Looking for Hope

Hi everyone, I just posted on my Journal about this but since I am feeling very sad about it I wanted to come into the support forum to see if I can find some kind of hope with your stories.

So I went to my appointment today schedule to have a rooth canal done on my first premolar (I hope I get the name right) is the tooth just after my canine on my upper, right side. Well the root canal was not possible because the doctor found I have an infection there and while he didn't perfom the rooth canal he did drill on my tooth and inserted these really thin neddles and put some kind of medication and closed it for now until next week he also, because I was under Valium am not sure exacly what he did but he Rx to me Penicillin 500mg which I have to take 1 tablet 4 x a day. Then for my next visit on 2/18/11 he will let me know if the infection is better or if I need to have the tooth extracted. Now, I am very scared because I don't want to know I need an extraction just because of the location of the tooth. I mean how will I ever smile again with a missing tooth there. I understand my health comes first but all this has me very depressed and not feeling good at all. I have cried a lot today since coming out of the appointment only thinking I don't want to loose my tooth. The visit regarless of the outcome went very nice and he told me he will do his best in trying to save my tooth and he never mention that it was severe either.

I just wanted to know if anyone here has gone thru something like it and if there is hope. Was your tooth saved from an infection too?

Thank you all in advanced.

It should be possible to save your tooth from an infection..but it may take more than one go. It seems strange that they have implied they will try once and then extract.
Ask to be referred to an endodontist for a second opinion before letting a General dentist pull the tooth. As you say it's an important one to keep in your smile line.
You could even opt to go to an endodontist right now for the treatment instead - they specialise in root canals and so will likely have a better chance of success.

brit said:

It should be possible to save your tooth from an infection..but it may take more than one go. It seems strange that they have implied they will try once and then extract.
Ask to be referred to an endodontist for a second opinion before letting a General dentist pull the tooth. As you say it's an important one to keep in your smile line.
You could even opt to go to an endodontist right now for the treatment instead - they specialise in root canals and so will likely have a better chance of success.

Click to expand...

Hi brit, thanks for your reply I was really looking foward to hearing from someone. Well my doctor is not only a general dentist he's also an oral surgeon among other things. He told me he will try he's best to fix it and save it but if in the end it doesn't work then he says it might have to come out...but if it comes to that point where he thinks he can't do nothing about it I will most definitely seek a second opinion and take your adviced. I actually like the doctor he's really nice to me and tries to accomodate my fears. I just can't imagine loosing that tooth and I don't mind the more then one go as long as It can be saved. Thanks brit for your advice and will definitely keep it in my thoughts!!

Good luck. I hope you get good news.

Oral surgeons don't specialise in root canal treatments - endodontists do - so you may want to get an endodontist's opinion on the tooth if you'd like to keep it .

littlecrittle said:

Good luck. I hope you get good news.

Click to expand...

Thank you, littlecrittle!!! I hope so too!!

letsconnect said:

Oral surgeons don't specialise in root canal treatments - endodontists do - so you may want to get an endodontist's opinion on the tooth if you'd like to keep it .

Click to expand...

I will go and get that second opinion. Thanks!!!

The only thing I can add here is, yes there will be a gap there for awhile (if they have to extract, that is), but there are tons of ways to get a new tooth there easy peasy..obviously some are more expensive than others, but to not lose hope. You are doing the right thing by getting it taken care of.

Mike