Root treatment ot extraction ?... advice needed?

Question

Hi guys
I'm middle aged and have had 3 or 4 teeth removed in the past. My present dentist thinks that I need to have one of my wisdom teeth removed. The gum line has receded around it a litttle and it has been filled twice in the past, at present I am suffering with it being a little over sensitive but the tooth itself looks OK. I am very reluctant to have it removed but my dentist says it's my only option. He said he could replace it with tooth on a plate....but off course all this will cost me. My previous dentist said that taking teeth out should be a last resort once everything else has been tried.
I'd be very interested to hear other peoples opinions and experiences.

Kindest Regards

Andy

Answer 1

i certainly wouldnt ever have another root filling it was the most painful thing ever and was hopeless the tooth broke after a few years so had to be removed anyway , trust me the pain is so not worth it, have the damn thing removed end of problem lololol

Answer 2

Usually a dentist won't advise you to have a tooth removed unless it is non restorable. The tooth may "look ok" on the x ray, but the sensitivity you're experiencing may be symptoms recognized by your dentist as a tooth that is in the process of dying. Your dentist may be trying to save you the "pain" of a full blown abscess which is what your tooth is heading towards. Also the "expense" of a "root canal treatment" and then having a "crown and build up," which both can cost well over $1,400.00 just to “try” to save this tooth.

Saving a wisdom tooth by proceeding with a root canal is not done very often, usually in cases where the tooth is needed as an abutment tooth for a bridge or a partial clasp to it. The 3rd molar is considered to be one "troublesome tooth" due to it's location in the mouth being problematic in maintaining it hygienically, many dentist advise it's removal during the teenage years.

One reason to keep the tooth would be due to having an opposing, functional and sound 3rd molar or as I mentioned above as use for an abutment tooth for a bridge. Since he offered to have this added to your partial, I'm going to assume that it's not needed for an abutment tooth for a bridge at sometime in the future, also that you must have an opposing tooth. The condition of this tooth and the surrounding bone is unknown to me, so I would have to think that it may be on shaky ground as well.

A dentist, such as your last dentist said, will extract a tooth only as a last resort after having tried all else. That is a very true and honest statement. I truly believe that your dentist is trying to save you the pain of an abscess along with the expense of “trying” to save a highly unstable or non restorable tooth. My guess is that there are “conditions” with this tooth such as the “bone level,“ “size of restorations” and possibly an “abscess developing,” that you aren’t taking into consideration, but your dentist is. I believe you have a good dentist and should probably take his advice on this one, but before you do though, talk with him and explain your concerns, ask him why he feels so strongly about extracting this tooth and make sure you understand his reasons. You may be surprised at how thoroughly he explains his reasoning behind his diagnosis on this tooth.

Another way of looking at it is that; you’re middle aged, you’re not going to get any wiser and you’ve hung on to it long enough! Just a little dental humor, I don’t get the opportunity to toss that out too often since most lose their wisdom teeth long before they hit their 20’s so forgive me. Any way, I hope I’ve been of some help in explaining my thoughts on this and that you will speak with your dentist, and do so as soon as possible. I would hate for you to experience an abscess unnecessarily. Good luck!

Answer 3

My dentist would rather save the tooth since it is you tooth!! I would remove it since the wisdom teeth do not pose a threat if removed but if left can cause serious hurt if infected or chipped for some reason. I would also remove it if the other teeth extracted before are NOT close to the wisdom teeth. This will change the way you chew if you have too many 'gaps' in your molars. Chewing is the start of the digestion process and you need to properly chew your food before swallowing. If you cant chew, you might encounter problems in the future (like stomach problems by your stomach acids working over to digest bigger chunks of food). Good Luck!!!

"The third molars are called wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth get their name because, as the last teeth to erupt, they break through when a person is becoming an adult and is supposedly wiser. Wisdom teeth are not essential today, but some people believe they evolved thousands of years ago when human diets consisted of mostly raw foods that required extra chewing power. Because wisdom teeth can crowd out the other teeth, a dentist may need to remove them. This often happens during a person's teenage years. "
http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/body_basics/mouth_teeth_prt.htm

Answer 4

I have also had that advice - keep the root &have a crown is best. Having said that, a wisdom tooth seems to be less important that the molars. It depends what other teeth you've had out & wether the wisdom tooth has a partner on your opposite jaw to bite against. Having a wisdom tooth out shouldn't make your other teeth move as it's at the back -unlike a molar which is really important to keep. If there is no opposite tooth then again it would be less of a problem to take it out but if the wisdom tooth has effectively taken the place of a molar you may have had removed - you may want to keep it.
Sorry, very mixed advice but it really depends what your situation is with regards your other teeth.

Answer 5

If the dentist says it should go then I really wouldn't worry. Wisdom teeth are odd little sods and we can live quite happily without them. In fact they're such a nuisance I'm going to have them banned when I'm Prime Minister.

Root filling wisdom teeth is a nightmare job because of poor access and unpredictable root shape and, to be honest, it doesn't sound like the sort of problem that root treatment will cure.

Incidentally in 27 years I've never known a patient get toothache from a missing tooth!

Answer 6

My dentist always says to save the tooth if possible. Before going to the expense of having your dentist do all that work, I'd get a second opinion. See what another dentist says, then go from there. It may save the tooth and save you some $$ in the long run.

Edit:
I had a root canal done last February. It really didn't hurt at all. The guy was a specialist and he was done in 45 minutes. He put a temp filling in it. Then with the new fillings they have these days, my dentist didn't put a crown on it. He just filled it and said it was as good as a crown.

Answer 7

I have always heard and agree keeping your teeth is the FIRST choice. However a bad tooth can create problems for your other teeth and gums which later affect your health and wallet! I always get more than one opinion and request a referral from the insurance company or dentist. I do not think it would hurt to have another opinion if you have dental insurance the second opinion should be included in your benefit. And always ask for copy of the dental plan treatment and costs even if the dentist forwards for review to the insurance company. If you have already used your benefits you can consider the discount dental plan that provides for FREE exams and savings up to 60% OFF expensive dental procedures.

I have included the link below.

You will also find articles on root canals, extractions so on. And just a reminder if you have already paid for your x-rays that will save you money if you bring them with to the dentist for consult. Good Luck!

Answer 8

i've had both, the root canal was the worst pain cos the dentist didn't see i had an abcess at the root of the tooth and jabbed the tool they use right in to it so that wasnt the best experience. but if there was a chance to save a tooth and it was going to last another 5 or 6 years i would have it done again. after some antibiotics.

Answer 9

Hi Andy.

If the gum line has receded, there really *is* no way to save the tooth. They may be able to fill it over and over, but ultimately, food and bacteria will end up being trapped between the gums and the tooth. And entering from that site, it will cause decay very close to the nerve.

If I were you, I would have it removed before the bacteria gets in and gets to the nerve. Once it hits the nerve, you will be in massive pain. Better to have it removed and avoid that pain, I say!

Best of luck.

Answer 10

root treatment is so painful have the tooth out its over and done with your still get problems if you don't i have been there myself .you don't need wisdom teeth anyway so why is he looking at doing you a plate as this is in the back of your mouth no one will notice ..and you want need them think about it can you really afford to give the dentist your well earned money .when you dont need to