A Temporary Filling Now, Root Canal or Extraction Later?

[HistoryGrad]

Here's a story... get ready:

About a week ago, I had part of a filling fall out. No big deal.

This morning, I went to a dentist that could get me in and it was all in all a horrible experience. I got x-rays done, the dentist didn't even look at them, but looked at my mouth for less than 10 seconds and said I needed a root canal. I immediately protested because my dental insurance won't cover major work like that for another 11 months (brand new) and so I asked if there were any alternatives. He reluctantly gave me a temporary filling and told me that I really needed to get it crowned as soon as possible.

On top of other issues that went on in that office today, I'm not going back. I've got an appointment to get a second opinion on Friday, but if the consensus is that a root canal would be best in the long run, I've got some questions that I'll ask the dentist. But, I wanted to ask here too, in case people that had been in a similar position could provide feedback one way or another.

If I need the work done prior to the insurance kicking in next September:

• Would getting a permanent filling put onto the tooth to tide over until next September be advisable?
• Will the temporary hold up for a significant amount of time (it's the natural colored cement temporary)?
• Would pulling the tooth (which is covered currently by insurance) and then getting an implant later be more efficient/better off than paying for the root canal/crown now out of pocket?

And if I did end up deciding I'd rather pull the tooth than mess around with a root canal, is waiting 11 months before getting an implant in there too long?

I know that no real answers can be provided that are specific to me and my mouth, but I would really love and appreciate any feedback that anyone has regarding this situation.


**Update: Currently having heat/cold sensitivity, which seeing as it is absolutely new, I'm going to chalk it up to being caused by the dentist that I saw yesterday. I'm going to be calling dentists in my area starting now requesting a consultation and second opinion, but the questions above still apply. (Edited 9.30.2015)**

 

[AmyS]

Hi. I'm sorry to learn you are having those problems.

Since I decided against a root canal (due to cost, for one) and opting for an extraction (upper left, last tooth).
I will tell you that, at work, I have "interviewed" 43 people. All who have had root canals. Without a doubt, 80% of them have said that, if they had it to do over, they would extract the tooth (given their own circumstances). All said that sooner rather than later, the dead tooth had to be extracted anyway and it was double the cost for them (and insurance). Some said they had trouble with the root canal, some said the dentist was not able to clean out the tooth completely and bacteria was left sitting there over time, as well as the "dead" tooth. One of them said her daughter had post pain from the root canal surgery for one month, in between visits to complete the process. Without a doubt, when I would say the words "root canal", everyone had a wide-eyed look about them, as in horror. The word "extraction" drew a mere look of..."oh my"...
Best of luck to you..Hope this helps. By the way, IF the temporary filling helped, and it helped for at least the determined amount of time you can handle and if there is no pain post-filling, I would do that instead (if this were me). Just a thought. Good luck again.

Here's a story... get ready:

About a week ago, I had part of a filling fall out. No big deal.

This morning, I went to a dentist that could get me in and it was all in all a horrible experience. I got x-rays done, the dentist didn't even look at them, but looked at my mouth for less than 10 seconds and said I needed a root canal. I immediately protested because my dental insurance won't cover major work like that for another 11 months (brand new) and so I asked if there were any alternatives. He reluctantly gave me a temporary filling and told me that I really needed to get it crowned as soon as possible.

On top of other issues that went on in that office today, I'm not going back. I've got an appointment to get a second opinion on Friday, but if the consensus is that a root canal would be best in the long run, I've got some questions that I'll ask the dentist. But, I wanted to ask here too, in case people that had been in a similar position could provide feedback one way or another.

If I need the work done prior to the insurance kicking in next September:

• Would getting a permanent filling put onto the tooth to tide over until next September be advisable?
• Will the temporary hold up for a significant amount of time (it's the natural colored cement temporary)?
• Would pulling the tooth (which is covered currently by insurance) and then getting an implant later be more efficient/better off than paying for the root canal/crown now out of pocket?

And if I did end up deciding I'd rather pull the tooth than mess around with a root canal, is waiting 11 months before getting an implant in there too long?

I know that no real answers can be provided that are specific to me and my mouth, but I would really love and appreciate any feedback that anyone has regarding this situation.


**Update: Currently having heat/cold sensitivity, which seeing as it is absolutely new, I'm going to chalk it up to being caused by the dentist that I saw yesterday. I'm going to be calling dentists in my area starting now requesting a consultation and second opinion, but the questions above still apply. (Edited 9.30.2015)**

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Hi,

Amys, just out curiosity, what kind of survey did you conduct? I find your result very biased, but then again, I am a dentist so I might be biased myself...

HistoryGrad, the fact that the tooth is sensitive to cold and warm is actually a good sign (the nerve is alive and functioning). I am certain that a second opinion is the right thing to do.
Pin the end, you are the one to decide what will happen with the tooth. You can always decide to take a risk and have a permanent new filling knowing that the tooth might become inflamed and then a root canal treatment is mandatory.
Judjing from your description, I would go with the temporary filling.

 

[FearfulInMA]

Just to add another perspective... I have had 4 RCTs over the last 5 or 6 years. I have had no issues with any of them and am so glad that RCT was an option (rather than extraction).