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Root canals/crowns

S

scared0902

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Messages
161
Because of my decay situation, I think I am realistically looking at a crown and eventual root canal for every back tooth (probably over the course of the next 20 years).

Is it truly better to go through this expensive process (about $2000 without sedation at my dentist) or just get the implants I think I will eventually need anyway?

Also, I've asked before, but I am SO frustrated. I have excellent home care, get a cleaning every three months, and still have horrible plaque. My hygienist said it looked like I hadn't been to a dentist in ten years, and it's only been three months. It is the most frustrating thing to know that I'll be doing something I'm terrified of every three months for the rest of my life, and there is nothing I can do about it.

I now rinse, brush for 2 minutes with regular toothpaste, one minute with prescription toothpaste, and use a gum stimulator in the morning, rinse and brush after lunch, use a gum pick thing midday, rinse, brush for two minutes with regular toothpaste, two minutes with prescription, floss after dinner. I guess I spend 15 minutes caring for my teeth at minimum each day, and it seems like it's for nothing. Any other ideas?

My diet is pretty good, but I do enjoy one Diet Coke a day. I don't snack on carbs at all between brushings. Ahh!
 
It sounds as if you're doing all the right things :).
Do you have dry mouth by any chance?
 
I used to have dry mouth when I was on antidepressants, which led to 10 cavities when I was 22-23. Before the age of 22, I hadn't had one cavity. By the time I got off antidepressants, I every surface in every back tooth was filled. Now I'm constantly in the process of getting old fillings redone, etc.

I want to save my natural teeth, but I'm also not sure if it is worth it to spend $32,000 on root canals and crowns when I think I'll eventually need the implants anyway.

I'm trying to see this as a positive challenge, but it's frustrating to do a lot of work for something and to constantly be told it isn't enough.
 
This must be extremely disheartening for you :( (and also to hear those hygienist comments - you must feel like giving her a good slapping :meanie:).

Some other things which might help (and again you may already be doing them) include
* not rinsing after using the prescription toothpaste
* brushing your tongue or using a tongue-scraper to get rid of bacteria (though I'm not an expert on microbiology and the bacteria which adhere to the tongue may not be the same ones that play a role in tooth decay?)
* having sugar-free boiled sweets or chewing gum containing xylitol

Back to your original question though - are you certain that you are "realistically" looking at root treatment and crowns for every back tooth? Did your dentist actually mention this? (it sounded as if it was more a fear of what might happen, or speculation, rather than concrete evidence - but maybe I picked it up the wrong way)
 
Back to your original question though - are you certain that you are "realistically" looking at root treatment and crowns for every back tooth? Did your dentist actually mention this? (it sounded as if it was more a fear of what might happen, or speculation, rather than concrete evidence - but maybe I picked it up the wrong way)

This sounds highly unlikely to me....if there is any truth in this, I would advise you to wait for the old fillings in each tooth 'to blow' and then get the root canal and crown done as the need arises (end result is the same - a tooth with a root canal and crown)....think you might be in the hands of someone trying to make a quick buck.
Personally I would do the root canal and crown step before the implant...as you may never need the implant.

Re hygienist: if dentist is trying to take you for an expensive ride then maybe the hygienist's comments can't be trusted either...can you see any tartar as opposed to plaque on your teeth at the 3 month visits? I think some people do just naturally create more of the stuff..I'm lucky in that I don't produce much at all so I have been told but I still have a cleaning every 6 months...as Elizabeth 1st said about baths...'whether I need it or not'
The cleans are more about keeping your gums healthy rather than the teeth...implants need healthy gums to support them too just like rcts and crowns do.

Yes you may need to have on-going dental care as you continue to age (as do many of us) given your history but I highly doubt you need it all doing at once..wait for the problems to arise would be my advice...nothing lasts forever...if it ain't broke don't fix it.

A visit to the hygienist doesn't have to be a horrible experience either so if yours doesn't make it relaxing for you, maybe time to try elsewhere.
:grouphug:
 
Thanks, Letsconnect. I tried to take the hygienist's comments in stride since I take things too personally, and I don't think she meant it in a negative way but like "I know you are doing everything you can, but it isn't working. It sucks" way.

Thanks for the advice. I do those things already and actually buy xylitoal and use it in my green tea, which I drink throughout the day.

She hasn't said that, but it seems inevitable. Is it? I have so much decay, and it seems like they fillings each keep getting bigger until I need a crown. I guess the root canals aren't inevitable, but won't the decay keep happening under the crown?

I do tend to jump to the worst case scenario, so it may not be as bad as I think...?
 
Is it inevitable? For all we know, some of them might hold up just fine for the next 3 or 4 decades. The decay won't be happening underneath the crown if the decay has been removed in the first place and if it's been sealed off from its surroundings (no sugar, no further decay).

It's entirely possible that these will hold up for decades to come :thumbsup:.

If you are getting new decay and past experience has shown that dry mouth is the main factor which predisposes you to it, then maybe there's still something that makes your mouth more dry than ideally it should be? (then again, maybe not, and it's just bad luck). Do keep doing what you're doing and maybe try some of the products designed to prevent dry mouth to try and keep it at bay :).
 
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