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[rebecca]

I have had trouble with 3 teeth since November last year resulting in RCT then a crown on one, a deep filling on another which then did not work and I had to have emergency RCT work (currently saving up for a crown on that one!).

I have had 2 RCT's and crowns on other teeth 10 years ago but have never experienced such pain with these latest ones being done.
Being that there is no longer any nerve in these teeth,  surely I should not have any pain and tenderness!
Even the anaesthetic they administer leaves me very woozy and longer to recover from. (maybe the anaesthetic is stronger than years ago!)
My dentist has not really given me a satisfactory answer to my questions.

Anyone else experiencing this? 

Rebecca

[wombat62]

Hi

I had one done some years ago and every now and again it feels like it's sore/tender again.

I don't think the whole tooth dies off as I had to have a filling along the gum line of mine, where the crown met the natural tooth. The dentist had to pull the gums back and I've had no end of soreness since. Because the gums have reduced I get loads of food stuck in the gum and between the next tooth so I'm always having to fish it out!

I also think it depends on how the dentist does the root canal. I had mine done in stages but another friend had one done in one hit, the infection returned and it had to be done again. Therefore I think it's better to have it done in stages as they pack it with medicine and then it slowly kills off the infection bit by bit.

I hope it settles, I once read a report that a dentist thought that teeth are very poorly designed by nature, I think he was right! (Bit like hormones lol....)

[Dancinggirl]

I am a dentists daughter and used to work with him in his surgery as a dental nurse.  I am certainly not an expert but the other ladies are right, root canal work is tricky and the pain you experience will depend on a number of things.
Firstly, if there is or has been infection then this will take time to subside.
The invasiveness of root canal can give some discomfort and pain for a while as it settles.
Each time it is done will be different.

I must stress though, that it is a really good idea to have root canal done when it is needed and save as much of the tooth as necessary.  If you loose a tooth one should really fill the space lost, either with a bridge or implant, - leaving the gap will compromise the teeth around it and will result in the remaining teeth moving, compromising their stability and will probably result in more teeth being lost. By having a root canal done and, if needed, a crown fitted this will always be the best option.  Dg x

[toffeecushion]

Do you think the menopause affects our teeth?  I have recently lost 2 fillings in the space of 3 weeks, is that just a coincidence?

[CLKD]

Of course it affects our teeth.  My Dentist - who I LOVE dearly -  took a long while to explain.  The jaw bone requires teeth.  When we eat, yawn, talk, smile, giggle …….. although we aren't aware the teeth react against the jaw bone which keeps the jaw line healthy.  Think brisk walking to stave off osteoporosis, well the jaw line requires action.

So: if 1 loses a tooth/teeth the gap won't have impact onto the jaw.  Which will shrink in that area = other teeth becoming loose.  So saving as much of each tooth is important.  I have had both root canal therapy, a crown that wasn't fitted correctly (long story short) and implants.

Unless 1 has an accident implants are considered cosmetic surgery, I believe that Crowns are also.  So I paid out several £K for implants.  One tooth required removal prior to 'work' well, it was well set into the jaw line and twisted - the root ran under other teeth  and the effects of the LA wore off during extraction  .  I had 3 Surgeons at it and did think it was going to be a 'blue light' issue to Hospital for full GA but eventually !

Now I have 3 implants which require a lot of care with cleaning around the gaps between the other teeth.  The whole process takes from 8-9 months; DO NOT allow a dentist to even suggest removal of teeth and replacement by implants on the same day.  It needs a qualified implant surgeon who is able to judge bone density and who has time and experience. 

As for the LA making you woozy, are you on any medication?  The dentist was unable to top up the LA (see above) due to my medication.  It is worth telling the Dentist B4 you undergo further treatment!  I had severe pain following the last root canal even though the nerve was removed, which is why I opted for implants.

[Dancinggirl]

Sadly root canal treatment should usually be done by a specialist dentist these days.  If you are lucky and have a good NHS dentist who does quite a few root canal treatments, then this may be OK but my local NHS dentist didn't want to attempt to save my molar - just told me to have it out!!!  I did some research and found the most fabulous dentist an hours drive away who specialises in root canal - it cost quite a bit but was well worth it.  HE did do the root canal in one whole treatment, I just needed to go back to have the crown fitted. If you have infection then they will usually clean out the root, give a course of ABS and once the infection is clear, they fill the root.   Basically each root canal treatment will be different depending on the state of the tooth. The dentist I found trained at Guys (like my father) and did a whole assessment of my teeth and gums and told me exactly what needed doing.  I felt that the NHS dentist I was seeing just did the check up on the basis that she needed find some simple fillings she could do to make some money - this private dentist reported far fewer real issues with my teeth, so I feel I can trust him and will now see him on a regular basis - for me money well spent.
BTW - the menopause does effect our teeth - lack of oestrogen will cause gum recession which can greatly compromise our teeth - flossing and caring for our gums is terribly important generally but if you are not using HRT in post meno you need to take particular care and if you get bleeding gums, see your dentist for advice. Mouth washes are not usually the answer - proper cleaning is. Fillings get old and will drop out or fracture, sometimes further decay can be an issue - most fillings will need replacing at least once in our lives.
CLKD makes some very good points - implants are not an easy option.  I find I feel really woozy from local anaesthetic these days - I think we simply get more sensitive to theses things.
We are the generation that didn't get fluoride in the water and toothpaste, so our teeth are generally not as good - my son has never had a filling and my daughter only has one - they are in their mid 20s!!!
Don't pay for a facelift, just do everything you can to keep your teeth - they hold your face up. Dg x
 

[rebecca]

Wow ladies, all of your comments are really helpful many thanks.

I thought I had become a bit of a wimp, but my pain threshold tolerance has definitely been reduced. I will blame this on the Menopause !
Dancinggirl - I wish my dentist had told me even a third of what you have. My dental appointments seem so limited timewise (rather like the doctor's appointments). My dental surgeon also looks at the clock quite alot. I have considered trying to find a NHS dentist that would do root canal and crown fit but I feel very nervous about this in case I find someone that does not do a good job. Some private dentists charge so much for a crown - I am confused as to what exactly I am getting quality wise.

Thanks again.

Rebecca
   

[Justjules]

Not sure if anyone knows but there are two types of local anaesthetic that can be used. Dentists tend to use one that has adrenaline in it and it makes me feel much worse afterwards and I get a fast heart rate and feel strange with it so they give me an alternative one. I had to had an extraction the other year and it was a new dentist and I said I didn't want the injection with the adrenaline in but he said the other one wouldn't be as effective for the pain but it was no different and no ill effects.

[Taz2]

Yes I'm always asked which one I would like. The adrenaline one does set my heart racing really quickly but I didn't know there was a different type until a few years ago. One of the reasons that they like to use the adrenaline type during an extraction is because the adrenaline automatically constricts the blood vessels and the anaesthetic stays near the tooth for longer so that gives them more time to extract.  http://www.oralanswers.com/dental-injections-heart-beat/

Taz x

[CLKD]

I've never been asked  but am always asked if my medication regime has altered.

We 'pay as we go' for our dental treatment.  My Dentist has done a Psychology Degree too ;-)

[Jenna]

Talking of medication, do we need to tell our dentists about our use of local oestrogen (Ovestin, Estriol Cream, Vagifem). Does anyone know?

[CLKD]

I haven't  - I don't think that anything used below the waist is likely to affect dental treatment. 

[Jenna]

Thank you, CLKD. (I have always wondered whether it was relevant or not!)

[CLKD]

Full HRT perhaps, mentioned to the Nurse if the Dentist is a male? 

[[email protected]]

Root Canals scare me. There is an medical research  out about root canals being linked to cancer. My father, grandmother and best friends died of cancer, all having at least one thing in common Root Canals. My brother sent me the lengthy medical research linking root canals to cancer. Long story short. Most tooth canals are full of infection/bacterial  which most dentist don't thoroughly rid the open tooth of  . Once cover the bacteria seeps into the body which awakens cancer cells.