Time between stages of root canal - help?

[Judydreamsofhorses]

I have an upper molar which has been playing up for months - last week the dentist removed the filling and found decay under it, and it’s much better, but still niggly. The next step would be root canal. I’m going back tomorrow and she will either take out the dressing and do a permanent filling, or start the first bit of a root canal.

The tooth has very long, curved roots, and while my own dentist is happy to do it, she said it might need referred to a specialist. I asked whether she would want the specialist to do it if it was her tooth, and she said yes, so if need be, I am going to go straight to that rather than potentially start/stop and need referred out anyway. I’d be referred to a neighbouring surgery which has endodontists, some of whom are lecturers/trainers so not there every day. My own dentist would do the pulp/nerve removal tomorrow, but I suspect the referral at this time of year might take a while, and I would also need a consultation first. How long would the initial stage hold up, does anyone know?

The referral would be private so I am not factoring in NHS waiting times.

Thanks for reading if you did, any advice gratefully received.

It so much depends on who is the specialist, are you in pain, etc. Impossible for anyone to say except your dentist who might arrange something with the specialist.

Thanks for your reply. I was more wondering how long the initial bit would hold up while I waited, rather than how long the wait would be, but for now the tooth has been filled permanently and I’m to go back in January for a review. Hopefully this will do the trick, but if not we still have the root canal up our sleeves if necessary.