Failed root canal

[harllee]

I am getting an implant instead of a bridge. I am 73--could live many more years and don't want to mess with a bridge. It is expensive to get an implant but I have the money.

 

[Richard4444]

You can get a bridge instead of an implant for a whole lot less cost

That is assuming there are 2 adjacent teeth, and if they are healthy teeth without crowns, they would need to be reshaped to accept crowns (part of the bridge). Since teeth have mobility and a bridge does not, after so many years, there is usually decay under the 2 teeth and hence more treatment. An implant leaves the 2 'healthy' teeth untouched. Choices.

Rich (retired dentist)

 

[5Miler]

That is assuming there are 2 adjacent teeth, and if they are healthy teeth without crowns, they would need to be reshaped to accept crowns (part of the bridge). Since teeth have mobility and a bridge does not, after so many years, there is usually decay under the 2 teeth and hence more treatment. An implant leaves the 2 'healthy' teeth untouched. Choices.

Rich (retired dentist)

This is pretty much as explained to me by my dentist when I decided to get an implant rather than a bridge two years ago. Sometimes money isn't the most important issue as long as you have some to spare. My implant took almost 12 months due to "me" scheduling issues but now requires no special care.

 

[Aerides]

You can get a bridge instead of an implant for a whole lot less cost

While this is an economical choice, it means grinding 2 otherwise probably perfectly good teeth to accommodate it.

So, I'm in the BTD implant camp when it comes to it.

 

[Bigbass]

You can get a bridge instead of an implant for a whole lot less cost

With a bridge, you have to pay for three crowns vs one with an implant. So not as much savings as you think if bone graft and sinus lift are not needed for the implant.

 

[jazz4cash]

I always wonder about that, too. My individual implants are a very long process; remove tooth and place the threaded titanium plate into the jawbone, wait 3+ months, put on a "healing cap", wait another 3 months, put on prosthetic tooth. Since we're comparing prices- in the Kansas City area mine have generally run $5,000 for everything.

Jazz4cash:
Halfway thru the procedure I realized hey this is pretty much the same as repairing a stripped out bolt hole when I worked on transmissions.

 

[RetiredHappy]

Implant scares the h*ll out of me. I hope that is never going to come up as an option for me. So far so good.

I have had 3 root canals by I believe one of the best endodontists. First one was done about 17 years ago and the dentist had cracked the molar while he was putting in the crown. The endodontist said that while he was doing a root canal on that molar, it was cracked and it might only buy me a few years before I had to have that molar be extracted. 17 years, that molar is still going strong. He did the other 2 many years later. He was very thorough. If I need another root canal, I would fly back just to have him do it.

 

[harllee]

Implant scares the h*ll out of me. I hope that is never going to come up as an option for me. So far so good.

So you would get a denture? Or maybe just leave the hole where the tooth was? Doing nothing is not an option--I am in too much pain.

 

[RetiredHappy]

So you would get a denture? Or maybe just leave the hole where the tooth was? Doing nothing is not an option--I am in too much pain.

No denture for me. I know, I am sorry that you are in this predicament. My husband did the whole building back the bone thing using animal cadaver about 12 years ago, but he did not go back to get the implant. He seems to be doing fine without the implant and he said that he was glad he didn't go through with it.

 

[BlueberryPie]

Late to the party but I had a root canal 25 years ago, then promptly forgot about it. About 10 years ago I get pain in that tooth, huge abscess...
Two weeks later I'm diagnosed with leukemia and failing immune system. Basically that root canal had been festering for 25 years, my immune system keeping it in check, until it lost the battle due to the leukemia.

I've had since then that some forms of heart disease are tied to this kind of symptom-less infected tooth canals.

Root canal are evil.

 

[SenorDave]

About 10 years ago I cracked a tooth, had a crown but that did not work (got an infection and an abscess), then I had a root canal and all was good until a couple of weeks ago when I started having fairly significant pain in that tooth. Of course, I was out of town and I called my dentist and they called me in some antibiotics and told me to come in as soon as I got back in town. The antibiotics helped the pain but as soon as the prescription ran out the pain came back. I went to my dentist today who could not figure out what was wrong so she sent me to an enododonist who had a fancy 3D X-ray (cost 400!!). The enododonist said that I had root resorption which in effect means that the root canal has failed. The endodonist said they could try redoing the root canal but he did not think that would be successful and that he would recommend that my tooth be extracted and that I have a tooth implant (which will cost about $6000 and take 6 to 9 months to complete). I have an appointment for next week with an implant specialist. In the meantime my tooth is aching. Anyone else ever had a a root canal fail?

Have had two root canals fail. Had both teeth pulled and implants installed.
Since then have had big cavities in two teeth that dentist wanted to do root canals on. After researching I've come to the conclusion that I'll never get another root canal and instead have opted for implants. In my situation a root canal is just an expensive temporary fix. Very happy with the implants.

 

[Sondari]

Root canals are just temporary, really; if you’re lucky they last twenty years. If the tooth is visible, go for an implant. If not, just fill in the hole and you’re good. I have a back molar that I decided not to do an implant for, and it’s been fine.

 

[simple girl]

Yes, this has happenned to me twice.

Both times, absolutely no pain (so far...waiting to get 2nd one fixed...we are traveling).

First time, I developed a weird pimple-like thing on my gum. Dentist said it was an old root canal that had fractured and the infection made it's way to the gum and starting draining there (gross!).

Had an implant done. I probably should have just let it be because it was my last molar, and the implant was placed too far back, so my dentist had no choice but to sit the implant on it not centered. So, I now have a food trap under the implant in the front part - can be difficult to floss at times to get all of the food out. Otherwise, though, the implant functions perfectly for chewing. Except, now, the tooth above it is crumbling because the implant is harder than that natural tooth. So I'm going to need the tooth above it crowned. Argh!

On top of that, at my last dental visit - no symptoms - my dentist says - "I see something suspicious in this x-ray"....I agree to a very expensive CT scan...yep...another old infected root canal. I had no idea. No pain...yet. Kudos to my dentist...good eye!

Endodontist confirmed the tooth cannot be saved. I believe it's fractured again. He tells me I should consider a night guard because this might be what is causing my teeth to fracture. Hmmmm....

I was about to leave for a 2 month vacation so they sent me traveling with antibiotics, should I develop pain. Otherwise, they said I can get by for 2 months with doing nothing. Halfway through vacation...fingers crossed.

When I get back, I need to decide between an implant or a bridge. Getting old really does stink man.

 

[harllee]

Update here from the OP. I got the bad tooth extracted a couple of days ago. It was quite the ordeal. A large molar with 3 roots, took the dentist 1.5 hours to get it out, he had to use a drill to break the tooth in 3 pieces and pull each piece out. When it was finally over and I stood up I was so dizzy I almost fell. I felt really bad the last couple of days, today feeling a little better. I hate this tooth.

 

[simple girl]

Update here from the OP. I got the bad tooth extracted a couple of days ago. It was quite the ordeal. A large molar with 3 roots, took the dentist 1.5 hours to get it out, he had to use a drill to break the tooth in 3 pieces and pull each piece out. When it was finally over and I stood up I was so dizzy I almost fell. I felt really bad the last couple of days, today feeling a little better. I hate this tooth.

Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry!

I had my first one extracted under anesthesia. Your post just reaffirms my thinking that I'll pay extra to have that done again. Again, I'm so sorry - I hope you feel better soon!

 

[flyingaway]

I had a root-canal and a crown about 13 years ago. It started to pain with infection a few weeks ago. My dentist said the crown is leaking and suggests to replace it with a new crown. He will cut off the old crown and get a new one on it hopefully. I don't know if he can do it without an assistant. Anyone had done with replacing crowns?

 

[jrendt]

About 10 years ago I cracked a tooth, had a crown but that did not work (got an infection and an abscess), then I had a root canal and all was good until a couple of weeks ago when I started having fairly significant pain in that tooth. Of course, I was out of town and I called my dentist and they called me in some antibiotics and told me to come in as soon as I got back in town. The antibiotics helped the pain but as soon as the prescription ran out the pain came back. I went to my dentist today who could not figure out what was wrong so she sent me to an enododonist who had a fancy 3D X-ray (cost 400!!). The enododonist said that I had root resorption which in effect means that the root canal has failed. The endodonist said they could try redoing the root canal but he did not think that would be successful and that he would recommend that my tooth be extracted and that I have a tooth implant (which will cost about $6000 and take 6 to 9 months to complete). I have an appointment for next week with an implant specialist. In the meantime my tooth is aching. Anyone else ever had a a root canal fail?

I had one that was about 30 years old that got infected. I had it pulled about 8 years ago. Dentist recommended an implant, but I didn't have dental and it was expensive so I did nothing. So far so good. NB: the tooth behind it stands alone, but it has a crown the keeps it from cracking.

 

[Lstansbury]

Had a crown fail three times. Finally caved and got an implant. So far, do good.

 

[A Gold One]

Timely post!
This summer I had the worst pain in my life - virtually untouched by ANY amount of serious narcotics ++. Long story short, I bit on something too hard on a new crown (with an old root canal) which was a bit high. Badly irritated the gum, which irritated the place where the main nerve exits the canal in the jaw. Took a few days to diagnose properly as an infection at that exit point. Solution: Extract tooth, clean and let heal. After extraction it took a few days to settle down and now almost completely healed. Will proceed with post and crown in a couple of months. Total cost should be about $400 (in Asia).

 

[deeque]

If your root canal failed after 10 years I would suspect a hairline crack in the root of the tooth that occurred recently. If root canal therapy fails it does so relatively soon after it was done. In your case if it failed after 10 years something happened to it to cause that and that is why I suspect you somehow fractured the root under the crown. I believe the only choice is to extract that tooth as there is no way to repair the root fracture.
Consider this: if you broke your arm and the doctor reset and cast it and the cast was removed and your arm was repaired and completely pain free and functional and 10 years later you broke that arm again would you think it reasonable to believe the doctor didn't do a good job 10 years earlier?

 

[big-papa]

Wife did. Had it extracted about a year ago and finished the implant replacement this spring. Was not happy with the overall experience but I have noticed that all of the complaining that happened along the way has now stopped.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I have never had a root canal fail and had some of them for 30 years. The clinics that pull your teeth and put full mouth implants in the same day have a high failure rate. The implants have to adhere to your bone which takes 4-6 months. It’s a long process.

 

[harllee]

If your root canal failed after 10 years I would suspect a hairline crack in the root of the tooth that occurred recently. If root canal therapy fails it does so relatively soon after it was done. In your case if it failed after 10 years something happened to it to cause that and that is why I suspect you somehow fractured the root under the crown. I believe the only choice is to extract that tooth as there is no way to repair the root fracture.
Consider this: if you broke your arm and the doctor reset and cast it and the cast was removed and your arm was repaired and completely pain free and functional and 10 years later you broke that arm again would you think it reasonable to believe the doctor didn't do a good job 10 years earlier?

I do not think that that root canal failure had anything to do with how the root canal was originally done. The endodontist who looked at the tooth last week using the fancy 3d X-ray (that cost $500) said I had root resorption possible caused by an autoimmune response. No root fracture was visible

 

[harllee]

I have never had a root canal fail and had some of them for 30 years. The clinics that pull your teeth and put full mouth implants in the same day have a high failure rate. The implants have to adhere to your bone which takes 4-6 months. It’s a long process.

My implant procedure will take 9 months to a year. I never knew a root canal could fail either, but my dentist said it was fairly common and they are seeing more and more root canal failures.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I had all my teeth removed in November and the oral surgeon wouldn’t do the implants until April. By June I was allowed to eat whatever I wanted instead of soft food. That was 8 years ago.