T1B

No experience with root canals, but I don't have any of my wisdom teeth. I had the top ones pulled by my regular dentist and had a few issues with recovery. Had the lower two pulled by an oral surgeon and had no issues.

I suggest going with the oral surgeon just for the shorter length of time required. Plus your jaw muscles will be far less tired than having someone drill for 90 minutes.

You might want to check your insurance coverage. The oral surgeon is likely to be covered by your medical policy, assuming you have one, but the other may not be. The cost to you may differ by a lot if you have to use dental insurance vs. medical.

KC Scott wrote:Anyone had to have a root canal redone?

Ironic you mention it as I'm going to see an endodontist on Wednesday about re-treatment, aka having it redone. I had a root canal on a molar about 18 months ago and now I have this big bump on my gum. I wouldn't say the root canal has "failed" but there is obviously a complication.

Thankfully my dentist who did it said he'd reimburse me for the money I spent on my original root canal and would provide free work and crown if we decide to re-treat the RC.

You are right on neither being an attractive option, having a local would allow you to work that day. Having to go under would require you to take a day off. Though the last time I went under for wisdom teeth removal in 2002, I felt fine afterward.

Mikey, sounds stupid, but would I call the insurance provider about that? Thanks for the tip.

Left Seater wrote: I suggest going with the oral surgeon just for the shorter length of time required. Plus your jaw muscles will be far less tired than having someone drill for 90 minutes.

Plus if you go the dentist route, it's multiple sessions at the dentist. Oral surgery you can get it done and over with.

KC Scott wrote:Screwy - same thing here with the gums. Call your dentist if you're waiting a while to get it rooted again and have him prescribe Clindamycin - it made the swelling go away next day

It's not painful, thanks for the suggestion. But somedays it feels larger than others.

rub some dirt on it, pussy

Left Seater wrote: I suggest going with the oral surgeon just for the shorter length of time required. Plus your jaw muscles will be far less tired than having someone drill for 90 minutes.

This isn't a problem with Scott, but goes with the good anesthesia

My wife had the same thing. She went the oral surgeon route. She was in and out in 2 hours. The local helped her for the first 2-3 hours after, she's been doing Tylenol since. Three days later the surgeon put the crown back on.

Screw_Michigan wrote:Mikey, sounds stupid, but would I call the insurance provider about that? Thanks for the tip.

Call your dental insurance provider as well as your medical. Typically dental insurance is the sux, and only covers about $1000 worth of work at 50%. If it is "surgery", it may be covered by your medical and be subject to those co-pays and deductables.

I have to have two root canals done. Can't wait.

Killian wrote:

Screw_Michigan wrote:Mikey, sounds stupid, but would I call the insurance provider about that? Thanks for the tip.

Call your dental insurance provider as well as your medical. Typically dental insurance is the sux, and only covers about $1000 worth of work at 50%. If it is "surgery", it may be covered by your medical and be subject to those co-pays and deductables.

I have to have two root canals done. Can't wait.

Thanks bro. If anything, having this root canal done has made me obsessive about oral health. The hit to your wallet, the pain and the amount of time spent at the dentist will likely do the same to you. I think my root canal cost, after insurance, $1300 last year.

47 years old. Never had a single tooth problem save for a few cavities when I was a kid. Keep dental floss at my desk because dental surgery and dental insurance fucking blows.

BSmack wrote:47 years old. Never had a single tooth problem save for a few cavities when I was a kid. Keep dental floss at my desk because dental surgery and dental insurance fucking blows.

Yep, some of us had to learn the hard way.

Left Seater wrote: but I don't have any of my wisdom teeth. I had the top ones pulled by my regular dentist and had a few issues with recovery. Had the lower two pulled by an oral surgeon and had no issues.

I had my wisdom teeth pulled by an oral surgeon. This was over 30 years ago, and as they were walking me down the hallway, back in those days this privacy shit was unheard of, and the door was open on one of the rooms. I looked in there, and this mother fucker had some kind of a hammer in one hand and chisel in another and was wailing on this guys fucking jaw.

I knew what it was and was ready to leave. They did give some great drugs IV, I commented on the nurses fine ass, and was told I tired to pinch it.

56 years old. One cavity. No dental insurance.

Screw_Michigan wrote:

BSmack wrote:47 years old. Never had a single tooth problem save for a few cavities when I was a kid. Keep dental floss at my desk because dental surgery and dental insurance fucking blows.

Yep, some of us had to learn the hard way.

Bingo. Yeah, I think I'm looking at $800 this year and next. Yay me. That's just on the root canals.

49 years old day after tomorrow and my teeth have emerged relatively unscathed. I only had two small cavities, both when I was in my late teens.

I did have all my wisdom teeth pulled, though. Back when I was in the Navy, I was told that my mouth was too small to support my wisdom teeth, and they would have to come out, although not necessarily right away. Since I was getting out of the Navy in four months, I decided to take the freebie option while I still had it.

You get what you pay for, I guess.

With one of the wisdom teeth, the oral surgeon who removed them also pulled out some bone. Bone doesn't grow back, of course, so I have a little bit of bone missing from my upper gum on the right side.

After the surgery, my mouth was so numb from the Novocaine that I couldn't even speak. So I went back and took a nap. I woke a few hours later, after the Novocaine had worn off, in excruciating pain.

I suppose I could've pissed and moaned about what happened, but the Navy being the Navy, the only thing I would've accomplished by doing that is ruining the guy's career. And I liked him, so I didn't want to do that.

Terry in Crapchester wrote:Back when I was in the Navy, I was told that my mouth was too small

Probably by a large black man.

Screw_Michigan wrote:I had a root canal on a molar about 18 months ago and now I have this big bump on my gum.

Does it irritate your girlfriend's testicles?


Appropriate thread for a two-fer.

The key is going to a dentist that has 3D technology. Most dentists make a guess on what they think the issue is. But they have no idea. When you need a retreat, it is generally because they missed a canal or their is a vertical root fracture in the tooth. The thing is, that is a mistake the dentist makes and doesn't realize it because they cannot see it. Then they use a file to clean out the pulp and fracture the tooth.

End of the day, you spend $1,200 on the root canal and $800 on the crown. When it fails, you are on the hook for $3,000 for the implant, $400 for the abutment and $800 for the crown.

Make sure you ask if the Dr has access to 3D imaging.

Dd you get a nice little toy when you were done?

You might want to check your insurance coverage. The oral surgeon is likely to be covered by your medical policy, assuming you have one, but the other may not be. The cost to you may differ by a lot if you have to use dental insurance vs. medical. --Mikey

If you like your teeth, you can keep your teeth. Period.

I wasn't offered the apicoectomy, so I went with retreatment, aka doing it over again. Looks like it's going to be a three appointment affair. First 90 min wasn't so bad, but the last 90 min I spent at the endodontist was pretty shitty, my tooth was so sore I couldn't eat solid food all day because of the risk of clamping down on it. After another day I was fine, but unfortunately, I have one more appt go through, damn it. I'm just glad they are apparently going to be able to save the tooth. Extraction and a bridge was scaring the shit out of me.

Killian had good advice about checking to see if you could do it through your medical insurance, but I looked and it was not an option, unfortunately. The good news is my original dentist said he'd refund me for the original root canal, which in addition to the crown, cost me $1300 last time. I don't think I'll get reimbursed for the crown as the crown did not crack during retreatment, but that's still a large portion of money I'll be refunded for.

It will end up being a wash financially.

Screw_Michigan wrote:Killian had good advice about checking to see if you could do it through your medical insurance, but I looked and it was not an option, unfortunately.

Do you qualify for Omopacare?

Who knew Euroclone was Scott's troll?[/badenglishteefs]

Papa Willie wrote:A few months shy of 50, and I've never had a cavity. My dad is a retired dentist, but that didn't have anything to do with it. I've teeth of STEEL!

How does a man with supposedly good genes like your dentist father end up spawning such a fat piece of shit like yourself?

KC Scott wrote:I'm sure that gallon a day of Hagen Das you wolf down provides a lot of calcium

It's the semen, I'm imagining.

Wait...what? :?