G
Gilbo
Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2020
- Messages
- 97
- Location
- norwich, norfolk, uk
Hi. I have had three root canals. The first one in a small front tooth is fine atm. The third one is also doing well since it was done in Dec. 2019. The second one, done in July 2018 is the problem. It was sensitive from day one. (When he did the root canal, he said that he could only access two canals as the last one seemed too small to do anything with. I think this is maybe why I can still feel a lot of sensation in this tooth, yet he has completely ruled out doing a re-treatment. He also doesn't use crowns or rubber dams, if that's important). My dentist doesn't like the word sensitive and I'm not allowed to use it, as he always says "What does that mean?" Anyway, it was mostly fine until this last Autumn/Fall. One day I bit down on it and nearly went through the roof! When I saw my dentist, he gave me a course of Metronidazole, which always seems to work best for me, as he said I probably had a bit of infection or an abscess. So all was well and it saw me through Christmas. However, two weeks ago, the pain began to return and over this fortnight, I have had a few sharp toothaches interspersed with bouts of 'sensitivity'. Since the last weekend, I have been mostly in pain, which has been getting worse, so I saw him this Friday, (yesterday). I said that, as I soon will be having a few months of radiation and other treatments to hopefully deal with my prostate cancer, I would like to get this tooth problem solved before that starts mid-February. He has spoken of the 'only option left' before, that being extraction of the tooth. But he really didn't want to go down that root. Sorry, route! He has always performed any extractions I needed himself. However this time, he has referred me to a dental surgeon at the same practice. (I have seen her before, she injected me seven times, just to treat one tooth)! But now apparently, she isn't there very often, or sees only a few patients at a time and they were joking amongst themselves of this fact (dentist and nurse). So when I went to reception for a date for this extraction, they said the earliest I can have it done is 15 weeks away, on May 13th. this year!!! I told them I have all this other treatment, which I don't want the worry of anything else and indeed may have to cancel this dental appointment, if it falls in the middle of my radiotherapy (further extending the wait time) and I also told them of my current near unbearable pain. Much shrugging of their shoulders and "That's the best we can do's" later and I'm furious, stressed and highly anxious! (I have had on and off anxiety/stress and depression since 1982). My heart is racing, I am unable to relax or sleep and I'm trying to find other dentists in my area who I can go to instead, who also take on new NHS patients. We have about a hundred dentists within 30 miles, but only two are taking on patients and aren't open until Monday! One more point, though I have a few different painkillers including Pregabalin and Tramadol, (I can't take Ibuprofen/Naproxen due to certain medicines I take for my type 2 Diabetes), absolutely none of them even begins to touch the pain from this tooth! Could you please tell me what you think I should do in this instance? I've never thought that my dentist likes me much and from this latest instance, feel proven right! I think they may be trying to push me away. Should I complain? Find another dentist? Or maybe even severely damage my bank balance by going private? (My partner is a wheelchair user, I too am disabled and we are only on certain benefits and that last option would probably hurt nearly as much as the toothache, but I'll do that if it's the only option)! Many thanks. ps, I am in Norfolk, UK if that helps.