First check up in years! May need root canal? HELP

[Coopera1990]

So I finally gained the courage to book myself in for a check up at my dentist ( first one in 7 years )
im not a big fan of dentists, I suffer from a sort of anxiety and don't like anyone's hands in my mouth.. my teeth got kind of bad over the years due to high sugar consumption and smoking, & I have just got to a stage where I am embarrassed about my teeth to even visit a dentist.. silly I know!

i have the check up booked for tomorrow morning, I have tartar build ups so I will most likely need scaling & polishing, but the question I wanted to know is, I had an abscess in a tooth a few years ago & needed a root canal, I was given anti biotics to clear the infection but I did not go back to have the root canal treatment done, will this tooth still be infected & need the treatment? iv previously had a filling on the same tooth many years ago, before getting the abscess. since then part has cracked off and it is sort of going see through if that makes sense? Like the filling can be seen through the tooth, this is the tooth on the bottom jaw, 2nd from back (wisdom tooth not included) iv had no pain since the abscess nearly 2 years on & due to it being cracked I'm really put of eating on that side of the month so I haven't done it in about 10 months at least... :/

would it it be best to just have this tooth extracted or would it be worth trying to save the tooth ( root canal ) & have it crowned, I'm not sure I could afford treatment up to £600 on ONE TOOTH!
i wish I had it done sooner while I was in full time education

i have now now quit fizzy drinks & have attempted to quit smoking, and care for my teeth a lot better now, really wish I had done this sooner!
also if I needed two root canals, would I have to pay twice the figure?! Or do I just pay one fee for both?

many thanks!

Anthony

 

[Haly]

Hello Anthony, Congratulation on making the first step!!! I know the feeling of being ashame of showing your teeth to the dentist (been there done that) but I'm sure you definitely can explained your fears to them and get comfortable before you decide to open your mouth. I'm sure they will be okay, they have seen worst scenarios. they can handle it.

Now in regards to the tooth, I'm not sure if they can just do root canal; and it depends what the x rays show: I had a broken tooth that also had a filling and it broke when I was eating one time: I had not eating on the side for a long time.. and I had to have it extracted; which to me sounded okay. But it will depend what the dentist suggest when she see it. I also had deep cleaning done (just upper section for now)

So hopefully you don't need to get it taken out.


Best of lucks to you!!!I'm sure you will do just great..