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Original poster

Has anyone had a root canal on a front tooth?

58 replies

marmite92 · 09/09/2020 13:45

I've got to have a root canal on a front tooth due to trauma. I'm absolutely terrified it will fail and I'll lose a tooth as google seems to indicate they don't last more than 10 years! It's making me so stressed, is it as big a deal as I'm making out? My tooth is in good condition, it's due to braces it died, I must have banged it years ago or something. The dentist said I wouldn't need a crown.

Can anyone who's had one or a dentist reassure me please?

OP posts:
1990s · 09/09/2020 15:35

@Arcadia Grin

I think that would push me towards private tbh...

Arcadia · 09/09/2020 15:44

Is it worth shopping around at the moment privately or will no one be seeing new patients?

Original poster
marmite92 · 09/09/2020 16:01

@Arcadia did your tooth die just unexpectedly? It's stressful isn't it I'm worrying so much about it! I will probably go for a specialist too I just wouldn't want to risk it not being done properly or something and would relieve my mind a bit knowing it's someone who does it day in day out

OP posts:
Arcadia · 09/09/2020 16:17

Yes @marmite92 identical you you. I had a bit of an ache there but thought it was nothing. He took X-ray and said it was dying. No sensitivity when he did coldness test. Gave me antibiotics but didn't really explain anything. Left feel confused and a bit helpless, have booked in with him and private guy to hold the appointments but will be a month before I can even see private guy.
He said no obvious reason must have been trauma - I did bite down in a fork around 20 years ago and chipped the one next to it slightly so could be that but so weird?!
My mum has had teeth dying since her early 30s. - she has bad teeth.
I have had 'good teeth' so it's a shock Sadam 46

Arcadia · 09/09/2020 16:18

@marmite92 I'm going to stump up to go private (can afford as have saved a bit through lack of hols/social life!) but would like to be sooner. They've put me in their cancellations list.

Arcadia · 09/09/2020 16:19

@marmite92 so glad you posted this today!

Cissyandflora · 09/09/2020 16:26

I started out with one front tooth having a root canal. This did fail in the end. Long long story but I now have dental implants. One of these has also failed and I need to have it replaced. I have a temporary crown on that one.
Really - try not to worry. When I think of the years of angst I had about my teeth and what I learned was it’s all fine. All manageable.
My daughter has just had her braces removed. Due to trauma her front tooth has died and is grey. I know all the path ahead of her because I’ve been through it and I’m not worried. She will be fine. You will be too.

cindyloohoo · 09/09/2020 16:36

I had braces as a teen and took a knock to one of my front tooth on a bouncy castle - when my brace came off (roughly age 13) I had a root canal on it.

I began to notice about ten years later that the tooth was going a bit grey and by my late 20s I was unhappy with the colour and it was also really sensitive. I'm 33 now and last year I went private and the dentist found I had an infection in an unfilled bit of root. He refilled the tooth and then bleached it. Even though it was expensive I'm so pleased I had it done.

I've never had any of the dentists I've seen tell me that the tooth would fall out etc and I'm proof that a root canal can last for ten years plus.

WhatHaveIFound · 09/09/2020 16:59

marmite92 DD just had the root canal redone when hers failed. The dentist had to drill and clean the old one out and redo it. Her jaw ached for about a week afterwards.

The alternative would have been a dental implant but as she's still a teen her jaw could still be growing.

1990s · 09/09/2020 17:27

Is it worth shopping around at the moment privately or will no one be seeing new patients?

Not sure about this, worth a try I should thin if there is a wait for the one you've found.

I've been private for most stuff for a while and I've found that generally if you're willing to pay they'll fit you in type thing! My dentist was open and operating as normal way before the NHS ones

Original poster
marmite92 · 09/09/2020 20:09

Thank you @Cissyandflora that's really reassuring. I know there are worse things that could happen but I think it's the uncertainty that it could go wrong but even if it did it will be ok. Thanks @cindyloohoo that's reassuring too!

OP posts:
OhWhatFuckeryIsThisNow · 09/09/2020 20:35

Dh had his done when he knocked it out playing cricket at uni. He’s early 60s now, still same crown. I’ve got two at the front, both over 20 years old, only thing is the rest of my teeth are wearing down a lot, giving me a fetching look. Not.

Eloisedublin123 · 09/09/2020 20:47

I’m 47 and after having braces twice I’ve been told all my front teeth have shortened roots as a result and they will prob all die one by one
I’ve had 3 root canals in my front ones 🤨
Didn’t hurt though

doubledutyHP · 09/09/2020 20:56

Root canals on both front tooth since I was age 11. Both doscolorate after sometime at age 28 I did crowns they lasted until last year so 11 years. Went private to implant clinic because I was thinking will need implants. After x-ray an implantologist made a decision that everything is ok and won't do implants. So I had root canals clean and put new crawns last year. Cost me 2.6k. Dentist said that he thinks I will manage another 10 years with new crowns. Around this time I will be 50 so will again reconsider and take advice about implants. 30 years and no problem at all.

BananaLlamaConCalma · 09/09/2020 21:41

I have been told this week that I may have to have one on my front but not middle tooth, if that makes sense. So second to the right. I said I was scared of the pain. The dentist (who is wonderful) said people associate it with pain because they are already in pain but it's done once numb so there is no pain. She didn't mention after tho 🤪😳😫💀🦷🦷🦷

CuteOrangeElephant · 09/09/2020 21:50

@marmite92 no, don't worry about that. I still have my teeth with crowns on it. I developed a bad infection but that got cured really quickly once I had antibiotics.

I think the problem with mine was that the original two dentists didn't go deep enough so there was a place for bacteria to gather.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 09/09/2020 23:16

My DP needed RCT on his front tooth, coincidentally at the same time I was having a molar done by a very expensive private specialist. My dentist (who is amazing) said my tooth had very long, curly roots, and while she would be happy to do it, the specialist would likely have a better outcome.

Anyway, I asked “my” specialist about DP, and he said if he needed root canal on a front tooth he would be happy to have a general dentist do it - despite presumably having access to specialist mates! He said it was “bread and butter work”, whereas back teeth are much more complicated.

DP had it done, tooth is fine. He was told it could go a bit grey because the tooth’s blood supply is dead but it could be bleached from the inside out if that happened. It hasn’t so far.

Rainbowgravy · 09/09/2020 23:18

I had an accident playing netball and face planted on to the court. My front tooth was displaced amongst other injuries. At the hospital a Maxfacial doctor pushed in back in to position and I went on to have root canal over to appointments with a dentist. The tooth us slightly discoloured but completely intact 15 years later.

Original poster
marmite92 · 10/09/2020 11:02

Thanks everyone makes me feel better!

OP posts:
Shooglywheel · 10/09/2020 11:06

My dentist told me that the 10 year thing comes from America where it is common to have repeated dental procedures due to insurance cover.
The reality is that root canals can last a very long time- well over 10 years. I’ve had one in a molar and it’s fine.

Original poster
marmite92 · 10/09/2020 11:16

That's interesting @Shooglywheel I did wonder where that comes from and I also read crowns last about 5-10 years which seems short to me as I know people who's had them going on 25 years

OP posts:
Arcadia · 10/09/2020 16:15

Quick update from me - a good friend/neighbour has recommended a dentist her and her husband use, they're both doctors so I trust their judgement! I called them, they were lovely and hopefully seeing me in two weeks but will bring forward if I'm in worse pain. I can get my X-ray transferred over to them. I feel much happier about it now!
Hope you're okay too @marmite92 who you know when you'll have yours done?

wannabebump · 10/09/2020 16:33

Not a front tooth, but a molar. Root canal failed after 4 years which led to an abscess and having to get the tooth removed. In the 4 years though it was often sensitive etc. I've had another molar with root canal since and it aches on a regular basis. I'm waiting on the dentist reopening to ask for a crown rather than leave it too late and the treatment fails. Root canal teeth become more brittle over time

Original poster
marmite92 · 10/09/2020 19:49

That's a relief @Arcadia you must feel better then. Are you in pain with your tooth? I don't know yet, as I'm not in pain there's not an urgency and I'm living abroad (but in a place with really good health care) so going to do some research on good endodontists in the area

OP posts:
Arcadia · 10/09/2020 19:57

@marmite92 a dull aching throb really, just worried it will get worse, but if it does I'll just have to go the emergency route.
At least we're no longer in full lockdown it's easier than it would have been.

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