Dentists please help - something odd just came out of my gum..

[santaslilhelper]

I've had two failed root canals.. awaiting an appointment with a specialist at the hospital.. just finished 2 courses of antibiotics for yet another infection under my crown that won't seem to go away..

Today I've had a horrid taste in my mouth and odd feeling in my gum... so I pushed my gum where it felt odd and oh my laawd out poked a thin, hard, orange object out of the side of my gum. I managed to get hold of it and pull it out It came out of the hole where pus drains from How worried should I be by that?!

As someone has already said, the orange thing is the root filling (gutta percha or GP). When we do a root canal filling, the aim is to get GP to the very end of the root (the apex).

If a root canal treatment fails, it is often due to chronic infection. This happens frequently and even happens to specialists. It's just a fact of life unfortunately. The chronic infection will drain out through the gum (as you have mentioned) through a "sinus". Also, the chronic infection can lead to resorption of the apex, where the tip of the root is eaten away, this can be seen on x rays. The infection however doesn't resorb the GP and this will stick out of the apex.

It can be removed by extracting the tooth or carrying out an apicectomy (possibly what you were referred for?) or it can come loose, float around or be expelled like a splinter.

Unless you know your dentist hasn't performed up to an acceptable standard then there will be no need to kick off or sue. This occurrence doesn't make things worse but hopefully your referral has been chased up? Hospitals are cutting down on the expensive treatments like apicectomies and wisdom teeth removal, it's unfortunate but it's a fact of public sector cuts.

Grumpystiltskin - Thankyou for posting, I feel much relieved as my Dentist explained things exactly as you have, yes it was GP from the tip of the root. I am now on more antibiotics and my Dentist faxed an urgent letter while I was there to try and get my appointment moved forward. I am indeed looking at having an apicectomy, in my dentist's defence he has done everything to try and save my tooth even when I was so fed up with it I would have opted for it being pulled.. I just hope I'm not putting myself through another procedure just to end up having it pulled. Trying to stay optimistic oh no I can't have wine,

Keep the orange bit, do not let them take it. can we see a photo < as good as pus porn>

Should be ashamed? Excuse me? I'll say what I want thank you very much. Considering the amount of pain and trauma I've had from so called NHS dentistry I'll express my opinion as I see fit. That's also not to mention the trauma that one of them caused to ds2 during a botched extraction

Glad that Grumpystiltskin has explained things so well.

Hidden, you have obviously had a shit time but you cannot extrapolate your experience and apply it to an entire profession ( or the bit of it doing NHS work). FWIW I have an NHS dentist who is fab and who has done sterling work with my autistic DS. A friend who went private had a shit time with her private dentist. Doesn't mean they are all like that. It's about finding a dentist you have faith in - I have faith in mine who is very good plus very kind and gentle with DS.

Good and bad in all professions. I think the explanation from the dentist on this thread explains the OP's issue well and why it occurred.

santas- Most of Kent referrals go to Guy's hospital in London: they are brilliant there. The only downside is the waiting list size.

My Dentist, who I worked for 25 years ago and was at that time 95% NHS and 5% private - is now 100% private and the standard of his work hasnt changed.

Just because work is carried out on the NHS does not mean the quality of dentistry is poorer.

OP - glad it has been sorted for you

it sounds like gutta percha which is what is used to fill root canals with. a drill bit would be silver metal and much more painful. not unusual for a piece to come out if infected. def go back and tell dentist.

oh missed the bit where grumpy explained it all. does high five to fellow dentist.