Made a massive mistake and regret it but there's no going back.

[xmasduo]

Just before Christmas I had toothache. Turns out I needed a root canal or extraction of the tooth. I'm at a NHS dentist but he said if I wanted it done before Xmas I should try a private dentist. Cost for root canal was too much and I could barely afford the extraction. With all the talk of lockdowns and being in pain I opted to pay £££ for my tooth to be extracted privately.

Now I'm gutted. I've lost a tooth that should have been saved. I should have waited for my NHS dentist to do treatment but they said it would be months and I was worried about any lockdown.

I can never get that tooth back. I'm so angry with myself.

If lost a tooth and a lot of money!

Just needed to moan to someone really as I am so down.

Wow, at times like this I'm glad I'm in Northern Ireland. Last year my tooth extraction cost £18 or I could have had root canal for almost £400. It was a no-brainer.

Op, extraction is often the best way to go and then get a bridge or implant depending where it is.

BTW op, apart from the occasional jab with a sharp crisp I don’t even notice my missing molar and after the continuous pain it WAS worth it. As I said my root canal failed even (I definitely blame lockdown 1 and covid as my dentist wasn’t allowed to check it!) and the relief of it coming out (traumatic and upsetting as it was) was instant!

Yep, like PP, root canal, crown, various painful episodes, broke off, eventual extraction.

Always been NHS. Had 4 root canals with crowns about 30/40 years ago. Had 3 removed after very painful abscesses and the remaining one is threatening ie inflamed gum on and off. One infection spread to jaw bone after two courses of penicillin. Different surgery prescribed Metronidazole with a scan to check condition of jaw. Excellent NHS dentist
The longest a crown has lasted is 25 years.
You did the right thing IMHO getting tooth removed before infection spread or led to septicaemia. A damaged jaw bone would not take an implant.
What is wrong is that the NHS didn't fund an extraction. My last NHS dentist has gone private and surgery changed hands. Always had a text reminder of check up appointments and found card months after date. Covid hit.
Phoned for appointment to find I'd been de registered. Receptionist admitted that text wasn't delivered. Would also be fine with no text IF I knew system had changed. Missed this one appointment in 15 years. All local NHS dentists are full.
Assuming you were prescribed antibiotics? On a losing wicket really if they don't work. Root canals/crowns don't last forever.

i have had two extractions, because i cannot bear to have a root canal, it takes too long

Think I'm lucky in that extractions are not obviously visible when I smile. Last NHS dentist did mention bridgework if I lost any more and it affected eating!
Only old crowned teeth have been extracted.
But at least those left are my own. I'm 61 and envy a 67 year old friends veneers but way out of my price range.
Think visible front teeth should be covered for bridgework on NHS. Especially for younger people.

'Root canal shouldn't be painful. I don't know why people insist on scaring people like this. If the dentist if skilled and you have enough painkiller you shouldn't feel a thing.'

Oh, give over. Ok, they perhaps aren't excruciating, but there is very definitely discomfort. They aren't completely painless; that's utter nonsense. And the larger point I was making was about spending time and money (and undergoing discomfort) shoring up something that could be solved by a simple extraction.

I'm hardly scaring the OP, given that she had it out. And although she's going wildly overboard for some reason, I'm in no doubt she did the right thing.

Think electric toothbrushes make a massive improvement on dental hygiene. Far more dental care items now available than when I was young.
Now use electric toothbrush, interdental brushes, mouth wash.
No longer the norm, my grandparents era to have false teeth.

It all depends on your dentist.

I've had a root canal. Can't say it was pleasant (but neither are extractions).

I don't want to lose another tooth (I have too many gaps due to poor dental hygiene as a child) so I'm about to have another one (which I will admit I'm not looking forward to) but I have a very skilled dentist who does all he can to save the teeth I have left.

I had a tooth out several years ago now and same as you felt mortified. I can tell you now over the years the teeth all moved together and the gap closed so you would never even know! I can’t remember how long it took for the gap to close but honestly I’m sure it will over time. Please don’t worry x

@Moneygone the extraction cost closer to £400.

Honestly OP I have 9 teeth with RC, most have had to be re-done under the save-the-tooth-at-all-cost mantra. Tot up the cost of RC plus crown (and they don’t last forever either) you might as well get an implant from the off. I am replacing all my RC with implants as they fail and will never have another again. I find implants totally cost effective.

I had a root canal on a molar with multiple nerve endings about 5 years ago. The root canal failed 2 years later, going grey. A year after I damaged the back eating a snicker & last year it snapped in two. There's still a bit of the tooth left & I'm on a waiting list to have it removed in hospital due to it having a bulbous root.
On the upside its only noticeable if I smoke really widely but I am conscious of it & need to explore my options once it's gone altogether.

Not smoke...smile