Need advice- tooth extraction or not?

[kiliki]

Hi everyone,

I went to a dentist recently and was told that my sensitive teeth was due to a decay in my last molar.

There are several options , but the dentist did not recommend and did not explain thoroughly which treatment would be best for me.

Dentist told me it was all up to me.

I am worried as i do not want to lose my tooth, but if i choose not to extract it then i will have to do filling and high possibility that i have to do root canal as the decay is quite bad..

To do the filling successfully , i will have to extact my wisdom tooth which is partially blocking the decay. Since my wisdom tooth is slanted, surgery is needed..

Price of extraction is ard 100++ and the filling and root canal is ard 2k+.
Wisdom tooth removal ard 2k+

Both treatment have their complications and i do not know what to do.

Anyone who has gone thru similar experience care to give some advice?

I am so sad now...To keep the molar, i would have to pay ard 5k+ if i extract i will have one missing tooth...

[gf]

Hi everyone,

I went to a dentist recently and was told that my sensitive teeth was due to a decay in my last molar.

There are several options , but the dentist did not recommend and did not explain thoroughly which treatment would be best for me.

Dentist told me it was all up to me.

I am worried as i do not want to lose my tooth, but if i choose not to extract it then i will have to do filling and high possibility that i have to do root canal as the decay is quite bad..

To do the filling successfully , i will have to extact my wisdom tooth which is partially blocking the decay. Since my wisdom tooth is slanted, surgery is needed..

Price of extraction is ard 100++ and the filling and root canal is ard 2k+.
Wisdom tooth removal ard 2k+

Both treatment have their complications and i do not know what to do.

Anyone who has gone thru similar experience care to give some advice?

I am so sad now...To keep the molar, i would have to pay ard 5k+ if i extract i will have one missing tooth...

Hi
I'm a dentist by profession and may be able to offer my opinion.
What you are describing is something that is rather common, so you don't have to worry or feel sad about it. I'm sure several others have a similar experience.

From what you described, it seems that the wisdom tooth (Which is technically your last molar) is impacted i.e. pressing against the tooth in front. With food trapped at the junction, the tooth in front has decayed.

So now you have 2 options
1) Surgically remove the wisdom tooth, and attempt to do a filling on the tooth in front. Failing which, yes you might need a root canal
2) Remove the decayed tooth and lose a tooth

You will have to ask your dentist further which option is advisable for you, because it depends on several factors like how much bone support is around the tooth, how big is the decay, how much of your own tooth is remaining.

It is great to see that you seem to be reluctant to lose the decayed tooth. It's always good to be able to keep your own tooth, although sometimes it is not possible. My advice is to see your dentist again, and make sure you get all your doubts cleared and decide on which option to pursue. Leaving the decay alone for the long term is not a good option, as the decay will spread eventually.

Hope this helps.

[kiliki]

Thank you very much for the explanation.

I am not going back to the same dentist as he is impatient and doesnt seem to give me all the information i should know.

He did not tell me the risks involved in each procedure until i prompt him to explain further. I dont ask he dont tell. So he is out of my option.

May i know where is your practice? I cant pm yet.

As a dentist, can u tell me from experience which is the common route most people will choose to take considering the decay is quite bad as said by my dentist.

[kiliki]

what can be done to check if all the other teeth are healthy and not having any potential problems.

My dentist only check one tooth and that was it...

[gf]

Thank you very much for the explanation.

I am not going back to the same dentist as he is impatient and doesnt seem to give me all the information i should know.

He did not tell me the risks involved in each procedure until i prompt him to explain further. I dont ask he dont tell. So he is out of my option.

May i know where is your practice? I cant pm yet.

As a dentist, can u tell me from experience which is the common route most people will choose to take considering the decay is quite bad as said by my dentist.

Its hard for you to make a decision based on what most people choose to do. This is because it really depends on your individual situation.
For example, if the decay is too large and there is insufficient tooth structure left after removing the decay, it may not be wise to try to do a root canal. Instead, removing it will be better.
If the decay has just entered into the nerves, but you can still do a successful root canal and keep the tooth, in such a scenario, keeping the tooth will be better.
Also, there are several other factors to consider, like how much bony support is there. If the tooth is "shaky" to begin with, you might not want to do a root canal since the "foundation" of the tooth is already poor.
The dentist will have to do a thorough examination for you, as well as take a few xrays before he can give you the necessary information to make an informed decision.

[The Ref]

gf,
my wife needs a root canal and we are looking for an indicative cost in Singapore. The Dentist in Aus suggested a root canal being better than extraction, so we are interested in price.

Thanks.

[gf]

gf,
my wife needs a root canal and we are looking for an indicative cost in Singapore. The Dentist in Aus suggested a root canal being better than extraction, so we are interested in price.

Thanks.

Hi
The cost of a root canal varies greatly, mainly depending on which tooth it is, and how many canals are there.
Generally, a tooth in front will cost less, I would say the range for the front 6 teeth (incisors and canine) would be about $300-$500.
The premolars (the 2 teeth immediately after the front 6 teeth on each side) usually has either 1 or 2 canals. The cost would range between $400-$800.
The molars (the big teeth at the back) usually has 3, and sometimes 4 canals. The cost will range between $800 - $1400.

Of course this is just a guideline, the actual cost will depend on many other factors like whether the canals are curved or straight, where you go etc.
Your wife will need some xrays during the process of a root canal treatment, so you might want to ask the dentist if the cost of the root canal includes those xrays or are they charged separately.
And yes, it is generally a good idea to keep a tooth by doing a root canal rather than just extracting it immediately. Any option to replace a missing tooth is still not as good as having your own tooth, and will also usually cost more.

Hope this helps.
Cheers