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2nd opinion - Root Canal No longer Needed?

L

leahnicole

Junior member
Joined
Oct 2, 2017
Messages
8
Location
North Carolina
I had a dental visit a week ago for upper teeth (teeth 2-4) sensitivity (I grind and clinch). I was having a dull achey feeling in my gums just on one side when I’d eat & drink certain foods. It was intermittent and manageable pain. Ibuprofen worked well. Tooth 5 was the tooth she tested. Tooth 4 needs fillings, There is no abscess and never has been. Dentist did pulp test and X-ray and said I needed a root canal? I didn’t respond to cold sensitivity so she assumed the root was dead? X-ray showed a curved root but she never explained her reasoning for me needing a root canal. She never returned to the room after X-ray? Anyway fast forward to yesterday >> I went back to the dentist yesterday and saw a different dentist in the practice. This visit was for another tooth on the bottom that started hurting (tooth 30) plus ear and jaw pain. Turns out this tooth #30 is a cavity and tooth 2 is a cracked filling that needs a crown? She ordered a bunch of X-rays and did more tests and after further review she said I do not need a root canal. She didn’t think it was necessary. She gave me antibiotics for possible sinus or ear infection.. So now I have a whole new treatment plan.

Why the difference in opinion. I told her my symptoms are intermittent and I thought it might just be from clinching. I’m not a dentist so I don’t know what is causing the achey feeling on my top right teeth? Could it be stress too? I’m so worried about this.
 
If it were me, i'd probably go for dentist #2's opinion, that seems more cautious and reasonable..just my opinion.. totally hear you though its interesting the varying opinions.
 
Hi as a dentist once said on here if you ask 6 dentists their opinion you will get 6 different answers. Go figure, I do think the 2nd dentist sounds better than the first. They seemed to spend more time investigating. I would go with dentist number 2 if it were me but it is your choice.

All the best to you and good luck
 
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