Tooth extraction vs. root canals - help!

[Sda06]

Hi all,

In need of a pep talk or advice or something along those lines!

For context, I have been a dental phobic for many years so am not registered with a dentist and due to the lockdown the only appointments I've had have been emergency ones via the 111 service.

Anyway I've now been experiencing varying degrees of pain and swelling for about a month. Had about 5 trips to the emergency dentist, 1 appointment during which they started 2 root canal treatments on my back 2 lower molars. The dentist said I'd essentially just been really unlucky that both teeth had started to play up at the same time. They weren't able to finish due to the nature of an emergency appointment and now I'm at a point where I'm still in pain because it needs finishing (temp fillings) but can't get an NHS appointment because of the waiting lists!

I went to a private dentist who quoted me £1100 over 3 appointments to get both the procedures on both teeth finished but even then I'll be waiting until July to have this done due to their waiting lists. This is all at a time where I'm really resenting having to pay so much money because I should be exempt with an NHS dentist due to having my first baby 6 months ago and I'm not exactly flush for cash as I'm on maternity leave/pay.

So essentially should I get the back molar (the worst one condition wise) removed and then try to save the one closer to the front? Or should I wait and pay the money to the private dentist to have both root canals finished? I'm currently on my third lot of antibiotics for the pain and swelling and I'm so utterly fed up, but I'm scared about further infections, dry socket and being in anymore pain.

Help please!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health

I’d do root canal on both. But since NHS is taking so long, call around to different private ones. You shouldn’t have to wait until July. Part of the waiting is no doubt due to you not being a patient on their register, but essentially a walk in.

Have you called round to different NHS ones already? You can go to any dentist. It’s not like GPS where you have to be in a catchment area.

I would try to register with an NHS dentist ASAP and maybe get the most urgent problem dealt with privately.

Only a dentist should advise you on what course of treatment to take and I would also seek help regarding the phobia.
No one likes going to the dentist but you should still be registered with one and visiting one regularly to prevent things from reaching this stage in future.

I hope you get it sorted and that you feel better soon x

Sorry that you're in pain, @Sda06

Tooth pain is so debilitating.

Private dental work is expensive, and what you've been quoted seems in line with the norm.

Having had really bad tooth ache in the past, I would personally book jn and have the root canal treatment. You don't want the situation to get worse.

I've had to go private for RCT on a upper wisdom tooth. NHS dentist just couldn't do it. Cost me £110 for the initial examination and the work will cost £750. I've been seen fairly quickly though.

Thanks all, I should add that in terms of timings I could have the back molar extracted quite quickly (this week) via a 111 appointment and wait to have the other one treated, I'm just a bit worried that if I do have it extracted that I'll have issues with teeth movement and dry socket!

I had private root canal on an upper wisdom tooth about 20 years ago. About 10 years later the tooth pretty much disintegrated and I had to have the rest pulled out. I’ve had no problems whatsoever from the missing tooth/ gap and wish I’d saved myself the time, money and hassle of having the root canal in the first place by having it pulled straight away. I hope you can get treated quickly, toothache is awful isn’t it.

My poor husband has had a few root canals done privately all successful, never any problems after treatment, and painless. We have a private dentist a lot cheaper than that.

I'm in a similar situation with one of my back molars. I have a temp filling atm and an appointment to have a look at it and decide on course of action in a couple of weeks. I think I'm just going to have the thing pulled. (Although I am actually terrified)

I just paid 270 for an awkward root canal in a front tooth (don't eat mashed avocado unless you have done it yourself a piece of the stone cracked my tooth) I'm in SE Wales. Obviously I didnt want to lose a front tooth. I have had molars extracted without a problem.
My teeth are terrible though. Not through poor care i should add. Just bad luck. At least that's what my dentist told me. Perhaps she's trying to make me feel better!

There's just nothing worse than toothache is there!
I think it's the timing that's making me lean more towards having the back one pulled as I feel like the pain and swelling may reduce if I'm just waiting for the one root canal as opposed to two.
The idea that I could go for an emergency appointment and get the back one out within a few days is so tempting because of the pain but I'm hoping I won't regret it further down the line when I have more time and money to spare!

I'd be tempted to have it pulled if it's falling to bits. Infection won't help it's longevity either.
Have you budgeted for a crown? You will need one on top of the root canal.

@Sda06

There's just nothing worse than toothache is there! I think it's the timing that's making me lean more towards having the back one pulled as I feel like the pain and swelling may reduce if I'm just waiting for the one root canal as opposed to two. The idea that I could go for an emergency appointment and get the back one out within a few days is so tempting because of the pain but I'm hoping I won't regret it further down the line when I have more time and money to spare!

If you do have it pulled now that will solve the pain issue, and when you have more time and money later you could consider an implant if you’re worried about movement.

I had a root canal in a back molar and then wound up having it extracted a few months later as I was still in pain anyway. Very happy with the extraction and never looked back.

I really resented going through all that for nothing and wish I had gone straight for the extraction. If I'd had to pay thousands I'd be even more livid. I've had molars out at the back on both sides and I don't think it affects anything. I can still chew!

Just my story. Not a dentist so your case might be different but I do personally feel that there is too much emphasis on preserving teeth that are a bit hopeless and might be better off just coming out.

We signed up for Denplan insurance years ago, it costs £60 a month but any probs we get seen right away and no charges. I had toothache the other weekend, called Denplan they got my dentist to call me, he prescribed anti biotic then saw me first thing Monday morning. Have had several rows done only thing you pay for is lab work, between £80 to £100.

*crowns

I recently had a root canal and crown on one of my teeth nearer the front. I'm absolutely terrified of the dentist hadn't been for a couple of years and things were in a bit of a mess.
I needed
A scale and polish
A filling
A root canal
A crown
A wisdom tooth extraction (it had cracked and then half of it came out)
Do you know it was all fine. I'm having the wisdom tooth out ina couple of weeks.
I would probably lose the back one and save the one you can see.
I've had all my work done on the nhs since January and the root canal was done the week after my first app.

You are a braver woman than me if you can contemplate waiting for the NHS to treat this, toothache is utterly miserable. I would save 1 and lose the other.

I have just had root canal treatment. It cost £300 with my private dentist. I was in a lot of pain so he put me on a list to be called if they had cancellations. I was done and dusted within 3 weeks. Can you ask you dentist if they could do the same and put you on a cancellation list?

Sorry to hear you're in pain @Sda06 - toothache is horrific. If I were you, I'd go for an extraction. I'm also dentist-phobic and opted for this route rather than RCT just over a year ago; I've not had any further problems and it's been a great relief. Just follow the dentist's instructions and I don't see why you'd get dry socket. As @JE17 pointed out, teeth after RCT don't last forever anyway, so may as well cut out the middle man and get it extracted now while it's still in one piece!