Big problem with lower first left molar ... need advice

[StefyS]

When I was younger, I had a root canal done on my left lower first molar but for some reason, this wasn't crowned. About 6 years ago, this tooth broke slightly and the filling came out so I went to a dentist who told me that I would need another RCT and a crown, at the time I was a student and couldn't afford all that (I wanted a white crown) so he put a temporary filling in which lasted for quite a few years until a few months ago when i ate something and the filling came out and the tooth broke a bit more so I went back to my dentist who said that it would have to be extracted and nothing more could be done.

So he put another temporary filling whilst I decide my next move. Recently, a small, painless, hard lump has appeared on the gum below the tooth and it gets slighter bigger when I eat on that side and then goes back down the next day. My first question is, does anyone know why this is happening and what it may be? I don't think it's an abscess as I took some antibiotics for another tooth infection and they did nothing for this bump.

My second question, as the tooth has to be removed, Im worried that the teeth on either side of it will weaken and will eventually have to be pulled as well and that the crown on the tooth above will fall out when the tooth moves down. Has anyone experienced this after removing a tooth? My only saving grace is that the Wisdom tooth on that side has grown out but it's quite far up so if my teeth do move, I'm hoping the gap will be filled a bit better.

I am also looking at getting a dental implant but at the moment, I've just had to pay £800 for another RCT on another tooth and will then have to pay for the crown in the near future so can't afford an implant at the moment!

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[tigerstripedred]

Not a dentist but personal experience....I had a bottom premolar pulled and left the spot empty for 4.5 years. I had no teeth movement...nothing started to fall over...my upper teeth didn't come down my dentist looked at me funny when I asked about that.

one thing though I kept up with 6mo cleanings (this started my return to dental care. She knew I planned on an implant. She kept an eye on visible signs of boneloss and promised to let me know when it was time. I ended up doing it before it ever got that point as I freaked when i noticed a little bit of gum recession on the tooth behind the hole...probably from brushing hard.

I wouldn't skip regular cleanings after you have it pulled if you think you want a dental implant just to keep tabs on the rate of bone loss because every one is different.
Also really having it out before you get a full blown infection is so much easier...believe me I ignored mine for years from fear and shame...i wish I hadn't...I think I got lucky it didn't damage bone from the thing having minor infections over the years.

 

[StefyS]

Thank you for your advice. It's such a hard choice to make as I'm not worried about the gap, no one will even see it, I just don't want any movement so I might look into a partial denture for now until I can afford an implant.

The little lump below the tooth is just concerning me a bit. It gets a bit bigger when I eat certain things and then goes down to the small lump but my dentist appointment is in 2 weeks time so I will ask him to look at it then and hopefully it will still be okay then.