Not sure what to do

[MountainMama]

I had my dental cleaning today. The front bottom tooth looked okay, and he adjusted my night guard saying I was probably clenching and hitting that tooth.

He did a 3D x ray and the lower first molar that was suspected to have a crack definitely has a crack. It showed up on the x ray but isn’t to the pulp yet. He wants to crown it. The filling is old but is deep, and he said it is right at the nerve.
My gut tells me that as soon as the crown prep is done, or soon after, it will turn into irreversible pulpitis, just like the other one. However, I am not in a position financially to get another implant right now.
I don’t want to spend the money on a crown only to have to have the tooth extracted just a month or two later. Root canals are out of the question for me.
So I have a dilemma. I can try the crown and pray for the best or just keep going like I am until the crack does reach the nerve and it has to be extracted, which hopefully will be longer than 8 months, so I can save up some money for the extraction and bone grafting.

 

[Dg6300]

First up, we’ll done for facing the appointment with courage.

I’m sure you’re younger than me (early 40s), but goodness have I learned to trust my gut. You know your body better than anybody. So long as you are ready to face the consequences, then definitely listen to your gut.

 

[Scared all the time]

First up, we’ll done for facing the appointment with courage.

I’m sure you’re younger than me (early 40s), but goodness have I learned to trust my gut. You know your body better than anybody. So long as you are ready to face the consequences, then definitely listen to your gut.

Excellent advice! I did this a year ago lol? I agree you know your body better then anyone

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Hi,

what do you feel from that molar?
could you share with us your x rays?

 

[MountainMama]

Hi,

what do you feel from that molar?
could you share with us your x rays?

I don’t have the x ray. The last time I had a 3D x ray done, and I requested it, my computer couldn’t “read” it. The dentist and hygienist said they could easily see the crack on the x ray.
The tooth has been symptomatic for almost nine months now already. It started as an achy jaw and occasionally I would get a zing while eating. I stopped eating anything crunchy or chewy and it faded to an occasional dull ache. In the last few months, it has been very sensitive to heat and cold and more recently sugar. I was woken once by a dull throbbing but it hasn’t happened since and I wonder if it was from clenching into my nightguard.
The dentist tested it with cold air and cold water yesterday. Air didn’t bother me at all. The water bothered me a little right where the crack was. About 2 seconds after it got a strong twinge but faded and then didn’t hurt anymore. He didn’t test it with endo ice.
It just scares me, given my history. My husband told me last night he wants me to try the crown. I am terrified to go through this again.

 

[comfortdentist]

". I stopped eating anything crunchy or chewy and it faded to an occasional dull ache. In the last few months, it has been very sensitive to heat and cold and more recently sugar. I was woken once by a dull throbbing "
Prognostically sounds like at least endo and crown and then maybe.

 

[MountainMama]

". I stopped eating anything crunchy or chewy and it faded to an occasional dull ache. In the last few months, it has been very sensitive to heat and cold and more recently sugar. I was woken once by a dull throbbing "
Prognostically sounds like at least endo and crown and then maybe.

By “endo and crown”, do you mean testing the tooth with endo ice?

I am thinking of asking them to prep it for a crown but not order a crown. Maybe leave the temp crown on for a month and see if the tooth reacts like it did last time. Would that be feasible to ask for? That way I wouldn’t be out the cost of a crown if it turned to irreversible pulpitis.

 

[Dr. Daniel]

". I stopped eating anything crunchy or chewy and it faded to an occasional dull ache. In the last few months, it has been very sensitive to heat and cold and more recently sugar. I was woken once by a dull throbbing "
Prognostically sounds like at least endo and crown and then maybe.

I agree. If financially speaking you cannot do both, I would have only the Endo and the following year the crown.

 

[Dr. Daniel]

By “endo and crown”, do you mean testing the tooth with endo ice?

I am thinking of asking them to prep it for a crown but not order a crown. Maybe leave the temp crown on for a month and see if the tooth reacts like it did last time. Would that be feasible to ask for? That way I wouldn’t be out the cost of a crown if it turned to irreversible pulpitis.

I don’t think it is feasible because I doubt whether a temp crown will last till the end of this year (It’s beginning of February)

 

[MountainMama]

I agree. If financially speaking you cannot do both, I would have only the Endo and the following year the crown.

Endo meaning root canal?

 

[MountainMama]

I don’t think it is feasible because I doubt whether a temp crown will last till the end of this year (It’s beginning of February)

I didn’t mean for that long. The last time I had a crown prep, the tooth reacted within the three weeks after the prep, so we couldn’t put the crown on. I meant to wait about a month before ordering the crown, to see if it would settle. I am not planning on getting a root canal. They don’t seem to work on me, and with that particular tooth, the endodontist even commented that a root canal would be very difficult due to the twisty roots.

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Endo meaning root canal?

Yes

 

[Dr. Daniel]

I didn’t mean for that long. The last time I had a crown prep, the tooth reacted within the three weeks after the prep, so we couldn’t put the crown on. I meant to wait about a month before ordering the crown, to see if it would settle. I am not planning on getting a root canal. They don’t seem to work on me, and with that particular tooth, the endodontist even commented that a root canal would be very difficult due to the twisty roots.

A few weeks with a temp crown is very reasonable.

 

[MountainMama]

A few weeks with a temp crown is very reasonable.

Okay, then I will ask if they can do that. I don’t want to wear a temp crown for too long anyway. I would be so anxious about it coming off.

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Mountainmama,

What a great Idea , to test that out before putting to a lab , I hope they do that for you to have potential cost . I do really hope it would work for you though!!

 

[Hellga]

Problems with one tooth don't mean you will necessarily have problems with the other... hopefully it heals nicely for you. Still a great idea to wait a few weeks with a temp crown to make sure there will be no problems. I think I had to walk around for 2-3 weeks with temps anyways while waiting for permanent ones to be made, and those were my front two teeth!

 

[MountainMama]

Problems with one tooth don't mean you will necessarily have problems with the other... hopefully it heals nicely for you. Still a great idea to wait a few weeks with a temp crown to make sure there will be no problems. I think I had to walk around for 2-3 weeks with temps anyways while waiting for permanent ones to be made, and those were my front two teeth!

That is what my dentist told me, that it is rare to have as many issues as I have had. I have had three teeth turn to irreversible pulpitis in the past year, just from something simple being done, like a filling replaced or a crown prep. Two failed root canals. So the precedent set is a little daunting.
It is a 3 week wait for permanent crowns, so if I wait a few weeks to order the crown, it would be five weeks before it gets placed. Twice now I have ordered crowns, then the tooth nerve goes bad and root canal fails and I paid for a crown that I can no longer use, as the tooth ends up extracted. I can’t keep doing that!

 

[Hellga]

That's probably like winning the lottery, but with the negative outcome, instead of a positive one...

 

[Acheygirl]

I am just reading this. I am so sorry your dealing with all of this but I think I have won the lottery with a negative outcome as well. Two root canal teeth that are not right and a cracked molar this stinks. How are you doing now?