Author Topic: Dental questions (Read 26762 times)

zigzag · « **Reply #75 on:** 05 January, 2020, 11:51:39 am »

the root canals get filled and sealed after the treatment so they should not be infected, unless the infection is on gums? a dead tooth (i.e. without a nerve inside) becomes weak and brittle over time so the canal treatment is an interim option (for 10-15y) before the tooth needs to come out. i've had several teeth treated that way, and that was my experience. my learning* is that it's always best to look after the teeth and fix holes while they are small!

* i've only taken on board what parents and dentists were saying when i had to deal with consequences of not doing so..

toontra · « **Reply #76 on:** 05 January, 2020, 12:17:20 pm »

Quote from: zigzag on 05 January, 2020, 11:51:39 am

the root canals get filled and sealed after the treatment so they should not be infected, unless the infection is on gums?

Another reason would be that the root canal treatment wasn't 100% successful in removing every single last bit of infected tissue, so it stays there, locked in and slowly doing its damage. In the old days they used to put you on a course of strong anti-biotics post treatment in the hope of killing off and nasty debris but that was more in hope than expectation. Nowadays they (rightly) err towards doing the job properly with out the need for AB's.

As has been said, another common cause of failure is the posts cracking or splitting the root of the tooth. I've had several of both of these outcomes!

As I say, if you have a good few years ahead of you then maybe better to bite the bullet (!) and skip straight to an implant. That may be the eventual outcome anyway.

hellymedic · « **Reply #77 on:** 05 January, 2020, 01:22:33 pm »

I knew that the root of the twice post-crowned tooth I eventually lost in 2017 was split, for several years before things failed.

Clare · « **Reply #78 on:** 05 January, 2020, 01:41:58 pm »

Thanks for all the info, I am considering an implant, are they permanent or will they also fail over time?

The guy who did the root canal thinks there was probably already a crack in the tooth which just didn't show. He xrayed and also CT scanned the area and could see no cause for the infection, I was put on ABs once the infection reappeared and am still getting recurrent gum pimples.

toontra · « **Reply #79 on:** 05 January, 2020, 04:13:28 pm »

Quote from: Clare on 05 January, 2020, 01:41:58 pm

Thanks for all the info, I am considering an implant, are they permanent or will they also fail over time?

The guy who did the root canal thinks there was probably already a crack in the tooth which just didn't show. He xrayed and also CT scanned the area and could see no cause for the infection, I was put on ABs once the infection reappeared and am still getting recurrent gum pimples.

From your (all too familiar) symptoms, Claire, I'd say the tooth is on its way out. Pimples, pustules and abscesses are sure-fire signs that things are pretty bad down below. In my experience the tooth will have to come out sooner or later. It's also not good for your general health to have infection present anywhere in the body.

Regarding implants - they have a pretty good life expectancy if you look after them. My implant guy always tells me "they are not fit and forget!". I use interdental brushes and a waterpic on a regular basis alongside fairly meticulous general hygiene and brushing. So far so good - not a single issue with any of them going back around 10 years.

geraldc · « **Reply #80 on:** 20 February, 2020, 03:05:29 pm »

I had a root canal 20 years ago. This year a little white bump showed up on the gum. Showed the dentist he said there was nothing he could do. However by making sure I flossed, brushed and hit the listerine, targeting the tooth specifically after every meal, it went away. I'm now resigned to doing this for the rest of my life. Implants seem to be very spendy.

What shocked me was that root canals only have a 75% chance of working, so I've been very lucky all this time.

hellymedic · « **Reply #81 on:** 20 February, 2020, 03:58:20 pm »

I'm very surprised by this statistic. All my root canals have been successful and I had around a quarter of a century's mileage from the canal treated tooth I eventually lost.
I know I needed very many visits to the Dental Hospital when I had some of these teeth treated when I was a student in the early '80s (which are still doing fine, touch wood!) and rather fewer for some of the teeth treated by private dentists later.
I'm of the view that meticulous attention to detail (unsurprisingly) pays off in terms of long-term success and that not all dentists are equally painstaking.

I am aware of commercial/budgetary considerations...

Ripio · « **Reply #82 on:** 20 February, 2020, 04:36:04 pm »

I've had a total of 8 crowns most of which also had root canal treatments, the longest lasting of them must be nearly 30 years old now.
One failed when a new dentist decided the old crown needed replacing and she ended up cracking the root in the process, meaning that the subsequent crown kept coming off. Eventually had tooth extracted and replaced with an implant, only other option was a single denture plate. It was a front incisor so bit of a nuisance eating/biting with temporary denture during implant process but rock solid now with completed implant.
One other crown failed in a similar fashion to OP's after about 20 years, dentist sent me to specialist to assess for 'apical resection' and he said that clinically they should do it but pragmatically it would probably be ok to live with it as it was, so we left it. About a year later the tooth started to get a bit loose and had to be extracted by another new dentist, it was a second premolar so I just left it as a gap and its not an issue, could have had a bridge but that would have meant playing around with another existing crown and also crowning a tooth that was fine anyway.

andyoxon · « **Reply #83 on:** 23 February, 2021, 11:50:09 am »

So option for root canaled canine on it's way out, is apparently Maryland bridge or dental implant. The difference between NHS & Private bridge here is ~£300 vs ~£800, with 'different metal mixes'. Implant £2-3K.

Anyone with knowledge / experience of these options?

bikepacker · « **Reply #84 on:** 23 February, 2021, 12:09:14 pm »

I had to have my two front teeth removed due to an infection. Not wanting dentures I went down the implant route. The two alternatives I was offered were: One implant and a bridge costing around £1500 or Two implants costing £2200. Most advice I got favoured the later so that what I did. The implants were done by Perfect Profiles in Wolverhampton https://www.perfectprofilesclinics.co.uk/. Very happy with the results and it was well worth the cost.

toontra · « **Reply #85 on:** 23 February, 2021, 12:27:39 pm »

Having had multiple root canal treatments, bridges & implants I would recommend just going for the implant.

Every root canal treatment I've had (8+) have all failed at some later point, be it a year or 5. The next step suggested by many dentists, certainly before implants became common, was for a bridge. The trouble with bridges is you are grinding down 2 otherwise healthy teeth to retain the bridge. As with crowns, this allows for infection to enter under the join, particularly with a bridge as there is more movement and forces at play, and decay can set in to the previously good teeth.

The result? More teeth lost! Out of 5 bridges I've had fitted, 4 have failed and required more extractions, and finally implants.

Honestly, I would just cut to the chase and get implants if you can afford it. It may well be cheaper in the long run (and certainly less nuisance) than going down the root canal / bridge / implant route.

Don't forget there is a time window in which to implant on an extraction site of 6 - 24 months. Any longer and you may require bone grafts to replace the bone lost post-extraction. Not a big deal - I've just had the bovine powder which seems to work fine but it's an added expense.

Don't ask me about sinus lifts - that was another circle of hell altogether

andyoxon · « **Reply #86 on:** 23 February, 2021, 01:23:31 pm »

Thanks both, for the info.

The grinding down good teeth was mentioned, as next-to incisor has no fillings & in excellent nick - 'minimal abrasive prep' was talked about, but I guess this raises the risk of attachment falling off (also limited numbers of reattachments 'parently). I guess I need to try and find out about how to 'shop around' for implants re. prices & expertise locally-ish. 2 implants for just over £2200 seems like a reasonable deal, given what was mentioned to me.

toontra · « **Reply #87 on:** 23 February, 2021, 02:22:04 pm »

Quote from: andyoxon on 23 February, 2021, 01:23:31 pm

2 implants for just over £2200 seems like a reasonable deal, given what was mentioned to me.

That seems bloody cheap! Either prices have come down or my dentist has a certain type of bike

bikepacker · « **Reply #88 on:** 23 February, 2021, 02:52:32 pm »

That was all I paid and that included two post treatment inspections. If you take up their offer of a free initial consultation they will provide you with a detailed assessment and a fully costed plan of treatment. I forwarded mine to my dentist she could not find any fault with it. They still advertise a basic price of £750 per implant.

giropaul · « **Reply #89 on:** 23 February, 2021, 04:29:14 pm »

Just for an alternative view.
I lost a front tooth due to an impact with a kerb in a bunch sprint in a race somewhere. It got put back on a post for a while, but was never very satisfactory.
I’ve had a false teeth plate ( other teeth have succumbed to crashes and wear over time) for over 30 years now. I’m entirely happy with it, and I’d never think of replacing it with an implant or anything. It’s no trouble, and I’ve got no awareness of it except that I have to remember to clean it when I brush my teeth.

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #90 on:** 23 February, 2021, 04:38:39 pm »

I have a front upper tooth on a post, which needed a bone graft. No major issues for the decade+ that I’ve had it, other than the cap coming unglued from the post in the middle of a 600 brevet early on. Luckily I didn’t lose or swallow the cap and kept it to refit.

The dentist wasn’t too pleased when I asked for the specification for the adhesive used to refit the cap, since it failed previously. He asked if I was a dentist. No but I am an engineer and understand adhesives.

hellymedic · « **Reply #91 on:** 23 February, 2021, 05:51:18 pm »

Scared of competition, innit?

It would not be a great technical challenge to DIY reglue IF you had the right glue and means of prepping the site.

morbihan · « **Reply #92 on:** 06 March, 2021, 03:30:42 pm »

Ive got one gap from an extraction. An abscess damaged a good bit of bone so it would need a bone graft for an implant that has no guarantee of taking. So now its just a place to store a spare hazelnut.
All my other teeth have been filed down and veneered with porcelain. I had a good set when younger but unfortunately reflux (from dietary issues) damaged them badly to the point that by the time I reached my 50's they were falling apart.
Ive head the veneers for about 5 years and have had very little trouble since.
It was mind blowingly expensive though.

toontra · « **Reply #93 on:** 06 March, 2021, 03:57:39 pm »

Quote from: morbihan on 06 March, 2021, 03:30:42 pm

It was mind blowingly expensive though.

Those Pinarellos ain't cheap

Gattopardo · « **Reply #94 on:** 24 February, 2022, 02:04:53 am »

Isn't the dental glue of choice fuji iX?

Gattopardo · « **Reply #95 on:** 24 February, 2022, 02:39:44 am »

Was wondering about using a peroxide mix as a mouth wash, 3 parts fluoride to one part peroxide to treat gingivitis as I have bleeding when I brush my teeth.

What does the panel think?

L CC · « **Reply #96 on:** 24 February, 2022, 12:11:58 pm »

No. Just use Chlorhexidine.

Gattopardo · « **Reply #97 on:** 25 February, 2022, 09:52:26 pm »

Not sure that chloro is easily available here, the mouth washes seem to be more of the whitening type with peroxide or fluoride.

Gattopardo · « **Reply #98 on:** 28 February, 2022, 10:00:30 pm »

Will attach a photo showing a set of shelves of mouth washes, in an attached to a supermarket pharmacy, and only two with chloro.. and each was different strengths. There were four different moustache waxes!

There were many more peroxide whitening mouth washes.

If my teeth or tongue goes brown Im going to blame you BOAB.

Kim · « **Reply #99 on:** 28 February, 2022, 11:41:44 pm »

Chlorhexidine: It works, as long as you don't want to taste anything for the next 6 hours or so.