Tooth just split apart and causing lots of pain.

[Gilbo]

Hi. I just asked some questions the other week about my failed/damaged root canal treated tooth. At the moment, I am 'between dentists' if that makes any sense? Just to recap, my previous dentist gave me an appointment to extract this tooth for 15 weeks time! (14 now), so deciding that I've had enough of him (as he passed me onto another dentist who's hardly ever there), I found another one and registered there. They said I cannot go there for treatment until after I've had my first visit (on 26th. March). Just now, (Sunday night 09/02/20) I was eating some soft food, when goodness knows how, I felt my tooth virtually split in two! I received a sharp pain, like a knife going up into my jawbone and felt the tooth move. When I touch it, it's a bit like an electric shock. I should hopefully be able to get an appointment tomorrow (Monday), but this is at an emergency dentist at another location. They only give out appointments between 8.30 - 9.30 a.m. If I can't get through to get an appointment tomorrow, then I have to try again the next day, etc, etc! Apparently it's incredibly difficult to get through though, so there's not much chance of being successful. Should I try an get an emergency appointment out of hours, like now? Or should I contact 111? Or maybe even A&E? I can't eat at the moment and probably won't be able to do anything but drink until this tooth is extracted. Please help if you can. Thanks!

 

[letsconnect]

So sorry to hear about all the trouble you’ve been having . On the Norfolk NHS Community Health and Care page, they do recommend calling 111 out of hours if you’re in severe pain. You’ve probably been looking at the same page as myself:

[broken link removed - the service has changed and is now being provided by https://www.communitydentalservices.co.uk/ ]

 

[Gilbo]

Thanks so much for your very quick reply letsconnect! Thanks also for that link. I'll hopefully get it sorted tomorrow, as I don't want to be left like this for very long!

 

[Dg6300]

Not a uk person, but yes, I encourage you to contact 211 (or whatever your local non-emergency crisis number is).

Good luck! Keep us posted.

 

[letsconnect]

Best of luck ! Let us know what happens!

 

[Kns]

Sending you so many good thoughts! Let us know how it goes! I’m so sorry you’re having to deal with this.

 

[Gilbo]

Hi all. My tooth actually split apart late last night and had a piece wobbling about it my mouth, causing more pain. The piece (about one quarter of the whole tooth), actually broke right off while I was waiting for the emergency dentist to answer my call! I now have an appointment for 2.30 pm (about 5 hours time) and I am grateful for that, so hope they can, at the very least, fix this tooth, though I would prefer an extraction, just to get it all over with, as I am still worried about what they may do! I will update you after this appt. Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts!

 

[Enarete]

Sending you well wishes and good vibes, glad you are getting help. Let us know how it went!

 

[Gilbo]

Well, so it goes on. I've now seen the emergency dentist and she doesn't seem to be very confident about it at all! She said that, I've probably had pain since July 2018 as the root canal wasn't completed properly. (My then dentist only found two canals and said that there may be one more, but that it was too small to work on). So I've had mild pain and sensitivity ever since. She said I could still have the tooth re-canal treated, but I opted out of that one! She has covered the broken bit, with what she calls a VERY temporary filling material, which may drop off at any moment and told me to only eat on the right side of my mouth in case. When asked what I would like done, I said can you take it out please? She said OK, but that she may NOT even be able to extract it. She will give it a go she says, but also that she may have to cut in into four pieces first!!! Even then, there may still be some of it left. So I despair, this temp filling is still giving me some pain, as the tooth broke below the gumline. Even so, I would rather she tried to take some or all of it out of my mouth. (I read somewhere else on this forum, that even with NO tooth above the gumline, a tooth can still be extracted! But she seems less than confident). I said that, with loads of Radiotherapy to treat my prostate cancer coming up soon, I would really like to get this tooth problem out of the way, before that even begins. I am supposed to go back sometime early next week for the extraction (she couldn't do it today, as apparently they hadn't allowed a long enough time for it), so I'll need a longer appt. next time. I've had all four wisdom teeth out in the past, mostly without problems, except for the first one in 1987 that did come out in four pieces! But now extractions seem to be more problematic for dentists. I wonder why? This darned tooth has been a real pain (no pun intended), since a bit broke off it in October last year. I've never had a toothache last SO long and it STILL isn't over yet!

 

[Enarete]

Sorry to read the tooth couldn't come out. Did she share with you why the extraction should be such a problem? As you mentioned, teeth entirely under the gum line can be extracted too, sometimes even more easily than "entire" ones. Also, cutting teeth in pieces is not too unusual and not necessarily something bad, but from your post it sounds like your dentist wasn't too confident..

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Hi Gilbo,

So sorry all this is happening to you.. you deservie a little break from this tooth.. I hope someone can help you.. from what I get she may be a general dentist? is there anyway you could go to an oral surgeon to see if they could pull it?

 

[Birmanclaws]

Really sorry to hear about all the problems with this tooth. It sounds as if it really would be better out. I have had a couple of teeth that have had to be cut to get them out, it was not too different to an ordinary extraction. Thinking of you and hoping for a quick resolution.

 

[thread]

Really sorry to read where you are at, pretty much halts your life with the pain and waiting, feel for you.

Don't worry at all about the extraction needing to be sectional, the "cutting it up" sounds horrible in your head but it's not in practice. One of the last two I had extracted was sectional and I've had 2 or 3 others that were also in the past.
The sectional ones seem to be easier to go through most the time in my own experience. It can take a bit longer but the actual getting it out part is usually way easier which far outweighs the "preparation" part.

Hope you can be looking back on this as quick as possible!

 

[Gilbo]

Well I'm not too worried about the cutting up bit. The first wisdom tooth I spoke of came out in three pieces in 1987, then when I had a pain in that same place in 2014, the last (4th.) piece was taken out by the surgeon at my recent practice! I don't think I'll ever get over this tooth though. I had a phone call this morning, to say that my extraction must be on the first appointment of the afternoon. So the appt. they made me for 20th. February has now been pushed back AGAIN, to 1pm on 3rd. March! This is due to the 20th. Feb appt. not being long enough (although it was for an extraction?) and also as my dentist is now going on annual leave too and will not be back until early March! I just hope the temporary repair holds out until then! I still have pain in it though. This sort of thing always happens to me, so I should have expected it really! They don't have a dental surgeon at this 'emergency only' practice I think, so couldn't have it done at one, until I join my new practice after 26th. March. I think anyway. Thanks for all your kind thoughts and help.

 

[NETWizz]

I am thankful I was in Middle School, cannot remember the event, and they got every last piece the first time without issues. Never had any pain.

 

[Gilbo]

Well that's good for you then NETWizz. I hate any dental pain and wouldn't wish any of it on my worst enemy! So it's great to hear when it all goes well for someone.

 

[Gilbo]

Well here I go then. In about 11 hours I will hopefully have this tooth out once and for all! I was ready the other Monday for her to remove it there and then, but now, three weeks later, I am absolutely bricking it! I always seem to go over all the things that can go wrong and have lots of time to do that. I think she may put it off even longer, though I hope not. As I've mostly been eating on one side only, the root canalled tooth there (in the same position, but opposite), has now started to ache too! I can't wait to get back home and sitting in my favourite place on the sofa. I will let you all know how it went. If it did...

 

[krlovesherkids777]

HI Gilbo,

I'll be thinking of you tomorrow morning and wishing you all the best in getting this out and relieving this pain!! I hope it goes easy and painfree! Let us know..

 

[Gilbo]

Well I'm back. Thank you krlovesherkids777 for your thoughts. My appointment was for 13:00, but I didn't go in till about 13:30. Thread said: "It can take a bit longer but the actual getting it out part is usually way easier which far outweighs the "preparation" part." Er... well I had hoped for this but, maybe because she works on the emergency side of dentistry, that didn't happen here!

First of all she numbed me up (one injection in the roof of my mouth, OUCH!!) Two injections overall, then she started wiggling and pulling the tooth. Nothing. Except I felt a bit woozy and tired. So she poked it a bit. She tried pulling again, a bit broke off. So she then had to cut it up and it eventually came out in three (or four) pieces. As she was no longer shaking my head from side to side, I was able to relax a lot more and she had to drill a lot of it out. Someone said it should be quick, but it took at least half an hour to remove and I was sat in the chair for 50 minutes in all. I don't think I want any more extractions! At least not for a while.

My nerves were surprisingly not as bad as I thought. I think it was the waiting and the buildup that made me so stressed, but when I actually got in the chair, it wasn't so bad. Anyway, thank heavens that's gone! I'm sat here typing and bleeding. My mouth is sore, dry and with lots of dried up blood as well as some slowly flowing continuously, though only really slowly. I'd give anything for a good rinse! She also had to cut my gum to get the last bit of root out and has sewn me up with some dissolvable stitches. My nose needs a good blow, but she said not to do that either! Roll on two weeks time!

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Gilbo,

Wow... That sounds really intense and exhausting.. sounds like you did REALLY well considering all.. I'd want to just go to bed and take naps all day after that. I hope you can get some good rest and healing goes well. I hear you on the nose blowing , just had a sinus lift and not supposed to blow my nose, sneezing with my mouth open.. lol its weird.. but getting used to it.. anyways. hope you can get some rest. glad that is over for you!