Tooth needs removal/extraction under crown... absolutely petrified

[kellyrosie88]

Hi!
I've had an infection in my crown tooth and the dentist said today for now i can have antibiotics but the infected tooth underneath my crown will need to come out unless i pay for a specialist to have a re-route root canal and new crown, i'm absolutely devastated as i can't afford the UK cost privately he said it would be about £1000, the only option i have is to have a removal of the crown and then the extraction of the tooth underneath, i'm only 32 and feel very rubbish about it as im also absolutely petrified of the dentist and have no idea how i'll cope with this procedure he said the waiting times for sedation would be too long to wait.... can i get advice how long this procedure will take and he said that i'd have an implant over it - what does this involve? thanks!

 

[Gordon]

The crown doesn't need to be removed to extract the tooth.
Extractions take about 5 minutes normally.
If you could manage a crown and root canal you can certainly manage an extraction.

 

[kellyrosie88]

The crown doesn't need to be removed to extract the tooth.
Extractions take about 5 minutes normally.
If you could manage a crown and root canal you can certainly manage an extraction.

hhahaa i didn't manage it very well, he said the crown will be completely removed with the tooth extraction and i'll have to have a dental implant in place of the crown which is scaring me alot

 

[Gordon]

Anything in particular that's scaring you? It's easier to help if you're a bit more specific. Which tooth is it for a start?

 

[kellyrosie88]

Anything in particular that's scaring you? It's easier to help if you're a bit more specific. Which tooth is it for a start?

i've got a phobia anyway for example ive needed a few fillings since i was 19 and i havent had them done yet because i just get so scared the injections never seem to work for me and i always feel pain and i hate the sound of the drill and also the pressure/vibration of the drilling, but i knew i couldnt leave the infected tooth... i'm scared about the whole thing really, having the crown and tooth removed and then screws in my jawline it is all really worrying me

 

[Gordon]

OK, first off, you need to communicate this with your dentist. Arrange a stop signal, if you feel pain, they stop. No arguments.
Modern local anaesthetics are far more effective than even ones from 10 years ago, so pain should be less of an issue nowadays. There most likely won't be any drilling during the extraction. A lot of pressure and some weird noises though!

Implants are not compulsory, there are alternatives. However lots of folks on here have got them and will happily fill you in on what it's like.

 

[MountainMama]

i've got a phobia anyway for example ive needed a few fillings since i was 19 and i havent had them done yet because i just get so scared the injections never seem to work for me and i always feel pain and i hate the sound of the drill and also the pressure/vibration of the drilling, but i knew i couldnt leave the infected tooth... i'm scared about the whole thing really, having the crown and tooth removed and then screws in my jawline it is all really worrying me

I had terrible experiences as a kid with injections and dental work. I luckily never needed much work done after all that, until the past few years.
As Gordon said, the injections are much better now. I also have difficulty getting and staying numb. I always tell my dentist or oral surgeon up front and if I feel any pain, they stop and give me another injection.
I have also had extractions and implants in the past few years...and am in the process of getting another one on a lower first molar. I have had the extraction and bone graft done. The implant process is actually much, much easier than a root canal and crown. If you have any questions I would be happy to answer them. With an implant you can’t feel anything different.

 

[kellyrosie88]

I had terrible experiences as a kid with injections and dental work. I luckily never needed much work done after all that, until the past few years.
As Gordon said, the injections are much better now. I also have difficulty getting and staying numb. I always tell my dentist or oral surgeon up front and if I feel any pain, they stop and give me another injection.
I have also had extractions and implants in the past few years...and am in the process of getting another one on a lower first molar. I have had the extraction and bone graft done. The implant process is actually much, much easier than a root canal and crown. If you have any questions I would be happy to answer them. With an implant you can’t feel anything different.

thank you so much! yes it's on my back first molar to the left where the crown currently is, the tooth crown is infected and he said it needs to come fully out with the crown and then an extraction/dental implant ontop and i'm just so scared, i was in shock all day yesterday - how long did yours take? i'm worrying about the cost also. I'm only 32 and im wondering why his option was a dental implant as im from UK and they usually cost thousands so im confused why i've been offered that advice, i'm hoping it's because of my age that it's being offered on NHS as i'm too young for dentures he did say that yesterday when he told me it would have to come out and that was the only option they could give unless i go private for a re-route canal and new crown which i also can't afford so maybe i'm a special case x

 

[MountainMama]

thank you so much! yes it's on my back first molar to the left where the crown currently is, the tooth crown is infected and he said it needs to come fully out with the crown and then an extraction/dental implant ontop and i'm just so scared, i was in shock all day yesterday - how long did yours take? i'm worrying about the cost also. I'm only 32 and im wondering why his option was a dental implant as im from UK and they usually cost thousands so im confused why i've been offered that advice, i'm hoping it's because of my age that it's being offered on NHS as i'm too young for dentures he did say that yesterday when he told me it would have to come out and that was the only option they could give unless i go private for a re-route canal and new crown which i also can't afford so maybe i'm a special case x

I am in the US but when I went for a consult for my first implant, the surgeon said they recommend implants for first molars as they are heavy on chewing forces. So it is good to replace them if possible.
It is expensive for sure, but in my mind, it is a long term investment. I am 41 and have many years of chewing left and would prefer to have a “tooth” rather than a denture. My husband and I did the math. A root canal (or re-root canal), and a crown cost 3/4 of the cost of an implant. You don’t pay it all up front either. I paid in stages, as the process progressed. So I had time to save up some money.
It truly is a personal choice, though. Implants do help prevent bone loss as well. It definitely made a big difference for me in being able to eat.
The process took about 8 months total. When the surgeon extracted the tooth, he did a bone graft at the same time, which was actually nice because you won’t get an open socket. They fill the socket with bone grafting granules, then either put in a collagen plug or stitch on a membrane, or both. Then you wait four months. At four months, the bone has grown in, and they check it with an X-ray, and if it is ready, they put in the implant. With mine, the surgeon put in a healing cap on top, so I did not have to have any more surgery. Sometimes they leave off the cap, and the uncover the implant later. I had it that way with my front tooth implant and it wasn’t bad at all either. Once the implant is in, you wait another four months for the implant to integrate with your bone, so the bone basically attaches and grows to the implant. Then your dentist does impressions and a crown is made and put on the implant. At that point you are done and can eat on it.

 

[letsconnect]

I'm only 32 and im wondering why his option was a dental implant as im from UK and they usually cost thousands so im confused why i've been offered that advice, i'm hoping it's because of my age that it's being offered on NHS as i'm too young for dentures he did say that yesterday when he told me it would have to come out and that was the only option they could give unless i go private for a re-route canal and new crown which i also can't afford so maybe i'm a special case x

Hi kellyrosie88, is your dentist aware of the fact that you can't afford an implant? They're not usually available on the NHS. The Royal College of Surgeons has recently published Guidance on the standards of care for NHS-funded dental implant treatment (see link or attachment -warning: contains explicit images). Just wondering if there has been some miscommunication ?

https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/-/media/files/rcs/fds/publications/implant-guidelines.pdf

 

[kellyrosie88]

Hi kellyrosie88, is your dentist aware of the fact that you can't afford an implant? They're not usually available on the NHS. The Royal College of Surgeons has recently published Guidance on the standards of care for NHS-funded dental implant treatment (see attachment). Just wondering if there has been some miscommunication ?

Thank you for your reply, I think so yes- he mentioned the only other option I have is to go to a private specialist which would cost 900 - 1000 and I said I couldn’t afford it/ I’m wondering if it may be a special case under the NHS the molar behind the one that needs to come out is severely cracked at the back? So maybe there’s nothing to anchor to? I’m not sure how it all works, he did also mention I’m too young to have a denture so maybe it’s a combination of those things I’m not sure? I’ll ask when I’m back on the 15th for a check up

 

[MumOfBoys1985]

I wouldnt have thought you'd get an implant on the NHS- usually that's only for special cases such as the tooth being broken by trauma or if an adult tooth never came through etc.

Are you sure they're not just talking about a new crown?

At 32 you're not too young for a denture, maybe he didn't mean it as in they can't fit a denture for your age range and rather meaning that he wants to try and give a more permanent solution because you're young.

I think you need to clarify exactly what he's thinking. For 1 implant you'd be looking about £2000.

 

[kellyrosie88]

I wouldnt have thought you'd get an implant on the NHS- usually that's only for special cases such as the tooth being broken by trauma or if an adult tooth never came through etc.

Are you sure they're not just talking about a new crown?

At 32 you're not too young for a denture, maybe he didn't mean it as in they can't fit a denture for your age range and rather meaning that he wants to try and give a more permanent solution because you're young.

I think you need to clarify exactly what he's thinking. For 1 implant you'd be looking about £2000.

yes you were right in the end he didnt explain it properly, i cant afford 2k so at the moment im pretty stuck about what to do, he wont offer a new crown or re-root canal so my options are limited - im contacting other dentists in my area for options

 

[MumOfBoys1985]

Why won't he attempt the re-root canal treatment? Would seeing an endodontist be an option and setting up a payment plan?