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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to consider extraction instead of root canal?

57 replies

aliceinchunderland1 · 23/07/2018 08:39

I've been told it's not the easier option, but I'm 15 weeks pregnant and don't want xrays or any more anaesthetic than absolutely necessary. I know extraction is painful but can't be any more painful than the current tooth/face ache I have! I've also read so many horror stories on root canals not actually fixing the problem and having to have the tooth extracted at a later date anyway. I have been extremely poorly through the last 10 weeks of this pregnancy I just want some relief and I don't think root canal will offer it Sad

OP posts:
emma2939 · 23/07/2018 11:00

My partner needed a root canal done on a bottom tooth a few years ago but his colleague said frightened the life out of him about it so he had the tooth pulled instead.... fast forward to last year needed a root canal done again but this time on a main tooth at top, he decided he needed to go through with it and try to save the tooth, he did and it was fine and now that tooth gives him no trouble (touch wood) he now really regrets getting the other tooth pulled and wishes he hadn't listened to people..... I'd try to save the tooth if possible.

BusterTheBulldog · 23/07/2018 11:04

I would follow dentist advice, if they say tooth can be saved then save it! I had a root canal on Friday and it went well. I think trying to hang on to your teeth as much as possible is the best course of action.

Fenwickdream · 23/07/2018 11:07

Look up words such as - truth root canal, toxic root canal. Make your decision after you’ve read that. If you can’t see it, pull it.

TellsEveryoneRealFacts · 23/07/2018 11:07

I'm 50 and have had 3 teeth out, and another to come next monday - can't wait.

1 was a very bad filling done in the 80s that went bad
2 were after an accident, they cracked and were unsalvagable...even though they tried to persuade me to do root canal, when they took that one out the tooth fell in half so that was never going to work!

Next week, a wisdom tooth is coming out. It is currently driving me potty as it is infected so am also on antibiotics.

Fenwickdream · 23/07/2018 11:09

Also a root canal needs a crown in the end. They probably didn’t tell you that but that’s extra expense

Original poster
aliceinchunderland1 · 23/07/2018 11:09

@BusterTheBulldog under what circumstances did you need the root canal? How has the recovery been? Any pain during/after?

OP posts:
headstone · 23/07/2018 11:09

I had a root canal five years ago and no problems with it. Tooth maybe mummified but looks and feels the same. If it falls out in the future it will still have been worth it. Once the tooth is extracted there is no going back.

LighthouseSouth · 23/07/2018 11:10

OP, I'm not pregnant, but bar that, in the same position

my dentist is against extraction and I can't see why. Also I have a very small jaw, the tooth is damaged in the first place because my childhood dentist should have removed two teeth to allow proper spacing.

so having looked at it, I can't see why extraction is a problem either. I'm not in a position where I have to decide yet but would probably just ask them to extract.

MereDintofPandiculation · 23/07/2018 11:11

I had root canal treatment about 15 years ago and have had no problems since. I had an extraction 5 years ago which is an ongoing nuisance - my tongue is conscious or the tooth in front of the gap, my cheek bulges into the gap so every so often I accidentally bite on it and get an ulcer, and it's the exact size to get brazil nuts jammed in it.

If I'd gone for the extraction 15 years ago, I'd now have gaps both sides of my bite, which would be a real problem.

steff13 · 23/07/2018 11:12

I had a root canal when I was pregnant. I went to the emergency dentist wanting an extraction. He recommended a root canal, and I'm glad I went with that option.

Maverick66 · 23/07/2018 11:13

I have had a root canal the relief from the pain is unreal.
I would advise to get root canal and save your tooth at all costs?
Also explain your worries re X-rays etc to your dentist.

My dentist is young and modern and I can honestly say the root canal was in no way painful.
The worst part was the length of time it took.

Get your root canal.

ch0c0milkrox · 23/07/2018 11:15

personally i'd have it out!

RedWineAllMine · 23/07/2018 11:24

OP are you a former me? I had this exact same thing 3 weeks ago! I was 14 weeks pregnant at the time, it was my second to last tooth top left. Split my tooth right down the centre and the nerve was exposed. I was in agony and couldn't eat. I got a emergency dentist appointment next day and was told the tooth was un saveable as dressing the tooth wouldn't do anything. They deemed me an emergency and I had to have a X-ray which was deemed safe. Over an hour later and after 3 Top ups of anaesthetic they was still struggling to get the tooth out, but eventually it came out. After the anaesthetic wore off I was in agony and was taking paracetamol daily after 2 days I went back to the dentist and the cause of my pain was that it had turned into an abscess and was infected. I got put on a 5 day course of antibiotics and continued with paracetamol for a further 5 days until the infection started to clear. I'd listed to your dentist, obviously this what happened to me was not ideal at all due to being pregnant but I didn't have a choice - you do.
I recently had a scan and all is well and was told the baby wouldn't have been harmed.
Dentists also recommend surgery once your out of the first trimester - with you being 13 weeks your borderline first/second trimester.

36degrees · 23/07/2018 11:26

I had a root canal 10 ish years ago and my tooth split in half as it was being done. I had to go back the next day for the tooth to be removed, at additional expense. So don't assume it's an either/or situation. I would definitely give it a try though.

Eating is weird sometimes, especially spaghetti, but otherwise I've had no issues with it since. Neither procedure hurt, and I usually have issues with local anaesthesia not working, so whatever they gave me was good stuff.

RedWineAllMine · 23/07/2018 11:27

Listen to your dentist not listed - typo *

runningkeenster · 23/07/2018 11:28

I had a tooth root filled and eventually it got infected again and I was given a 50% chance of success if it was root filled again. I had it extracted (it was near the back) and don't regret it.

callmeadoctor · 23/07/2018 11:29

Just to clarify everybody (dental nurse here) theres a world of difference between a root canal on a molar and any tooth that is "on show". A molar can be more difficult to root fill for starters. And generally if the rest of your teeth are fine you can manage without one back one. However I would always advice doing everything to save a tooth at the front (with one root so much easier to fill).

RedWineAllMine · 23/07/2018 11:29

Ah 15 weeks sorry I misread, your well into second trimester now which is recommended for dentist surgery

bella2bella · 23/07/2018 11:29

I needed it when pregnant after really awful toothache. They started the work so I was out of pain when still pregnant and went back about 4 times after I'd had the baby. It wasn't painful after the initial toothache and it means I still have my tooth. I'd go for root canal personally. Good luck!

Semster · 23/07/2018 11:30

I had a roof canal done when pregnant, same tooth as you OP.

Sorted all my problems.

I had a crown put on it a few years later which was also definitely worth it.

18 years later I still have the crown/tooth and no problems.

SciFiFan2015 · 23/07/2018 11:46

Root canal. Don't lose teeth unnecessarily. Root canal buys you time. Keep the tooth if you can. My DH has problems with gaps in his mouth. I've had a 3 root canals I think? One of them is 20 years old but I still have the tooth!

Booklover18 · 23/07/2018 11:51

Feel for you - I’ve had a tooth extracted, it’s not that bad, I didn’t like the idea of root canal as you say it sometimes doesn’t fix things and I was at the point I just thought take it out! So I would advise go with the extraction - good luck!

RedSkyLastNight · 23/07/2018 11:51

I had that same tooth taken out. You cannot tell and I don't miss it. I wasn't even offered a root canal (possibly because my jaw is so small it would have been impossible ...)

Emma145 · 23/07/2018 11:54

I chose extraction over root canal mine was second to back tooth bottom left. Didn't hurt having it out and was fine after couple of days. My dentist told me I would get wrinkles by having the extraction instead of root canal but so far so good....

Semster · 23/07/2018 11:59

The other reason I'm glad I saved the tooth is because I ended up having to have the tooth behind it extracted because it really could not be saved, so at least the gap I have is not as big as it could have been.

I also found the pain after extraction much worse than the pain during/after the root canal.