Retreatment vs. extraction? - Dental Health Message Board

indy gal · 08-08-2003, 06:56 PM

I have a problematic tooth that has already been root-canaled and had an apicoectomy done, and it still has problems.

What are the pro and cons of retreating the root canal vs. getting it pulled? It is the second to last molar on the lower jaw.

Please share your experiences and thoughts! I don't want to go through um-teen procedures to try and "save the tooth" to only have it pulled in the end anyways.

Redford Phyl · 08-08-2003, 07:48 PM

FWIW, went through a nasty root canal, lower left, 2nd to last molar. It woudn't settle down. Dentist swore that I was not brushing properly and that there was no reason why it wouldn't settle down, other than it had to be my fault. After a few weeks, it did settle down. A couple of years later, it started up again and the decision was made (new dentist) to just pull it. There was a shadow on the xrays that looked like there was a small fracture in the root. Well, it turned out that the shadow was not a fracture, but an extra root that was growing horizontally into my jaw. That was what had caused the problem all along. Might be worth looking at.

indy gal · 08-13-2003, 07:22 PM

Well I saw the endodontist again today. He took an x-ray, and says he sees no reason why I should be having pain in this tooth. But when he does the heat test, I have searing pain that shoots through the tooth, a tooth that is root canaled and has the root tips sealed off from the apicoectomy I had done a month ago! Go figure!

So he says he is "intrigued" and has offered to retreat the root canal for free. I figure it is worth a shot, since otherwise I'll end up pulling it anyways. I don't know what good can be acccomplished with the retreatment. He's going to have to go through the crown, and work around a post that is already in the tooth. He says the procedure should only take an hour, which seems fast to me.

So has anybody had success with a retreatment? Please, there have to be some stories with happy endings out there!

cuc2u · 08-13-2003, 11:42 PM

Indy Gal, maybe not a good story, but at least some company for your misery. I am still waiting for my apico to heal. The gum is still swollen and has seemed to stall at this point for a couple of weeks now.

Well, I can offer this. There is no good substitute for the original. I would try it again. besides, even if they do pull it, you still have to deal with the empty space. Just a different set of problems.

Good luck.

vw1 · 08-14-2003, 05:49 PM

My experience: Had r/c performed by general dds, he messed it up so bad I ended up in emerg. room. Went back a week later, he did an apio and finished r/c with crown several weeks later. Still bothered me, kept returning and complaining to him, he gladly took my money ($2500)but did not stand behind his work. Eventually went to specialist,started apio and discovered first one was all messed up. This helped alot but still was not right, so he did retreat, helped even more, feels good majority of time, feels strange once in a while, but I think it continues to improve, does not control my life like before, hope this helps, get it retreated!