Facing a possible extraction?

[ilostmynewunicorn]

I've had a broken upper molar for a while now, went to the dentist 1.5 months ago, got on antibiotics, returning there tomorrow. Things took a turn for the worse. The pain returned much more severely, and today I woke up and the tooth broke down a little bit more. The back of the tooth is broken in half, and I can literally fit my tongue in between the parts without any problem. I do still feel a very tiny part of the tooth above the gum line (assuming my tongue is angled on the top. If I try to feel it using my tongue under the tooth, then the gum line covers that part).

Anyways, is this broken too much for a root canal? Am I gonna get an extraction (gonna go to the dentist tomorrow but only to schedule something with her assistant, since my dentist isn't there on Wednesdays)? Never had one before, don't know what to expect, very very very scared :/

 

[ScaredyCat22]

I've had a broken upper molar for a while now, went to the dentist 1.5 months ago, got on antibiotics, returning there tomorrow. Things took a turn for the worse. The pain returned much more severely, and today I woke up and the tooth broke down a little bit more. The back of the tooth is broken in half, and I can literally fit my tongue in between the parts without any problem. I do still feel a very tiny part of the tooth above the gum line (assuming my tongue is angled on the top. If I try to feel it using my tongue under the tooth, then the gum line covers that part).

Anyways, is this broken too much for a root canal? Am I gonna get an extraction (gonna go to the dentist tomorrow but only to schedule something with her assistant, since my dentist isn't there on Wednesdays)? Never had one before, don't know what to expect, very very very scared :/

It's really hard to say without seeing it and only a dentist can tell you for sure. If the tooth is not broken below the gum line it is possible that it might be able to have a build up and crown with a core and post inside a root canal. But there does need to be some unbroken tooth structure left for this. If your root is fractured it can't be saved. Good luck to you I hope it works out for you. I had to lose a tooth because of root fracture so I feel for you.

 

[ilostmynewunicorn]

It's really hard to say without seeing it and only a dentist can tell you for sure. If the tooth is not broken below the gum line it is possible that it might be able to have a build up and crown with a core and post inside a root canal. But there does need to be some unbroken tooth structure left for this. If your root is fractured it can't be saved. Good luck to you I hope it works out for you. I had to lose a tooth because of root fracture so I feel for you.

From what I can feel there's little to no structure left, I can't even tell it apart from the other teeth surrounding it because there's barely anything keeping them apart. I think it's not broken beyond the gum though.

Honestly though, I'd prefer an extraction to a root canal. Much faster and doesn't appear to cause as much trouble in the future. I had a Root Canal last year and I'm still struggling with the procedure because the prep for a crown is too painful.
I don't know how much painful an extraction is, but assuming the most painful part is being numbed down (in a regular way and not in that "special" way they numb you down for a root canal, right in the pulp chamber) I'd choose it over a root canal any day as long as the tooth was not showing.

It's the pain I'm afraid of.

EDIT: Funny thing though, since the tooth re-broke itself, all the pain from the gum completely dissipated, even when pressured. Still going to a dentist ASAP (ended up not going today because I went to a funeral and had to spend the whole morning there, and when I arrived back in town it was already kinda late) but it's kinda funny.

 

[FearfulInMA]

You definitely need to make the decision that's best for you, but I will say that I've had 4 completely pain-free root canals.

 

[ilostmynewunicorn]

You definitely need to make the decision that's best for you, but I will say that I've had 4 completely pain-free root canals.

Completely as in 100% pain-free? I had one and it was kinda meh. I mean it wasn't the most painful thing ever, but getting injected in the pulp chamber hurt quite a bit and I had to ask them to stop the treatment and let me recover from the shock. I have no clue how I would react to that needle again.

Meanwhile, I'm now worried that 2 teeth are broken, not just one. The hole seems too big to be covering only one tooth. Could be wrong but that's how it feels like.

Thanks for answering

EDIT: Forgot to add, but like I said the post-RCT part where they prep the tooth for the crown using files, that's been very very painful even when I'm numbed down 100 times everywhere in my mouth. So far went there 3 times and always left crying from pain. Haven't completed that part yet.

 

[FearfulInMA]

Wow! I'm so sorry you've had to go through that!!? Yes, all of my RCTs have been pain free - even the injections - my regular dentist is very good, but his injections sometimes hurt a little (never like you're describing), but l of my RCTs have been done by endodontists all of which have given painless injections. My RCTs have all been in 1 visit each. When I've had crowns after RCTs, those have also been pain free.

My experience having my wisdom teeth extracted, however, was a complete nightmare. I guess that's why I'd choose RCT over extraction any day!

Again, I'm so sorry you've had to go through that!

 

[ilostmynewunicorn]

Wow! I'm so sorry you've had to go through that!!? Yes, all of my RCTs have been pain free - even the injections - my regular dentist is very good, but his injections sometimes hurt a little (never like you're describing), but l of my RCTs have been done by endodontists all of which have given painless injections. My RCTs have all been in 1 visit each. When I've had crowns after RCTs, those have also been pain free.

My experience having my wisdom teeth extracted, however, was a complete nightmare. I guess that's why I'd choose RCT over extraction any day!

Again, I'm so sorry you've had to go through that!

Thank you so much for the support, I really appreciate it.

People have actually told me that endos tend to this in a way much less painful. However I'm 19 and not able to afford my dental visits by myself yet, and my mother is strongly against changing dentists. So if my general dentist thinks she can do a root canal herself, my mother won't let me change, mostly because she fears my dentist will get mad when I come back with a fixed tooth (and, say, maybe hurt me on future appointments by somehow messing up a good tooth, or insisting on re-doing the root canal). She doesn't even take X-Rays or anything.

I'm glad your experience was better than mine, sorry the wisdom teeth removal sucked, but at least you will never have to deal with that again.

 

[ScaredyCat22]

I am with you on the crown prep. I have been through that 3 times and If I never go through it again it will be too soon! my root canal ended up being extracted because it was already fractured. It was a 2 minute pain free appointment. I didn't feel a thing.

 

[ilostmynewunicorn]

I am with you on the crown prep. I have been through that 3 times and If I never go through it again it will be too soon! my root canal ended up being extracted because it was already fractured. It was a 2 minute pain free appointment. I didn't feel a thing.

And extraction triumphs once again!! lol