• Dental Phobia Support

    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.

Extraction Alternative?

N

nervousgirl08

Junior member
Joined
Mar 25, 2017
Messages
7
Does anyone have any experience or opinion on this?


I have a tooth that had a root canal around 1.5 years ago. Stupidly I never got it crowned (please please please learn from my mistake).


The tooth is pretty broken. 1 wall is remaining with 1/4 of it broken below the gumline.


My dentist says the tooth is hopeless and must be extracted due to decay extending down the roots.


I was worried about having to get it pulled because so few tooth structure was left, but she says the issue is the decay.


I have severe anxiety/panic disorder. I'm willing to do anything/pay any amount of money to avoid extraction. It is just not something I can mentally/physically handle. (Don't want to be sedated, don't want to take pain pills, don't want to be awake, don't want to bleed, don't want to have a missing tooth for the rest of my life).

Through some obsessive google searches I've found a post on this forum saying all teeth that are not vertically root fractured can be saved if you really want them to be. Is this true?


I'm planning on getting a second opinion, but wondered if anyone could related or had advice? :confused::confused:
 
There's no harm in getting a second opinion, but if the roots are decayed, I don't know what else can be done. I understand it can be terrifying when you have anxiety, but a tooth extraction is quicker than a filling in most cases.

No one here can tell you either "the tooth can be saved" or "the tooth can only be extracted", not without examining it first. If you want a second opinion, get one, because it can't hurt. But if the news is bad, you may have to start looking into methods for dealing with extraction.
 
Hi - I'm not a dentist but I've recently had two teeth extracted due to root fractures. For the first one I saw 4 different dentists and all agreed removal was the only option. Three months later I developed problems in another tooth and only saw my current dentist on this, he said extraction was the only option. Turns out the root was "shattered" so he was right in that there was no other option.

I share many of the same fears as you (don't want to be awake, don't want to be asleep, don't want pain pills, don't want pain, don't want to bleed, don't want the unexpected, don't want to sit in a dental chair, don't want things in my mouth, don't want empty spaces in my mouth, etc.). I would gladly have paid double what the extractions cost to not have to go through with it.

Once I realized extraction was my only option I scheduled the appointment asap so i could get it over with. The actual procedure was much, much easier than I thought, especially for the first one. I had a bone graft at the same time and the entire procedure took about 10-15 minutes. The 2nd was a little more complicated in that the root was shattered and that one took 20-30 minutes, still very doable. The most traumatic part for me was the emotional pain of losing a tooth and having an empty space (currently undergoing implant procedures and flippers). I had absolutely no pain whatsoever during the extraction and very little afterwards.

I was awake for both of them but did take valium beforehand. Also had my MP3 player which helped. And I wore dark sunglasses during the procedure. I asked the dentist if this was okay and he said he preferred that so that nothing gets into my eyes.

A fractured tooth may be saved but with decay in the root it's not likely. I would suggest you get a 2nd, 3rd, 4th opinions, but not to find a dentist who can "save" the tooth, but to find one that you are comfortable with. That's what I did. They all pretty much agreed the tooth could not be saved but the dentist I stayed with was the one I felt most comfortable with and who took the time to explain things to me and show me the x-rays and the reasons why it couldn't be saved and what my options afterwards were. I don't know if your tooth is a front tooth or a back tooth but after the extraction there are options (implants, bridges, partial dentures, etc.), none are the ideal but it's better than an empty space.

A lot of people posting here can relate to what you are saying and have been or are going through similar things. You are lot alone in this and you will get through it. :jump:
 
Hi,

In many cases a tooth which one dentist says is hopeless, can be saved. It all depends on the skills, experience and knowledge of the dentist.
If you want, you can place your X ray in the forum.
 
Back
Top