My dentist says I need a Root Canal...but I have no pain. Is he just 'drilling' for money?!?

Question

I like to think I have taken pretty good care of my teeth in my 41 years. Growing up I didn't go to a dentist with any regularity, to my embarrasment. I had braces for nearly 4 years getting them removed just before my senior year of high school.
My first filling was when I was 33 and apparently was fairly deep though he was confident of not getting into the nerve canal.
My current dentist has taken X-rays and has attempted a fairly convincing argument for having a RCT done. He has shown me the films and told me about the gray shaded area being the (alleged) abcess.
To date I have had nothing more than a 'sensation' when I bite down on that tooth and have not had ANY form of pain at all.
He claims if the nerve has died there will be no pain because of that fact.
He took more X-rays yesterday and tells me it 'looks to be worse than last year.' I looked at the films and the bottom of the tooth was not even visible! Another X-ray was not much better! Is he "drilling" for money??

Answer 1

Dentists love to discover gold mines........stand up to them and question them. Let them give you adequate explanation, scientific data to support their recommendations, and most of all tell them that you would be getting a second opinion................see how they hedge!

Answer 2

While its completely possible he's just looking for money, one statement you make might give him more credibility. You say you have a 'sensation' when you bite down on that tooth. If its pain then there is a good chance you might have some problems that require a RCT. An abscess doesn't necessarily have to hurt like hell all the time. It is possible that it is deep enough and localized enough that you wont feel pain until you put pressure on that tooth.

Look at the tooth, if its discolored compared to the teeth around it then it may be a dead nerve... drink some hot coffeee if the heat of the coffe makes your tooth hurt and if you can relieve the pain with a cool drink then its another sign you do have a dead nerve and a RCT is required...Of course the best method is for the dentist to use electronic nerve tester which will tell him one way or the other if the nerve really is dead. If it is get the RCT, not getting it when you need it could lead to gangrene which would not be pleasant at all.

Thought I might suggest a new dentist if his xrays are as shoddy as you describe.

Answer 3

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RE:
My dentist says I need a Root Canal...but I have no pain. Is he just 'drilling' for money?!?
I like to think I have taken pretty good care of my teeth in my 41 years. Growing up I didn't go to a dentist with any regularity, to my embarrasment. I had braces for nearly 4 years getting them removed just before my senior year of high school.
My first filling was when I was 33 and...

Answer 4

do you mean the xray was cut off and you couldnt see that part of the tooth on the xray at all or you mean the bottom of your tooth wasnt even visible because it had decayed into nothing?? if you have grey areas showing up on your xrays WITH the sensation then your answer is yea something bad is going on in there but whether or not its bad enough for a root canal you probably want to get another dentists 2nd opinion on


but you know you always have the option of having the tooth removed instead if it needs a root canal... and getting a partial put in which is alot cheaper and something that dentists usually NEVER suggest because the root canal procedure is so much more expensive

.

Answer 5

If you're really in doubt, get another opinion. However, there shouldn't be ANY gray shaded area, so my guess is that he's right on the money. If you have a "sensation" when you bite down on the tooth, SOMETHING is amiss; after all, if it were ok, that wouldn't happen, right? Once the process is started, nothing is going to stop it except a root canal; better to get it done NOW while the tooth can still be deadened than later, when decay makes it difficult or impossible (trust me, I've been there). You do NOT want a root canal on a tooth that has gotten to the point where anesthetics don't work.

Answer 6

Well the condition that you are describing can happen because the sensation u feel is the pus pushing ur teeth upwards where as when ur teeth touch the lower tooth it creates the sensation. It can be due to trauma to that tooth causing the pulp to die in its cavity ... In short I cant give u good advise considering I havent observed u or ur x-rays. The best advice is to consult another dentist. Best of luck

Answer 7

If you're not sure, go for another opinion.

I had a root canal after my dentist's suggestion, but I also felt no pain - apparently, the nerve was 100% dead. I decided to go ahead with it because I was worried about the bone damage that an abcess can cause if you leave it untreated for too long.

Do you have dental insurance?

Answer 8

if the nerve is dead you need a root canal.
to test this put ice on your tooth for 30seconds , if you feel the cold your nerve is alive, if not, then it is dead.

by the way , an abscess looks like a black circle at the root tip on an x-ray, and it hurts when you bite down(as does a crack in your tooth)

Answer 9

I have the same problem right now....
My teeth is a little chipped and my dentist referred me immediatly to an endodontic.....
I have no pain and no money right(they want me to pay 300$ right of the bat).
I guess i will wait.
As for you you should go to another dentist and try to get a second opinion.

Answer 10

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Answer 11

i would suggest you listen to him. i haven't had a root canal, but one of my friends needs one. his dentist told him 2 years ago that he needed it. he told the dentist "i feel fine" his dentist told him that it wouldn't start bothering him for a while, but that doesn't mean that he shouldn't treat it now.... 2 years later, he is in severe pain on and off..... so looks like the dentist was right...