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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to ask the dentist to remove my tooth instead of doing a root canal treatment?

53 replies

Bellagio · 27/05/2010 21:09

That's it really..... is it something I can insist on? It's a very back molar so I don't think I'll miss it. Just can't face the hassle, pain and expense of a root canal (not NHS so can't imagine how much it's gonna cost!)
Is it up to me as a patient or can he refuse?

OP posts:

belledechocolatefluffybunny · 27/05/2010 21:10

It's always up to you, you are the patient, you are also paying him. Just tell him you want the tooth removed, he has to respect your wishes.

pranma · 27/05/2010 21:11

YANBU and you do have that right but he can refuse......and you can change dentists if he does.

usualsuspect · 27/05/2010 21:12

He can't refuse ..I have insisted on a tooth removal .either the dentist did it or I yanked it out...

southeastastra · 27/05/2010 21:12

remember having a tooth removed is painful too and can take weeks to heal. can't you find an nhs dentist to do it?

moominmarvellous · 27/05/2010 21:15

YANBU I did the exact same thing, I didn't even consider that the dentist would or could refuse. Why would they do that?

LyraSilvertongue · 27/05/2010 21:20

I had a tooth extraction that was far worse than the root canal I had. It was a far back tooth so firmly wedged into the bone. It was horrible.
As long as you have adequate anaesthesia, a root canal really isn't that traumatic. Last time I had one, newborn DS2 slept on my belly through the whole thing
What I'm trying to say in a roundabout way is that tooth extraction isn't necessarily the easy option so do consider the root canal before losing a tooth forever.

hatesponge · 27/05/2010 21:22

I doubt they would refuse - I had a back molar taken out last week and my dentist said that he could try and save it by root canal but as it was a back molar and all my other teeth are in good condition I wouldn't miss it.

I didnt hesitate to say take it out! Frankly by that time I was on the verge of taking the pliers to it myself.

One week on it is all healed

Hope you get it sorted soon.

abitpearshaped · 27/05/2010 21:22

You can request it, but if it is at all possible, it is better to try and hang on to the tooth. If it has an opposing tooth, it's removal may cause the opposing tooth to over-erupt. It can be crowned after root canal treatment, and be a completely viable tooth. Having the tooth extracted is really best looked at as absolute last resort. HTH

ArthurPewty · 27/05/2010 21:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

winstonstimpson · 27/05/2010 21:31

I have had root canal treatment twice and one extraction. I am a very nervous patient. The root canal takes a long time and I found it uncomfortable but once it is finished you are back to normal pretty quickly. It will be quite annoying if it is at the back as access will be more difficult. Also, the tooth is weakened and often it ends up having to be re-rooted or removed.

The extraction was done within a few minutes and didnt hurt at all. However, I found it quite traumatic. I dont think I had appreciated how utterly unscientific it is - the dentist just rips it from the roots with pliers and there are awful cracking sounds and bits of tooth flying around. I was really unsettled afterwards and it then takes a good few days for it to feel normal again. There is blood to deal with too.

If you really really want an extraction then I think dentists will do it (saves a lot of time and hassle) however root canal if viable would be my preference.

good luck whatever you decide

HelenRosie · 27/05/2010 21:39

I'm a dentist. From my point of view extracting a tooth which could be saved is soul destroying. It's the dental equivalent of someone having their broken leg amputated instead of having it put into plaster. I would refuse to extract a tooth if it could be saved. However I'm sure you will find a dentist prepared to do it as extractions are quicker and more cost effective. Just remember that the opposing tooth will erupt into the space and if there is a tooth behind it will tilt into the space over time, your bite can be thrown out, potentially causing headaches, migraines and tmj problems in future.

Francagoestohollywood · 27/05/2010 21:40

I had a root canal on a back molar. It was badly done. It got infected after years of being dodgy and it was bloody painful. It took days to heal and it remained dodgy.
Until a dentist decided it was much better having the tooth out. It's quite shocking having a big tooth out and I had a dry socket.

BUT, BUT, BUT removing the tooth was the best thing I could do!

Cloudbase · 27/05/2010 21:41

I had exactly the same dilemma a few months back - I actually wanted to save the tooth and have root canal work, but just couldn't afford the £600 that it would have cost (sadly our only local NHS dentist practice is AWFUL and have consistently given me really shoddy treatment )

When the private dentist outlined my treatment options, he actually offered to take it out, but did say it would be better to save it as molars are very useful teeth. I had it removed on purely financial grounds but I recovered quickly and to be honest, really haven't missed it at all(it was the largest back molar of my bottom teeth)

MrsToffeeCrisp · 27/05/2010 21:43

YANBU.

I had a back molar removed rather than a root canal and the relief was fantastic. It was very quick and although sore afterwards, strong painkillers were great and nothing near as bad a toothache.

Good luck.

TheFutureMrsClooney · 27/05/2010 21:45

I had root canal treatment a year ago and although I am the world's greatest wuss at the dentist, the treatment was nothing compared to the pain I was in.

However, a year on it's started to be really sensitive and I now need the other half of the treatment. Another few hundred pounds on top of what I've already spent.

BeenBeta · 27/05/2010 21:48

YANBU. Had exactly the same choice about 10 years ago.

Dentist started yapping on about root canal etc. I just said, lets have it out. I now have a gap at the back. My other back teeth moved apart slightly afterwards so there is a sligtly bigger gap between them and bits of meat get stuck between them occasionally.

Apart from that, no ill effect.

FiveOrangePips · 27/05/2010 21:52

I have similar dilemma, though I have nhs dentist so not worried about the cost(it is shockingly expensive going private!!!!), I am just a total wimp when it comes to going to the dentist.

I got a temporary filling this week and a deep clean and I cried lots - the dentist said I will have to have root canal or extraction at some point .

Francagoestohollywood · 27/05/2010 21:59

Mind you, now (another) dentist, who is quite "pushy" wants me to build a new tooth for 3.000 euros

TheFutureMrsClooney · 27/05/2010 22:11

FOP - I found the cleaning and temp filling far worse than the root canal, even with the valium they prescribed

BeenBeta · 27/05/2010 22:18

Agreed. I thought a quick jab in the gum and then yank it out. Mine broke into 5 pieces and had to be dug out though.

Didnt hurt but had to take antibiotics afterwards.

EricNorthmansmistress · 27/05/2010 22:25

You can insist. I was going to do this as I was terrified of the root canal but they persuaded me that it's always better to keep the tooth if you can. Removing a tooth can change the structure of your jaw as the other teeth shift. Why can't you get it on the NHS?
FWIW the root canal was absolutely fine - not painful or difficult at all.

FiveOrangePips · 27/05/2010 22:34

TFMrsClooney, thank you, it is good to hear I am not alone - the dentist did say that was the worst bit over, I was so stressed by it all - but I even cried at the check up the week before - but I waited over 30mins for my appointment and had been listening to the incessant sounds of various drills, so was on the verge of leaving before the appointment!

Greenshadow · 27/05/2010 22:35

I think it's a myth that Root Canal work is so horrendous. I was dreading mine, but it really isn't too bad - the anesthetic should mean no pain during treatment and your can take pain killers afterwards if pain continues - but mine didn't. Bit like childbirth really - awful pain from tooth just suddenly stops!
Please do consider treatment. Once the tooth is out, that is it and if it affects the rest of your teeth, as people have stated earlier, it can't be undone.

AgentZigzag · 27/05/2010 22:41

I'm another nervous patient, and had root canal and wisdom teeth out, and the root canal really wasn't that bad. I felt much more traumatised after the extraction, esp if it's a bottom tooth and embedded in the jaw.

minimammoth · 27/05/2010 22:43

The last root canal I had done cost about £600, That hurt.
Not sure if can be done on NHS

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