Root canal on side tooth or taking the tooth out - what's more traumatic?

[CatAndHisKit]

Sorry, long and boring but I need help deciding.
Just had a stressful news at the dentist's - my general dentist has referred me to the root canal specialist - that they can attempt the root canal treatment on the side tooth with the three nerves but they may not be able to do the filling to keep it.
It was damaged inside for a while - I did check it two yrs ago and the damage was mild and at that point no treatment needed so I thought now it's time to do the filling and was about to see hte dentist, but after biting on something hard, it got broken and turns out the cavity inside was really large, going down to te root, though it's more to one side of the tooth. So the endodontist is saying the filling may not have enough surface to stick to! In which case the tooth will need to be removed.
They gave me an eye-watering price - on top of the actual canal at 900 there is a large filling cost and a v.expebsive ct scan - it comes to about 1.4K! There is also a question wth the tooth next door that it needs a filling but the specialist says she suspects it may need root canal too - though if filling works it may not be for a while. So if I wet agead with the root canal I may beed to do the next one soon too and pay for it (but it's an 'if').

They said of course yo ucan the tooth out - it's JUST out of sight when smiling. But I've neer had a tooth out and being a central side tooth I dread to think how would I feel eating on that side. CAn do the bridge especially if the tooth next door also is a problem - and both to be removed.

But having never lost teeth I'm terrified of extravtions and also how would it feel afterwards without the bridge for a while and then with a bridge which I know can be unconfortable. I think cost-wise it will be cheaper for extraction and the minimal bridge but not hugely less if the bridge is for two teetth.

But the root canal is nearly 2hrs n the chair - I did one last year but that tooth wasn't broken and also she says this one has a curved canal unlike the previous root canal. It wasn't too bad aprocedurres as I went to the specialist that time but I hated the dam and toom a while to be able to start, and it was a bit unpleasant also towards the end. But it was astraight forward tooth and all done in one go, with staight canals.

How does the extraction compare in terms of discomfort and a few days afterwards? Fr the root she said up to 2hrs on the chair, but if the filling doesn;t work, still an extraction but with the nerves killed by then.

TIA!

I had a root canal on a filled tooth many years ago. It was nearly 2 hours of drilling misery but he was determined to save the tooth. The back half of it lasted a couple of years then snapped off, followed not so long after by the front half so I was left with an amalgam filled root at gum level.
It was visible when I laughed and a very kind dentist did once cover it with a white filling but it didn't last long.
I was told it would be very difficult to remove.
Finally last year a locum dentist asked if I wanted it out. So I said yes. It was painless and straightforward. 2 weeks of saltwater swilling and that was it.
It cost me £65 because I still have an NHS dentist.

@Angrymum22 thank you very much for all your advice.

I finally had my appointment this week, he drilled into the tooth and said it is decayed right down to the jawline. Nothing was visible from above so it wasn’t picked up on my regular check ups, and I only noticed some pain a few months ago. I have a temporary filling and now have to decide whether to just remove the tooth, or get an implant (which will cost about £2.5k). He doesn’t think it can be saved.

As you say maybe the Invisalign pushed the teeth into a different position so that my cleaning routine wasn’t effective. The last x-ray was 2 years ago and he says it was slightly visible then and I should have been recalled for another x ray sooner. I’m at the same practice but it’s a different dentist (my previous one is on maternity leave).

However the Invisalign treatment was last year and yes I guess they should have done x rays then. I don’t remember, I will have to ask.

I’ve been prescribed higher fluoride toothpaste and will be more thorough about cleaning my molars. I can’t think of anything else in my lifestyle that would have caused this issue - no change to my diet, and I thought my cleaning routine was good, the hygienist is always happy. The only changes are the Invisalign - and menopause…

Anyway nothing that can be done about that tooth now, just have to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Now to decide what to do about that tooth (and take paracetamol as my jaw is aching presumably after all the drilling and cleaning).

I had a broken tooth taken out 3 months ago.

I have a terrible fear of the dentist, and had delayed it for a year, the plan is actually to have an implant in its place, but I have to wait 3 months for the space to heal fully.

I have to say, I was terrified but it took around 20mins and at the end I said, oh is that it!?

I have terrible teeth, and have had several root canals done which are very traumatic, usually involving several appointments.

I would go with the extraction and consider an implant down the line.

@Circethemagician did dentist remove the decay

@@afterdropshock what did you do and when did you have the root canal done

Yes he removed the decay and put in a temporary filling but he said this will only last a few months.

@Circethemagician i had decay under a crowned tooth that was root Canal 15 years ago. Had crown removed and the large decay. Was your decay painful

It’s called pulling teeth, but actually they push it to make the holes in the bone wider so it should come out easier!

@Dente do you mean to remove the decay

@Fizzadora dud your root canal tooth ever hurt when it broke off

@BobShark did the broken tooth hurt

Good to read some more replies. Thank you for taking the time. I am still waiting. Still no pain. I think it makes sense to have my tooth out and an implant but just working out how to finance it.

Neither are pleasant, but neither are awful either.

I had a root canal recently on an upper front molar. It takes ages but it was painless. My dentist is generous with the anaesthetic- they also do a sedation option. I took a couple of CBD mints beforehand which helped relax me.

The worse thing was keeping my mouth open and the rubber mask they pull over the tooth.

There is a bit of discomfort afterwards, maybe bruising? but nothing like toothache. I would try and keep the tooth if possible.

This and always better to try to save the tooth