I currently have a gum fistula on one of my tooth and the dentist had told me that I can keep it until theres a pain and then extract it. I have opted not to root canal it and the option is only to extract it.
His view is that since the tooth is not in pain, the tooth is most probably dead. It has some pus discharging from a small hole at times but so long as it doesn't swell and theres a chance that it can be used for a while still from his experience. The tooth has a large filling and the patch is ok.
I am having second thoughts about extracting it because although sometimes i has a slight ache, theres no intense pain and I was hoping that It can be used for a while longer too. I am apprehensive and is afraid of dentist and this is quite a big decision as once I extract it, I will not be having a replacement.
I don't have any experience with this, but if the dentist says that as long as there isn't any pain, you can keep it until there it. That is what I would do. Keep it as long as possible. Why are you opting out of the root canal and if and when you have to get it extracted are you at least going to get a partial
thanks for your kind reply. You see, I am terribly afraid of dentist and have a terribly strong gag reflex. I am not considering anything else because I have problems getting through the X ray part and the dentist thinks that a mould for crown would be hard for me given the situation. I wont be having a partial because I have all the other tooth for now. So what will happen when I extract is that I will have one tooth less. The problem is that I work in another country and it is not always that I can go to a quality dentist but still they have professional ones.
I research on partials after what you meantioned, If its not too hard to fix will probably consider it in the future.
Good luck, a partial would be a good thing. It will take the place of the missing tooth and prevent your other teeth from shifting into the empty hole. Also it will give you the appearance that you never lost the tooth in the first place.
The type of gum fistula you describe ( the result of a root canal infection) is the way for the body to relieve pressure do to the breakdown products of the infection. The bottom line is, you still have an infection. If you have decided not to have a root canal procedure done then you should have the tooth, and therefore the infection, removed. The best type of replacement is usually an implant in these situations. This treatment has to be determined by the dentist who can recommend what is best for your particular situation.
your view is to have it removed? What do you think of the dentist saying that since theres no pain, theres no need to remove it since I am not considering a root canal and the only option for me is to extract it and thus it can be done next time if theres pain? I am at a loss.
A fistula indicates an infection. Even if there is no pain, an active infection is not good for your health. There are a lot of things that don't hurt that are bad for your health. I have been a practicing dentist (periodontist) for 41 years and my opinion is the sooner you remove the tooth, the better it will be for you. Additionally, if this fistual gets blocked for some reason, you could have terrible swelling and pain. This could happen when you are not near someone who can treat it or on a vacation,etc.
Hi,
I'm with Irattner, too. Leaving an infection present will start to dissolve bone holding your tooth. The dr can correct me if I'm wrong but I believe this will also start to affect the teeth on each neighboring side by starting to dissolve the bone holding them in also.
Infection is NEVER a good thing. If you wait too long to remove the tooth there may not be enough bone to hold an implant if you wanted one and they are an excellent choice to replace an extracted tooth. Leaving a space will create a shift of your other teeth toward the center and can create a collapse from any behind it.
In other words, waiting is a gambler's game and one you may not want to or can afford to loose.
harboring a chronic infection (which is what this tooth has) means your immune system is under constant challenge. when you start to lose the battle, the pus is discharged. because the fistula was created and exists, the battle can continue on and on indefinately. if the fistula were to become blocked or you had another simultaneous challenge to your immune system, the tooth would blow up into a phoenix abcess, with little warning and a lot of sudden pain. at this point, you could start flirting with a war in the form of a severe infection that could potentially end up needing to be treated in the emergency room. a chronic abcess can go on for years, but when they do get out of control, it can be dangerous.
have you considered looking into a maryland bridge or maybe a plastic partial denture? the maryland bridge uses two little wings on each side that are, essentially, glued on a tiny part of each neighboring tooth. it can be reattached if it comes off, as it will do every so often. it's an old-fashioned technique but it is very simple to do and extremely inexpensive. (not every tooth is a candidate for this and it depends on your bite too, but it is a simple solution the dentist can fabricate for you as you sit in the chair chatting! like in 30 minutes.) and a plastic partial denture is ideal for replacing one tooth, but it is going to cost more.
it is important to have that tooth extracted and replaced if at all possible. losing space means the teeth will start drifting, and unfortunately, this leads to a series of events in both arches, not just the immediate area of the missing tooth. the extraction is important because you have a nidus of disease that is a timebomb waiting to go off. and as the other readers have said, the pus alone endangers any tissue and bone it comes in contact with -- this is something you definately want to avoid.
the nature of a chronic infection is that it can be almost without symptoms, but the thing is, damage is being done systemically. although people do exist for years with this situation, many don't have the benefit of knowing it is going on because the pain is minimal. a flexible plastic partial can last a long time and will cost your body much less in the longrun ... please get that tooth out!
