The Dental Verdict

I'm going to loose the tooth. It's gotta get 'extracted.' They can't just good ol' yank it because there isn't a lot of tooth structure left above the gum line and the roots need to come on out.

Now Tim and I need to figure out what the best option is for treatment is once the tooth is gone. We could do an implant which would likely last the rest of my life, but it's a very pricey treatment that is totally uncovered by insurance, or we could get a bridge. That might be the more likely option as the tooth next to this goner needs some work. It's less pricey, but has to get replaced often.

Endodontic Experience volume 3

Pregnancy beats up my teeth bad.

I went this morning for a root canal. The tooth looked pretty damaged on the x-ray, and the endodontist found a lot of decay in the tooth. He had a great manner--friendly, happy to explain what he was doing and why and to the point. He told me that he wanted to make sure the decay and any lingering infection was gone, and he wanted to make sure that the tooth would no longer cause pain, but he wasn't sure he could finish the root canal as he wasn't sure if there was enough tooth left to adhere to a crown. I need to consult with my dentist and possibly yank the tooth. Am I going to have a denture at the ripe old age of 27?

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Speaking of dentures, growing up, I remember my dad wearing dentures. I remember watching him get ready in the morning, and part of the routine was him brushing his teeth, then brushing the dentures and putting them in. My dad was missing his two front teeth (among others). Watching him care for his teeth I remember thinking, "I lost my two front teeth, will they ever come back?"

Root Canal Woes 2

Have the temporary crowns in and must go back in for the permanent crowns...

I show up for the appointment and the dentist appears rubbing his hands together gleefully. He says, "Good, now that I've got you here, I'm taking a full x-ray of your teeth."

My initial thought is, we've hit our cap, I'm out of pocket, what's the going rate for x-rays?

He continues, " You've been pregnant for the last two years, you know. Everytime you've been in, it's been for an emergency, so we've taken precautions and only taken a limited x-ray just to get a picture of the bad tooth. You've got a lot of old fillings and dental work. Some of it will need to be replaced, I'm sure. I want to see what I'm dealing with and devise a plan for treatment."

We get the full set of x-rays, and the visit progresses. They pop out the temporary crowns and put in the new ones. They also do a quick cleaning. No fuss, no muss.

Then we're almost done. The dentist shows me my x-rays.

"You see in these pictures you have a lot of old fillings. They look good, they'll hold up. We don't need to worry about them cracking or breaking until next year when your insurance will cover the work again. But look here..."

He points to the tooth that is sitting directly underneath the tooth that started this whole mess.

"You see this filling right? Underneath it is all cloudy. That's a cavity. I'm surpised you're not in pain right now. That will need a root canal, but because it is so deep and close to the jaw bone, the gum will need minor surgery to push it away so that the crown will cover the whole area and keep your tooth intact and your jaw safe from infection. You're young, so I would have to leave it untreated and have to pull the tooth. Then we're talking bridge-work."

He tells me a few more things about how long we could hold off on treating it and why that might not be a good idea; a good person to do the work. I'm sure I asked a few other questions but that's lost in thinking about what an out-of-pocket root canal and crown would cost.

The epic of the styrofoam teeth isn't over yet. We'll need to figure out the best way and time to treat this last tooth. After this, I think I'm going wood. All hardwood teeth throughout a la George Washington.

Root Canal Woes

Oh yeah, the continuing saga of my styrofoam teeth!

Had to retreat the tooth, wait 2 weeks and go to the dentist.

Went to the dentist. He did an Xray to make sure the treated tooth looked fine and could be crowned. The teeth right next to it also needed work. One needed a filling, the other also needed a crown. If this was a retail store, I'd be thrilled, go in for one crown, come out with two!

He took several molds of my teeth to make sure the temporary crowns (we're talking in plurals now) would fit. He applied the temporary crowns. He took several more molds of my teeth to make sure the permanent crowns would fit. None of this hurt, it just took time.

Then he puts in the new filling. The drill is the worst. The absolute worst. My root canal didn't bother me but the quick little filling did. I cannot abide the drill.

I must stay, my dentist is very good about being as gentle and as thorough as possible. He spent a lot of time to make sure the bite was good for the temp. crowns and filling.

The two crowns and fillings hit the cap on my dental insurance for the year. Everything else is out of pocket.


Stay tuned, there is more to tell...