Root Canal or Tooth Removal?
Discussion
philthy said:
When I was NHS, something always needed doing, and certain teeth got "picked" at. Six/twelve months up the road, they needed filling.
Went private, and not had anything done other than scale and polish for six years.
picked at...would love to find out the science behind that one!Went private, and not had anything done other than scale and polish for six years.
BTW is your private a dental plan?
These threads come up so often, it's enough to make you believe that people do it deliberately to discredit the dentists on the forums for some reason. Quite why, I would have no idea.
I mean, seriously, some of the stuff being said, over and over again,
"they broke my jaw to get the tooth out"
"he drilled through to my ear"
"he had his knee on my chest"
"he took the nerve out and didn't give me anaesthetic"
and indeed
I mean, seriously, some of the stuff being said, over and over again,
"they broke my jaw to get the tooth out"
"he drilled through to my ear"
"he had his knee on my chest"
"he took the nerve out and didn't give me anaesthetic"
and indeed maniac886 said:
TooLateForAName said:
I've had two root canals. 1st failed and I had to have the tooth out.
2nd is coming up 6 months old nd looks to have worked.
Both times needed due to cracked teeth.
The actual treatment isnt that bad (and I'm a terrified patient), but I had a lot of infection problems the first time (later found out that there was never any chance of it having worked on that tooth plus it wasnt done well anyway - at an expensive private dentist).
2ns was done at a specialist.
It is expensive, but it is much cheaper and less invasive than implants. The other option is a bridge but that means damaging intact teeth adjacent.
Depending on the reason for the treatment you may well also need a crown afterwards.
Just as a matter of interest when your first treatment failed did you have it taken out due to the fact your dentist decided they could not clean the root sufficiently or did you decide to just remove it?2nd is coming up 6 months old nd looks to have worked.
Both times needed due to cracked teeth.
The actual treatment isnt that bad (and I'm a terrified patient), but I had a lot of infection problems the first time (later found out that there was never any chance of it having worked on that tooth plus it wasnt done well anyway - at an expensive private dentist).
2ns was done at a specialist.
It is expensive, but it is much cheaper and less invasive than implants. The other option is a bridge but that means damaging intact teeth adjacent.
Depending on the reason for the treatment you may well also need a crown afterwards.
Cheers
The failed one was on a tooth that had been broken into 3 pieces 10yrs earlier and repaired by an excellent dentist in Leeds who had warned me that he couldn't guarantee the repair that he did but the alternative was removal.
Years later I had infection problems. My then dentist (not the one that did the original repair, we'd moved in the meantime) did the RCT but it failed and I was left with a tooth split in two from the top down through the root. The issue was not cleaning the root but being able to make the repair strong enough and prevent future infections in the cracks. The dentist who removed it was of the opinion that RCT was never going to work on it due to the previous damage - although she also seemed pretty unimpressed with the quality of the RCT work.
MacGee said:
picked at...would love to find out the science behind that one!
BTW is your private a dental plan?
I used to have a sharp edge on one of my fillings. It was this that he used to probe very forcefully, and ultimately, replaced. He was probably just checking the integrity of the filling, but seemed to be trying to dislodge something. It wasn't the first time.BTW is your private a dental plan?
Yes, monthly direct debit, I forget how much now, about £20 a month from memory? As soon as I signed up to it, I stopped needing any work except scale/polishing. He retired, and I signed up to a local Polish chap, who is the best dentist I've ever had!
Probably not something you need to hear, my industry has faced difficulties because of the influx of Eastern Europeans as well.
philthy said:
I used to have a sharp edge on one of my fillings. It was this that he used to probe very forcefully, and ultimately, replaced. He was probably just checking the integrity of the filling, but seemed to be trying to dislodge something. It wasn't the first time.
Actually, he probably was trying to dislodge something tat looked suspiciously fragile. The forces used in chewing food can be enormous and if something can be dislodged by a probe then could well be dislodged by the simple act of chewing.Also, this would probably mean there would be a space around the filling that bacteria could get into and cause decay.
Driller said:
Actually, he probably was trying to dislodge something tat looked suspiciously fragile. The forces used in chewing food can be enormous and if something can be dislodged by a probe then could well be dislodged by the simple act of chewing.
Also, this would probably mean there would be a space around the filling that bacteria could get into and cause decay.
I understand that, but he just seemed to be using a lot of force. So much that the probe made a pinging noise when it came away. I've never had anybody use the same amount of force before or since. It felt enough to actually cause damage, which is the reason I mentioned it.Also, this would probably mean there would be a space around the filling that bacteria could get into and cause decay.
Anyway, sorry for the thread hijack.
philthy said:
MacGee said:
picked at...would love to find out the science behind that one!
BTW is your private a dental plan?
I used to have a sharp edge on one of my fillings. It was this that he used to probe very forcefully, and ultimately, replaced. He was probably just checking the integrity of the filling, but seemed to be trying to dislodge something. It wasn't the first time.BTW is your private a dental plan?
Yes, monthly direct debit, I forget how much now, about £20 a month from memory? As soon as I signed up to it, I stopped needing any work except scale/polishing. He retired, and I signed up to a local Polish chap, who is the best dentist I've ever had!
Probably not something you need to hear, my industry has faced difficulties because of the influx of Eastern Europeans as well.
The other dentists on here will know where this is going!
Supervised neglect.......possibly!
MacGee said:
So... .. you are in a monthly insurance plan, you've had no work done since joining this scheme and you feel that this Polish dentist is the best ever! How can you tell if he's done no work!
The other dentists on here will know where this is going!
Supervised neglect.......possibly!
You missed the "he retired".The other dentists on here will know where this is going!
Supervised neglect.......possibly!
I signed up to the Polish chap when he did. The Polish guy has done work, which has been excellent.
I am not on a plan any more, I pay for the work done. There hasn't been much needed.
HTH?
philthy said:
When I was NHS, something always needed doing, and certain teeth got "picked" at. Six/twelve months up the road, they needed filling.
Went private, and not had anything done other than scale and polish for six years.
Sorry but you stated private and nothing done! Thus dentist got paid anyway! Went private, and not had anything done other than scale and polish for six years.
Is polish dentist in same scheme or pay as you go?
Maybe your NHS dentist sorted your mouth so well that nothing else needed!
My apologies for the confusion, I'm a little woolly headed after a twelve hour night shift.
Allow me to clarify for you.
I had a NHS dentist, who always found something to be done. He changed to a private practice, in which we all paid a monthly dental plan. Once this arrangement was in place, I never needed more than a scale and polish at each visit.
He retired, and closed his surgery.
Everywhere locally had more patients, than they needed, and my family eventually got registered with a new practice, opened by a Polish chap. We pay as we go, with my usual scale and polish coming out at about £30 IIRC? He has done other work, and it has been very satisfactory. IMHO, a very marked difference between the treatment I received from the first dentist, who may or may not have been such a genius that nothing will ever need doing to my teeth?
Is there anything else that is still unclear?
Allow me to clarify for you.
I had a NHS dentist, who always found something to be done. He changed to a private practice, in which we all paid a monthly dental plan. Once this arrangement was in place, I never needed more than a scale and polish at each visit.
He retired, and closed his surgery.
Everywhere locally had more patients, than they needed, and my family eventually got registered with a new practice, opened by a Polish chap. We pay as we go, with my usual scale and polish coming out at about £30 IIRC? He has done other work, and it has been very satisfactory. IMHO, a very marked difference between the treatment I received from the first dentist, who may or may not have been such a genius that nothing will ever need doing to my teeth?
Is there anything else that is still unclear?
I'm happy that you are satisfied with your presence dental care. a happy patient is what matters!
But does that mean a healthy mouth?
I know what makes patients happy! No fillings, no pain and low bills!
I know I could satisfy most of you with these tennetes of care but I'd probably not be giving good care!
What I'm trying to say is that patients mostly don't know the true quality of care they receive. This could warrant a whole essay but it's not black and white. I do understand your angle and I really don't want to delve into your experiences.
I'm sure I could give many reasons for your previous/present care. But that's not my position and wish you the best.
But does that mean a healthy mouth?
I know what makes patients happy! No fillings, no pain and low bills!
I know I could satisfy most of you with these tennetes of care but I'd probably not be giving good care!
What I'm trying to say is that patients mostly don't know the true quality of care they receive. This could warrant a whole essay but it's not black and white. I do understand your angle and I really don't want to delve into your experiences.
I'm sure I could give many reasons for your previous/present care. But that's not my position and wish you the best.
Driller said:
"he took the nerve out and didn't give me anaesthetic"
Not sure about taking the nerve out, but when I was a young teenager my NHS dentist did 4 pretty heavy duty molar fillings without the offer of any sort of anaesthetic. The pain was akin to that when I broke my arm, only it happened 4 times over a period of 2 months. Result (along with another rather nasty event) is a phobia with a capital P.I'm certainly not going to say this is common, or even happens at all nowadays (it was 25+ years ago now). But it did happen to me. It sounds stupid that I didn't ask for an anaesthetic, but I didn't even know I could have one then. As a kid you have to trust the "professional" doing the job.
Afraid not!...not for years. All stem cell stuff. This has been talked about for ages and the company that wins the race will make a fortune..unlike the comments on the blog! We all love progress.
a thought....
But imagine the tooth that might grow through the gum....what shape would it be? I bet they wont be able to make upper left central incisor buds! what if cam through back to front? It would probably be an ugly looking piece of malformed enamel thus requiring porcelain work. Why go to the extent of expensive surgery only to see some awful thing appear....whereas implants are so predictable now and I see the future with them.
BTW...I dont do them..so not pushing a product!
a thought....
But imagine the tooth that might grow through the gum....what shape would it be? I bet they wont be able to make upper left central incisor buds! what if cam through back to front? It would probably be an ugly looking piece of malformed enamel thus requiring porcelain work. Why go to the extent of expensive surgery only to see some awful thing appear....whereas implants are so predictable now and I see the future with them.
BTW...I dont do them..so not pushing a product!
I've just come back from my checkup and have had an X-Ray on my RCT that I was done last year(different Dentist). It looks like a very small amount of the nerve has been missed. There is a bit of niggling pain from that area but not entirely sure its the RCT at cause. There is no swelling around the gums or pain when eating or drinking hot/cold liquids so not entirely sure if I should have it redone. I will have to make a decision before I get the crown done however.
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