Root Canals!! Yea or Nay?

[Trishntx]

I know this subject has been discussed to death but I was wondering if anybody had any valid evidence to know whether a root canal was needed or not. My 20 year old son went to the dentist for a simple little cavity starting in a tooth and they told him he needed two root canals and two crowns. I am wondering if that is not a little excessive for a 20 year old. What ever happened to just filling a cavity and leaving the dentist office without feeling like you have to mortgage your house!!!!!
He is so impressionable he will believe whatever the dentist tells him. UGH!
Anybody here a dental hygenist?? or perhaps work in a dental office?

** Any advice will be appreciated***

[MistyWolf]

If his cavity has reached the roots than yes he will need a root canal. How long has he had the cavity or how big is it? .. It could very well have effected the roots.

A crown is needed when a tooth can no longer be repaired, but you crown it to avoid pulling it. I need one of these and yes they are very expensive, as are root canals.

He can always get a 2nd opinion, but if he doesn't have dental insurance that is going to cost too for xrays to see if the roots are damaged or not.

And it's possible to be 20 and have to get root canals and crowns. My daughter chipped her 2 front teeth when she was 5 (she's 10 now), she had them bonded, but will eventually need them crowned.

[justme23]

I am in the Nay family. Very rarely is the root actually affected, this just happens to be one of the most expensive procedures for dentists to do and in recent years they want to do them more and more. It is far easier and cheaper to drill the cavity out and to cap it or get veneers... they just don't want to do it. I had all of my teeth pulled several years ago and my oral surgeon told me to never ever ever get a root canal w/out SEVERAL opinions and force all of them to give you more than one option... a root canal is not the end all be all.

[freeby4me]

I've heard alot of people have problems long term with a root canal. Unless its a front tooth I would probably just pull it but thats just me.

[Freebeemom]

My kids (8 and 10) have had a "Pulpotomy" is what they call it now. I think dental work is a total scam, if you ask me. BUT, do I want to risk infection of the blood stream or worse? Sorry, but this is something I would not risk.

[kyswpgrl]

I've had two root canals done, both on front teeth. It's a long and costly procedure. My most recent one wound up resulting in having the tooth pulled anyway, so I'm now in the process of getting an implant. I trusted my dentist and that's where it got me. It's all about the money.

[sunniekiss]

I had to have an emergency root canal because I had a tooth crack all the way down to the root & let me tell you there is no pain worse that having an infection get down into the root of your tooth. Having kids wasn't as painful.
I did end up having to have the tooth capped as well. If was very expensive even with dental insurance but thankfully my dentist allowed me to make monthly payments.
Hope all goes well for your son what ever way you choose to go.

[tljohn123]

I've had two teeth both crowned and had root canals. Actually, those two teeth had to have a root canal twice because my teeth actually have extra canals lol. It was painful to have it done, but I have actually been able to chew on that side, and I hadn't been able to before. It worked for me!

[loveswolfs]

I had a two root canals & years later had to have the teeth pulled. For some it works for others it doesnt.

[LitWtch]

At twenty, he should have the root canals. They are not as bad as they were years ago, though they are expensive. Eventually the tooth will be lost, but at his age, he will keep the teeth a long while before the next step. If he were in his 40s or 50s that would be a whole other story.
I had two done in the past 5 years - the teeth are fine and strong now, with minimal discomfort.

[EMSnurse]

It's very simple to know if a root canal is necessary, simply ask to see the x-ray films. If it needs a root canal, there will be an area at the bottom of the root where you can see the pocket of infection. If the tooth does not have an abscess, it does not need a root canal. If it does, the two choices are to root canal and cap, or pull it. Root canals without caps will eventually break or fall out, so its a waste of money to do one without the other. I am in the medical field as well as being a veteran dental patient. I was given a medication as a child that ruined my adult teeth, and as a result, have had eleven root canals and six extractions, as well as a partial plate. As I sit here now, I have two more broken teeth. If your son generally takes care of his teeth and they are good shape, I'd go with the root canal. If he doesn't, might be better off pulling them.

[Faithfully]

I have had several of them done.
I had the root canals, then got crowns.
On the teeth I didn't get the crown on, it didn't work, and I had to have them pulled.
I would go for the root canal, and crown.

[DeeTee]

I have had several root canals and crowns and they are expensive. I have dental insurance,but each one still costs me $800 out of pocket. Dentist says I now need another one - I think he just needs to make a boat payment :2in1: I'm putting it off as long as I can.

[taz69]

Everyone I know that has had a root canal, has had so much pain and COST-and then lost the tooth within 2 years anyway. My dentist says it is not worth the pain/effort, because you wind up losing the tooth anyway.

[DBackFan]

I have had several of them done.
I had the root canals, then got crowns.
On the teeth I didn't get the crown on, it didn't work, and I had to have them pulled.
I would go for the root canal, and crown.

Same here. I think I have had 10 or 11 and the only one I lost I had a temp on instead of a crown and it still lasted for years. Everyone is different but if you can save a tooth, you should.

[buglebe]

Save the teeth but on this one, get a second opinion!!

[Trishntx]

Thank you all for so much help. It is going to wind up costing somewhere around $1,100 and that's with the insurance. I agree...it is all about the money. ONce again, thank you for all your responses.

[Angibaby26]

Wow, I can't believe you guys are talking like that, I work for a dentist, I am a Dental Assistant and if you get a root canal you have to get a crown on it because the tooth after a root canal gets brittle and can break and either need to be pulled or possibly a post & core procedure which is even more money. Root canals are expensive because all the tools you use are expensive and you have to use a lot of them and it takes usually 1-1/2 hours to complete. Very few root canals are painful, but you usually hear of the ones that are, I have 3 of them and they are all crowned and no problems with them. If the decay goes down to the root of the tooth, that is why you need a root canal, if not taken care of you can get very sick. Good luck with what you decide.

[VindiPlum]

The toothache is far more painful than the root canal. The shots curled my toes for a couple of seconds, but it wasn't that bad. There just wasn't the pain I had been told about with a root canal, and I have long roots that curl at the bottom. It took several sittings to clean out those roots. But it was so worth it.

I didn't get a crown right away and busted the tooth. ( I clamp my jaws together often and when I sleep and have not been using my mouthpiece...bad me. ) Now I have to have it repaired again. Get the crown right away! Saving the tooth is far better than having it pulled. It is tough to eat when you don't have back teeth.

Personally, I think there are a lot of myths out there about root canals.

[Trishntx]

Wow, I can't believe you guys are talking like that, I work for a dentist, I am a Dental Assistant and if you get a root canal you have to get a crown on it because the tooth after a root canal gets brittle and can break and either need to be pulled or possibly a post & core procedure which is even more money. Root canals are expensive because all the tools you use are expensive and you have to use a lot of them and it takes usually 1-1/2 hours to complete. Very few root canals are painful, but you usually hear of the ones that are, I have 3 of them and they are all crowned and no problems with them. If the decay goes down to the root of the tooth, that is why you need a root canal, if not taken care of you can get very sick. Good luck with what you decide.

Well, it's not the crown we are so upset about, its the cost of the root canal on top of the crown. YOu work for a dentist so I am assuming you get a discount? Some of us can't afford to plop down $1,100 all at one time. The dentist here in Houston seem to think we can all afford it and they do not, DO NOT want to accept monthly payments. Trust me, we have asked three different dentist and none of them will accept payments. Since you work for a dentist can you tell us why a dentist always prescribes the most expensive procedures first before they even tell you there might be another option? It is all about money I'm afraid.

[tljohn123]

My dentist is like this too....he's expensive, but he's worth it. I've never ever ever had a dentist treat me as gentle as he does. And yes, I think most dentists want their money up front. They're afraid they won't get paid.

[Angibaby26]

You are definitely right, I do get a discount but I completely understand how you feel, my husband and I don't have health insurance right now so I am thankful I do at least have dental through my job. My boss is the same way, sometimes I don't even think they understand people don't always have the finance to do it. I think it stinks that people don't do monthly payments for that kind of stuff. Have you heard of Care Credit, it is like a credit card where you get approved and you get so long, I think 6 or 12 months of interest free. So you might want to look at that. I wasn't posting this because of your comment just others about how expensive they are and making boat payments. I always thought procedures were expensive but I do ordering and some of the tools we use are easily 10,000 and up. Let us know what you decide.

[Angibaby26]

Sorry I didn't answer your question. I think those are your sons only options, which would be a root canal or extraction and depending on where they are located they probably might need to be replaced. Unfortunately if you have an abcess, the only way to get rid of it is to do a root canal or extraction. If you do nothing that is how you can get sick.