Extract 1 molar, 2 molars or root canal treatment?

[Sweetpeas]

I have repeat infections around my 2nd and 3rd molars. I had been on a few rounds of antibiotics because of it. An abscess formed and drained on the gum of 2nd molar. My dentist said there is no crack or anything alike on the 2nd molars.

He gave me 2 options:

option 1, is to extract both teeth right away and have implants or denture later on. But I want to keep my 2nd molar if possible. Besides implants will be expensive because I lost the adjacent 1st molar years ago.

Option 2 is to extract the 3rd molar alone by an oral surgeon, wait and see if the 2nd molar can heal itself (My dentist doesn’t recommend RCT). The wait time and cost of extraction by an oral surgeon would be much more. So I’m wondering how likely the 2nd can survive with and without a RCT.

What’s your suggestion? Thanks in advance.

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Hi,

I would extract the 3rd molar only and wait.

 

[Gordon]

Seconded.

 

[Sweetpeas]

Dr. Daniel and Dr. Gordon, thank you for your reply. There is still something I don’t understand. I had a few relapse of terrible robbing pain and prolonged cold sensitivity in the 2nd molar before taking antibiotics. Although the pain went away after antibiotics, there is a pimple reappear under my 2nd molar. The tooth is also a little bit mobile. Is this a indication that it needs a root canal treatment? Or it’s likely beyond saving by RCT?

 

[Gordon]

It would suggest that it needs RCT, but again I'd swipe that 3rd molar and see what happens next.