' dentist taking the tooth out in the first instance as I had no real time to get hysterical about it....Instead I threw a fit and cancelled the later appointment to go to a dentist elsewhere I had been recommended. All so I didnt have to go to my dentist's partner, who I didnt trust from previous emergency appointments. Is it common practice for this to happen?

Bf109

less than 18 hours to go till my RCT!

BRICKING IT!!!

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Toothsmith

Oh stoppit!

If you go in wound up like a clock and ready to feel every little vibration as pain, then you're going to have a horrible time even if the dentist is a pink fairy and does nothing more than tap your nose with a cotton bud!

Chill out, this is the 21st century, and if you just let go of all the horror stories flying round your head, you'll be fine.

hethmar

Honestly Bf109 - it isnt awful, I absolutely promise you - Id sit there anytime having an RCT rather than an extraction. An extraction is a real pyschological fear for me - it means old age I guess. I am now saving up for a couple of implants because I dont want a plate. Im more than happy to have some slight discomfort for a short time in order to get my teeth sorted.

Think of something else while they are doing it, concentrate on a problem you want to solve.

Amy83

Ok, it's with trepidation that I've had to join this thread. I've been reading it for the best part of two hours now.
Basically, I'm in a similar situation to most of the posters in this thread.

I had a filling removed and replaced about 3 weeks ago as it had been giving me a small amount of pain. I went on holiday last week and about half way through my holiday I started getting awful pains in my mouth, I wouldn’t really call it toothache as it wasn’t a specific tooth that hurt, more just a general mouth pain that made me want to cry. Heck ok, I don’t know any of you, I did cry…lots – including most of the 9hr flight back yesterday. Since then though, the excruciating general pain has subsided, and I’m now left with a very sore tooth and the surrounding area. Come on now tooth, it could at least be consistent with the type of pain it’s giving me!

Anyway, I managed to get an emergency appointment at another practice (as I’ve recently moved to Surrey from Manchester but haven’t registered with a new dentist down here yet) who said that the tooth with the filling in is now infected. She didn’t say much else, just prescribed me Amoxicillin, as I said I’d go and see my regular dentist as soon as I could.

Then, as I was paying, she came out and said she’d looked at the X-ray again and she thinks that I ‘might’ need a root canal. She said they could do the treatment if I wanted but that I’d probably feel better going to my own Dentist for it.
I’ve got an appointment booked with my dentist on Thursday afternoon, but have a few questions if anyone can help me?

1) After reading this thread it seems like many root canals aren’t very successful. I’m going travelling at the start of next year for 8 months, and if it’s likely to flare up and cause me pain while I’m in the middle of nowhere then I think I’d rather have it taken out now? I know it’s no exact science as to whether it’ll work or not, I’m more after personal opinion?

2) My emergency dentist said I ‘may’ need a root canal. But if I’m reading right on this thread, as the tooth is infected then it’s definite that I will need one, there’s no maybe about it?

Thanks in advance for any help!