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Talk to me about failed root canals


Katy
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Ever had a dentist neglect to finish a root canal because either the root is too curved or too calcified?

 

He gave me two more weeks of antibiotics and then wanted me to come back for another x ray to see if it is less calcified.

 

I woke up in searing pain in the middle of the night.  I think the temporary crown has shifted because I can't close my mouth without pain.  He has offered no pain medicine.

 

I'm sorely tempted to have the tooth pulled.   Please give me advice.

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I haven't been there, but I'm going through the root canal process now.  (Root canal is done, fitting for the crown is tomorrow.) 

 

I read a lot about root canals vs extraction, and I would definitely talk about just extracting it.  I mean, if he can't complete it, what are your other options?

 

:grouphug:  I hope the pain subsides soon!  I was miserable before mine! For the record, I only got a script for extra strength Tylenol after the root canal, so I doubt they will give you anything effective anyways.

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Oh my goodness, we are going through this at this very moment!

 

My husband had a root canal over a year ago, but apparently one of the empty root cavities was not completely filled (part of the final step).  It left a little gap at the bottom, and slowly (over months) a small infection began brewing there.  A week ago, my husband woke up in the middle of the night in terrible pain.  We went to the dentist the next morning, and he sent us to a endodontic specialist immediately.  The specialist had to completely re-do the root canal again.  The pain ceased almost immediately.  He has been on antibiotics for about a week, but during last night, the pain came back again.  In reading about it on the sheet they sent home, they said these are called "flare-ups" and might require a different antibiotic, or something else.  I'm hoping and praying it doesn't mean more dental work.

 

Apparently if the root canal treatment fails again, then they will look for a crack somewhere.  (Maybe that's when they would pull it altogether?)

 

For pain, we were originally told 3 ibuprofen + 1 tylenol every 6 hours helps, and it does.  I did look this up online and apparently this is common when it is a severe dental-related pain.  But, for this new pain flare-up, I don't know.  Off to call the endodontic specialist now...

 

Good luck to you!  I know how extremely painful a tooth can be.  :(

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Endodontist.  You need to see a root canal specialist.  I am a hygienist.  i will never have a general dentist do a root canal unless it is a very uncomplicated front tooth.  Hope this gets resolved very quickly for you.

 

That is what I was going to say.  I used to be a dental assistant, and the tough cases were sent to an endodontist. 

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I had a root canal as a kid that didn't clear out the whole root. Last Oct. I got a horrible infection (my jaw swelled like a baseball) in that tooth. They had to redo the root canal. He said my roots were very curved and calcified. They put a medication down into the root that opened then up enough he could chip away at it. I was on multiple medications (oxycodone was the only thing that even touched the pain) and it took 3 or four appointments before he could finish the root canal. I went to a specialist, my dentist knew it was way above his ability level (and that was before the infection had taken over!). Most pain I've ever experienced! I've given birth without pain medications while on pitocin and would happily do that again if it meant never having to go through a tooth abscess again! Anyhow, my point is that they had a medication to help with the calcified roots I think...although I was so drugged up at the time I might be mixed up.

 

Just last night I had a nightmare about being back in that dental chair!

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I haven't had one that failed, but I had one that was extremely curvy and it seemed like it took forever to get it done.  I think I was in the chair for over two hours.  My dentist kept apologizing for how long it was taking, but she showed me the x-ray to let me know what she was dealing with.  That was at least a year ago, and so far it seems to be doing fine.

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