Wednesday, May 5th, 2010
Hi I went to the dentist today as my gum was red and litlle bit swollen, dentist took an x-ray and told me that i have infection and they cannot treat it anymore as it is too late to do anything about it. She told me that we have to take two teeth out. Do you think there are any other ways to avoid tooth extraction? should I go to another dentist?
- Ella from the UK
Ella-
I don’t know if these two teeth are hopeless or not, but I can maybe be helpful.
Just because a tooth is infected and the gum is red doesn’t mean that it can’t be saved. Most cases of tooth infection can be treated - with root canal treatment, or gum disease treatment.
I am suspicious. If you have serious gum disease, I believe I would be hearing different things from you. Now I wasn’t there to hear what they told you, so I don’t know this. I’m just trying to plant questions to help you get more complete answers.In the case of serious gum disease, this should have been stated clearly, and there should have been a very direct discussion about what to do about ALL your teeth, not just two. If this isn’t what happened, then it means that either 1) you don’t have serious gum disease, and therefore these teeth don’t necessarily need to be extracted, or 2) they were negligent in dealing with your gum disease. So I would seek a second opinion.
Another link:
Naperville emergency dentist - Dr. Newkirk
Posted in Gum Disease, Root Canal Treatment, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, February 5th, 2010
Do people who need a crown aslo need a root canal procedure? What are the differences in dental condition that result in a placement of a crown as distinct from root canal, post and crown. Thank you.
Hilda from Massachusetts
Hilda,
Root canal treatment and dental crowns are both treatments for extensive tooth decay or large old fillings. But they don’t always go together.
If the decay goes deep, then you need a root canal.
If it goes wide, then you need a crown.
With deep decay, bacteria get into the pulp of the tooth, which is the living inside tissue. This pulp tissue gets infected. Because this tissue can’t swell to accommodate antibodies and white blood cells that would come in to fight the infection, that means that the tooth can’t defend itself. A root canal treatment removes this tissue and replaces it with an inert material that also seals the tooth from bacteria getting back into the tooth.
With wide decay, the visible part of the tooth becomes vulnerable to breaking off. A crown covers the entire chewing surface of the tooth and also the sides of the tooth, which strengthens it and prevents it from breaking.
A tooth often needs a crown without needing a root canal treatment. But most teeth with root canal treatments also need crowns, especially if they are back teeth. A tooth with a root canal treatment is usually weak and brittle, but a crown will prevent it from a fatal fracture.
Related links on Dr. McKay’s website:
Read more about porcelain crowns.
Read about Seattle dental implants.
Posted in Dental Crowns, Root Canal Treatment | No Comments »
