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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Root canal or extraction?

57 replies

hillarypcof · 08/03/2021 19:33

AIBU to opt for an extraction over RCT?

It is the very back tooth before a wisdom tooth, with a deep filing which my own dentist did not fill correctly (his own admission) that now requires "root canal or extraction" (his words).

It is a lot of expense for a tooth which nobody would know anything about, apart from myself who is ridden with the anxiety of the recurring infections and abscesses returning bringing with it EXCRUCIATING pain!!! :(

What would you do? Is RCT worth it? Would you just get it extracted?

Dentist told me he is "only 75% confident" RCT would do the trick. It is just my luck that I would have a flare up whilst on holiday/a wedding day etc!!

Tia xx

OP posts:
Titsywoo · 08/03/2021 20:36

Wow I am in exactly the same situation! The deep filling I had on my wisdom tooth was a year ago but now the tooth is dying. I have gone for extraction which I am having done next Monday. I don't want to go through more money and discomfort if the root canal is fairly likely to fail anyway so thought sod it. I'm hoping the recovery from the extraction is not too bad - hate dental pain.

Thisisworsethananticpated · 08/03/2021 20:36

If it’s had infection after infection .... that said I too hastily extracted in lockdown and I regret it a bit
But if the tooth has caused that many problems for so long ....

S111n20 · 08/03/2021 20:36

I had this problem, went straight for the extraction.

LeSquigh · 08/03/2021 20:40

My DP has a root canal on the same tooth and it failed after 2 months, a lot of pain and a LOT of money. It got extracted after that. I would go for extraction every time.

I had a lot of problems with my teeth as a child and didn’t have a full second set to come through ether. I now have a total of ten missing teeth all bar one are from the back. It doesn’t cause me a problem and no one can see them.

mrcerec · 08/03/2021 20:41

As a dentist, I can say it is always best to save teeth wherever possible. Posterior foot-filled teeth must have cuspal coverage placed (a crown for example) to maximise lifespan. With cc a root-filled molar has 85% of lasting 10 years, without cc the same tooth only has 33% of lasting 5 years. There are many factors to take into account before reaching a decision. Ask the dentist what he/she would do if it were their tooth.

mrcerec · 08/03/2021 20:42

Root filled not foot filled Grin

Titsywoo · 08/03/2021 20:45

@mrcerec

As a dentist, I can say it is always best to save teeth wherever possible. Posterior foot-filled teeth must have cuspal coverage placed (a crown for example) to maximise lifespan. With cc a root-filled molar has 85% of lasting 10 years, without cc the same tooth only has 33% of lasting 5 years. There are many factors to take into account before reaching a decision. Ask the dentist what he/she would do if it were their tooth.
@mrcerec would you say the same for a wisdom tooth? Fully erupted with a straight root but was difficult to clean between that and the molar and ended up with a cavity at the top so a very deep filling which is very very close to the pulp now. Dentist seems to be pushing to extraction (I think she was from the start really but I wanted to try to save the tooth).
boomboom1234 · 08/03/2021 20:47

Personally I would go for extraction given it's right at the back. I have had a failed root canal. The procedure was painful and a year or two later I had to have the tooth out anyway.

ThereIsNoSuchThingAsRoadTax · 08/03/2021 20:50

My teeth seem to be made of chalk. I've always taken care of them but I've ended up having five root canals on four teeth. First one 30 years ago, was redone when it developed an abscess after 20 years. Another one collapsed after a couple of years and had to be removed. The hole is covered with a bridge which involved grinding down the perfectly healthy tooth in front to support it.
They each cost a small fortune, mostly when I was younger and short of money. But I would go for the root canal every time. You only get one set of teeth and in my opinion its worth doing a lot to keep hold of as many as possible.

mrcerec · 08/03/2021 20:53

If the patient is very keen to save I would give it a go, but wisdom teeth are quite often not worth saving.

blueshoes · 08/03/2021 20:54

If a root canal is supposed to kill the nerve, why would a failed root canal hurt so bad? Guess I am asking the dentist mrcerec

I had a failed root canal even with a crown - it did not last very long. The root canal made the tooth so fragile it took a whole hour for the extraction and the dentist was pulling out fragments and sweating by the end. I then had a implant put in its place.

A root canal + crown costs £££ and an extraction/implant costs £££££. If I went for the root canal + crown first, it would cost lots if it failed and I had to go for option 2. I am thinking the next time this issue arises (my teeth are falling to bits), I would consider going straight to extraction/implant.

wed2021 · 08/03/2021 20:55

I was in a similar situation about 10 years ago. I had a root canal and it failed so I had it extracted. At first everything was fine but over the next few years my teeth started moving to fill the gap. After 5 years or so my teeth had moved so much that my front teeth were very slanted to the side where the gap was. I’ve just spent 2 years with Invisalign to make my teeth straight again. It might be a good idea to either get something to fill the gap or getting a retainer to make sure that your teeth don’t move, especially if you’ve previously had braces and have lovely straight teeth

zxy12 · 08/03/2021 21:02

I had a root canal a year or so ago on my back molar. I agree that the toothache before treatment is excruciating but it was fine after my first session. I think I had three visits in total, it really wasn't that different to a deepest filling despite the horror stories I'd heard. It's been fine since (as has my husband's from five or so years ago).

I still remember a very unpleasant extraction from my teenage years so I was keen to avoid that if at all possible! Hope it feels better soon.

DimplesToadfoot · 08/03/2021 21:05

I went for extraction and if I could go back in time I'd change my mind and go for RCT, having that tooth taken out released all the pressure on my front teeth which had kept them straight and slowly they've all moved, only mm's but it's noticeable, as the next tooth up only had support from the one side eventually that one became unstable and I again opted for extraction, its now like a chain reaction, the same thing is happening again and I've only 2 teeth before I'm at my canines now. As I'm a night time tooth grinder even with a mouth guard there's no stopping it :-(

louisejxxx · 08/03/2021 21:06

If it’s right at the back then I would just have it pulled.

mrcerec · 08/03/2021 21:12

The pain after failed root canal comes from inflammation in the surrounding tissue associated with the tooth not the tooth itself.

mrcerec · 08/03/2021 21:17

It is always best to save teeth wherever possible. A well root-filled tooth with crown (not just a filling) has a very similar success rate to an implant. Problem is, root canal is not a simple procedure. It is nowhere near adequately remunerated under the NHS. Sometimes referral to a specialist is best. Ask your dentist what they would fo if it were their tooth - would they go to a specialist? In all cases behind the canines crowns/ cuspal coverage is a must. Fillings will not survive.

munchbunch12 · 08/03/2021 21:19

I had a root canal with a crown on top 20 years ago and it's still fine (touch wood). I had no idea RCs were only ment to last about 10 years!

stardust40 · 08/03/2021 21:20

I had my first rct and it failed. However I was then offered to be ferried to a specialist who did the next one which was 12 years ago and no probs since. The specialist said never to let my own dentist do it if I needed another and likened it to my go performing an operation! The experience of the two was so different..... the specialist had different equipment did so many X-rays I lost count and took three sessions. Consider asking if you have a specialist!

derryrose1980 · 08/03/2021 21:22

Had RCT and two weeks later the tooth split in half and had to be removed! Same as you, at the back. Should have just got it pulled to start with. Would have saved a lot of money!

BettySundaes · 08/03/2021 21:23

I had RC done, which became infected and needed re-doing, saw a specialist who wouldn't touch it said failure rate was too high. Back to original dentist for an extraction who said would give it a go re-doing as the only thing to lose was the tooth itself. Had the odd abscess since then which needed antibiotics but its been 15 years since. Roots are reabsorbing though so have been warned it won't last very much longer, but 15 years use has been worth it.

mrcerec · 08/03/2021 21:25

@munchbunch12

I had a root canal with a crown on top 20 years ago and it's still fine (touch wood). I had no idea RCs were only ment to last about 10 years!
It's an 85% chance of 10 year survival. Not thar it will fail at 10 years, I have many root filled teeth that last much longer than that. The key to long-lasting root fills is the crown
munchbunch12 · 08/03/2021 21:35

@mrcerec Ah, I see. Thanks for explaining. Just out of interest, what is the longest lasting successful RC that you know of?

beingajen · 08/03/2021 21:38

I had a root canal with a crown 13 years ago (I cracked the tooth to start with, so it was not in good form). I joke it is my favourite toothGrin. It's lovely an white, cleans up well and is the one I do my "hard chewing". After all the pain, I remember being so relieved the day after they killed the nerve off (one week before fitting the crown). It doesn't feel like it will perish any time soon.

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