Apicoectomy or Extraction?! - while pregnant

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Hi All..

Agh Im so frustrated. So now that the dentist are back open again will need a treatment for a tooth that was infected. I had been given antibiotics which cleared it up during the lockdown so im not in any pain at the moment (but feel it can be back any moment).

I am in month 5 of my pregnancy so as they say, in the 'safe' part of pregnancy for dental treatments.

I have a failed root canal which the private Endodontic who did it is now suggesting Apicoectomy. However another dentist on the phone suggested extraction. The Apicoectomy is RIDICULOUSLY priced at over £1000!!.... But im not even too worried about the money. I just want this resolved as best as it could - so I dont loose a tooth but mainly worried about it becoming more of a problem when im further in my pregnancy ...

Help. I somehow doubt anyones been in a similar situation but maybe advice on an apicoectomy if you've had one, specially while pregnant?

Which tooth is it ?

I'm a dental nurse and tbh if a patient is not feeling any pain from it now we would advise to wait until baby has arrived. But of course if they were in pain we would see them straight away. Why did the root canal fail with an endo specialist did they say?

Is it causing pain? What tooth is it?

An apicectomy is a relatively complex procedure. Its quite a bit of chair time. Its not always successful.

If you really want to save the tooth, wait and have an apixectomy.

However it might be better to have the tooth out and use the money to save for an implant or bridge.

Hello all,

The tooth did have pain during the lockdown and I was given antibiotics which eased everything.. so the pain has gone away but it is expected to come back once the effects of the antibiotics wear off.... so I dont want to risk not having it treated while im in month 5 and then have it infected again at month 8 and need a treatment then when it is more difficult for me to sit on chair for long.

its my upper molar tooth, second from last and it was the endo specialist who is due to do the Apicoectomy that did the root canal which has now failed. Its one of the roots and its clear from X-ray where.. he is super confident of high success rate and has told me will refund me fully if it fails or free further treatment if needed.

I just need help with deciding which is best for the pregnancy? Is Apicoectomy less intrusive than an extraction? Which is less harmful.. which is less risky! Im so annoyed this is happening now while im pregnant...

Thank you for your help and advice so far by the way x

Performing an apicectomy during pregnancy is highly unusual; have you actually been offered this by a suitably qualified dentist?
Usually you would wait until delivery for this procedure. There are radiographs post and pre op apart from it being an invasive procedure; there is virtually no elective oral surgery atm anyway, even if you weren’t pregnant.
Extraction is perfectly justified however during pregnancy.
Upper Molars are really quite difficult to apicect; if it were one of your front teeth I’d probably have it done but not for an Upper 6.
As a practising dentist no way I’d have that done, I’d sooner have a resin bonded bridge, or an implant or even a space of it wasn’t visible.