Dentist unable to find roots??

Question

I've been reading and is it possible that my dentist will not be able to find my roots tomorrow for my root canal?? I put it off for a year and a half and i hope it didnt decay or anything *knock on wood*..what are some signs that ur roots are gone?? will it affect my other teeth?!! HOW DO I TELL! PLEASE HELP ME =(((

Answer 1

You're making this out to be a bigger deal than it is. The majority of root canals I do are completely boring. The patients get's tired of staring at the ceiling or my forehead. That's pretty much the worst problem we encounter. Maybe I should get a flat screen for the ceiling. Ah but I digress. So not finding the roots huh?

What they're talking about is a complication that can arise when treating back teeth (molars). When you do a root canal, what you're doing is making a small hole in the top of the tooth with the drill. (you're numb for all this by the way). Inside the tooth are little nerve canals that go down the center of each root. Usually 1 nerve per root. That nerve canal (commonly called the "root canal") can be very tiny and sometimes requires magnification to see. That's what the dentist can have trouble finding. If the dentist is working on the tooth and is having trouble finding the canals, he will close everything up for the day and refer you to a root canal specialist called a endodontist. They have big microscopes they use and can find even the most microscopic canals.
Do yourself a and you're tooth a favor. Don't flake on tomorrow's appointment. The more crappy, sensationalized information you find on the internet, the more scared it will make you. Most dentists are very skilled with regards to root canals and will not attempt one's they know they can't do. Over the years, we've learned when to attempt to treat, and when to refer to the specialist. Knowing that makes the dentist life a lot easier as well as the patient so it's something we learn early on.

You will be pleasently surprised tomorrow, as well as pretty bored by 20 minutes into it. You'll do fine.

Answer 2

The likely hood that the dentist will not find the root is about as high as someone dying in routine kidney stone surgery. It's just not very high. There's nothing to worry about. Even if you are one of the very few who have trouble, your dentist will know how to handle. Don't worry about it. Everything will be fine as long as you don't go in there jumpy. It is more likely that you will freak and bump his hand than him not knowing what to do in this situation. Just relax and take care of what you need to take care of.

Answer 3

NOT SURE ON NOT HAVING ROOTS, I NEVER HEARD OF THAT, BUT AVOIDING THE DENTIST WHEN THERE'S ALREADY A PROBLEM IS A SURE WAY TO CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS, THE DENTIST WILL DO AN X-RAY, OR IF HE HAS THE NEW TECH. HE CAN TAKE A PICTURE WITH A COMPUTER, THIS CAUSES LESS RADIATION, HE'LL BE ABLE TO FIND IT- GOD BLESS

Answer 4

you would need to go to a root canal specialist/endodontistnot your ordinary dentist

Answer 5

Sometimes canals are hard to find, but typically in older folks for whom the canals have calcified.