Infection under a root canal

[squasher]

Hi Bryanna,

My name is Ken
I had a root canal in Nov 12, the a crown in early Feb 13. Now i have infection adn of course my dentis has referred me to an endo dentist for a $2000 re-canal job which I hear you saying probably won't work. He also gave me a precription for penicillin.

It sound like the best course of action is to have my $1000 crown extracted.

WHy are dentists allowed to do so many root canals if they almost alwayd get infected???

Ken

Originally Posted by Bryanna

Hi Mark,

I'm in the dental field and can clarify what it means to have an infected root canaled tooth.

The infection is actually inside of the tooth and it has spread into the jawbone. This is a common problem with root canaled teeth because the infected nerve material cannot be cleaned out of the canals completely which means there will always be some degree of infection inside of the tooth irrelevant of the number of times the tooth is root canaled. So a re treatment will not "clean out the root canal" or remove or decrease the infection in the tooth.

Sometimes a surgical treatment called an apicoectomy is suggested. This procedure is very painful, very costly, and will not remove or decrease the infection inside of the tooth.

The source of the infection is the tooth which means the infection will be present as long as the tooth is present. The only sure way to remove the infection is to remove the to remove the tooth.

I know this is not the news that you want to hear..... but I hope this information is helpful to you.

Bryanna

[ginnie]

The reason these specialists re-do RC is that there is alot of money to be made. In my own research, I believe it. I put in about 2,000 on one tooth that did not hold up and got infected anyway. The infections can't be treated deep within those canals, they just don't tell you that. My own dentist, told me that as well as Bryanna. I had mine out, end of pain, end of problem, end of the money drain which really made me upset. I have a partial now and am happy to be back in shape. Best choice I ever made. I wish the professionals would be honest, but I have not found that to be what they do. ginnie

[Bryanna]

Hi Ken,

Your question....
<<WHy are dentists allowed to do so many root canals if they almost always get infected???>>

ANSWER....
ENDODONTIC THERAPY (ROOT CANAL TREATMENT) IS THE MOST LUCRATIVE FORM OF DENTISTRY AND MOST PEOPLE CAN BE SOLD ON THE TREATMENT NOT JUST ONCE, BUT TWICE.... SOMETIMES THREE TIMES. THERE ARE INSTRUMENTS THAT NOW ENABLE A DENTIST TO PERFORM A ROOT CANAL IN A MATTER OF MINUTES. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW MANY PATIENTS CAN BE SEEN IN THE COURSE OF ONE DAY... AT APPROXIMATELY $2000 PER PATIENT.

SECONDLY, MANY PEOPLE DO NOT ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCEDURE BECAUSE THEY ARE USUALLY IN PAIN AND ARE SCARED TO DEATH TO LOSE THEIR TOOTH.

THE DENTIST USUALLY FAILS TO INFORM THE PATIENT THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE ALL OF THE INFECTED NECROTIC NERVE MATERIAL FROM INSIDE OF THE TINY CANALS AND HOW THIS BACTERIA WILL PROLIFERATE FROM THESE CANALS INTO THE PERIODONTAL LIGAMENT... INTO THE JAWBONE... INTO THE BLOODSTREAM.... AND OFTEN BEYOND.

THEREFORE THE PATIENT IS ALSO NOT INFORMED OF THE SYSTEMIC CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH RETAINING THIS INFECTED TOOTH.

IN DENTISTRY WHEN THE WORD "CURE" IS REFERENCED WITH REGARD TO THE ROOT CANAL PROCEDURE OR APICOECTOMIES OR ROOT AMPUTATIONS... IT SIMPLY MEANS NOTHING MORE THAN "RETAIN".

MY STANCE ON THIS SUBJECT IS SIMPLE..... INFORM THE PATIENT ABOUT THE SHORTCOMINGS OF THE PROCEDURE AND THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH RETAINING AN INFECTED TOOTH..... OFFER OPTIONS SUCH AS REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT... AND LET THE PATIENT DECIDE WHAT IS IN THEIR BEST INTEREST. IF THE PATIENT DECIDES TO STILL GO AHEAD WITH THE ROOT CANAL TREATMENT, AT LEAST THEY HAVE BEEN HONESTLY FOREWARNED.

HOPE THIS ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION....

Bryanna

Originally Posted by squasher

Hi Bryanna,

My name is Ken
I had a root canal in Nov 12, the a crown in early Feb 13. Now i have infection adn of course my dentis has referred me to an endo dentist for a $2000 re-canal job which I hear you saying probably won't work. He also gave me a precription for penicillin.

It sound like the best course of action is to have my $1000 crown extracted.

WHy are dentists allowed to do so many root canals if they almost alwayd get infected???

Ken

[pnac66]

My lower tooth cracked last year and had a root canal. I have been in diificulty with this tooth since the root canal. it ha created different levels of pain and severe ear aches that iuprofen has relieved until now. It now has an abscess and the infection is spreading to my ear and jaw. The dentist who did the root canal says there is nothing wrong with the root canal and I should not be experiencing pain. He thinks my bite needs readjusting which he did. This has not helped. Went to a second dentist who told me the root canal tooth is cracked, infected and needs to be removed. he does not do extractions and wants me to wait until next week for his specialist who only comes in on friday's to get the tooth removed. I need the tooth removed asap.

In regards post tooth removal I am not comfortable with a implant, which all the dentists here are pushing. I would prefer a cap.

How can i get relief? What are your suggestions?

Pete

[Bryanna]

Hi Pete,

I agree, an abscessed tooth should be removed asap... it is best for an oral surgeon to remove this tooth because they are most experienced at doing so.

I'm a little confused about your last statement...
<<In regards post tooth removal I am not comfortable with a implant, which all the dentists here are pushing. I would prefer a cap.>>

A cap covers a tooth. When this tooth is removed, there will be no tooth there to cap. If you had a dental implant put in, then a cap would be put over the top of the implant. If this infectd tooth has both a tooth in front and behind it.... then you may be able to have a permanent bridge made which would involve cutting down and capping both of the adjacent teeth and then a fake tooth would be the middle portion of the all connected 3 unit bridge.

The only relief will be after the tooth is removed. Did the dentist put you on an antibiotic? Can you get in to see another oral surgeon as an emergency prior to friday?

Bryanna




[/b]

Originally Posted by pnac66

My lower tooth cracked last year and had a root canal. I have been in diificulty with this tooth since the root canal. it ha created different levels of pain and severe ear aches that iuprofen has relieved until now. It now has an abscess and the infection is spreading to my ear and jaw. The dentist who did the root canal says there is nothing wrong with the root canal and I should not be experiencing pain. He thinks my bite needs readjusting which he did. This has not helped. Went to a second dentist who told me the root canal tooth is cracked, infected and needs to be removed. he does not do extractions and wants me to wait until next week for his specialist who only comes in on friday's to get the tooth removed. I need the tooth removed asap.

In regards post tooth removal I am not comfortable with a implant, which all the dentists here are pushing. I would prefer a cap.

How can i get relief? What are your suggestions?

Pete

[pnac66]

I have an abscessed tooth with an infection. can it be removed before the infection is cleared up?

Pete

[Bryanna]

Pete,

The infection will not clear up as long as the tooth is present because the source of the infection is the tooth. The only way to remove the infection is to remove the tooth and clean out the infected ligament and bone.

Usually a patient is put on an antibiotic to help temporarily reduce the inflammation and then by the 3rd day of being on the medication the tooth is removed and the patient continues with the remainder of the antibiotic.

Bryanna

Originally Posted by pnac66

I have an abscessed tooth with an infection. can it be removed before the infection is cleared up?

Pete