A
augmentin123
Junior member
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2013
- Messages
- 14
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.
Register now to access all the features of the forum.
Hi augmentin123,
Hopefully one of our dentist members will be able to lend a professional opinion. I'm not a dentist or in any way qualified to read your x-ray, so I won't even try to give you an unqualified opinion.
What I can tell you from personal experience is that sometimes the x-ray isn't 100% definitive. I've had dentists tell me, "I'm pretty sure this needs a root canal, but I won't know until I get in there." There's a pretty clear protocol for the correct course of treatment, but often the x-ray doesn't completely reveal the extent of the decay. Once the decay is removed, the dentist can make a better determination. In general, my understanding is that the dentist will not proceed to a root canal if a filling will suffice.
Unfortunately you have no good way to tell if Dr. Filling is being overly optimistic, or if Dr. Rootcanal is being overly pessimistic. You are, however, well within your rights to phone each dentist and ask them to discuss risk and options with you. You can ask Dr. Rootcanal if there's any chance the tooth might just need a filling, and you can ask Dr. Filling if there's any chance the decay is deeper and might require a root canal.
That's the problem with getting a second opinion in anything: if the two experts disagree, you have to kind of ask lots of questions and judge for yourself who you think is the better choice.
The good news is, if you're not in pain, there's no particular rush to treat the tooth. So if you'd feel better getting another opinion from another dentist, there's time to do that.
Sorry for the non-answer, but I can't emphasize enough how completely unqualified I am to give any medical diagnosis.
Based on the evidence I second.Hi,
There is a vivid infection around the root of the molar. A root canal treatment is indeed indicated.
There is communication between this infection and the outside of the mouth. Your dentist has placed a tracer through that communication in order to trace down the source of the infection.
The question is where was the tracer placed: If the tracer was inserted from the gum pocket, than a rood canal treatment is not sufficient but also the gum need to be treated, and in that case an extraction is possible treatment as well. If the tracer was inserted from the middle of the gum (what is called a fistula) than a root canal treatment should be sufficient for healing this tooth.
Hi,
There is a vivid infection around the root of the molar. A root canal treatment is indeed indicated.
There is communication between this infection and the outside of the mouth. Your dentist has placed a tracer through that communication in order to trace down the source of the infection.
The question is where was the tracer placed: If the tracer was inserted from the gum pocket, than a rood canal treatment is not sufficient but also the gum need to be treated, and in that case an extraction is possible treatment as well. If the tracer was inserted from the middle of the gum (what is called a fistula) than a root canal treatment should be sufficient for healing this tooth.
Thanks Dr Daniel
Yes indeed the tracer was inserted from the gum pocket .. this would make the prognosis very poor i guess
it might be possible saving the tooth but it will take much work and effort.
Hi,
Sorry, it is difficult to tell according to this X-ray. A solo X-ray (like the one you sent in the beginning) is better.
The root canal treatment seems well done.
More importantly, you should know best wether the tooth is healing well: no pain, no bad taste coming out of there, the wound has disappeared. You're feeling is better than an X-ray.
It sounds great.Thanks for the reply doc!
yup pain has gone and the gum fistula has disappeared (although the gum underneath this molar is still just slightly more swollen than the rest of the gums..but that might be due to the deep pocket there)
It sounds great.