I have pain in a molar and went to see a holistic dentist. He did some x-rays and said there doesn’t seem to be much of the canal left only calcification. He’s giving me antibiotics and if that doesn’t work he wants to extract the tooth. I’m not too crazy about that. Have you heard of this before? Is there another alternative?
Casey
Dear Casey,
When a tooth is infected, it needs a root canal treatment.
I want to hit the pause button here because I’m concerned regarding what I’m hearing. I’m worried your dentist doesn’t understand some things. There are good and bad medical practitioners in every field, including dentistry. It sounds like your holistic dentist is at best confused.
Let’s start with the antibiotics. If you have a tooth infection, these will not cure it. When antibiotics are used for dental infections it is to hold the infection at bay until a root canal treatment can be done. What will happen is the pain will go away as you’re taking the antibiotics. However, once they’re done, the infection will blow up again. Until the infected pulp is physically removed it will spread.
Let’s say, however, the antibiotics don’t help at all, not even when you’re taking them. That means an infection isn’t the cause of your pain. This means your dentist will be extracting a tooth without a true diagnosis.
Just because your dentist can’t see the canal well on the x-ray doesn’t mean it is not there. I’m going to recommend you get a second opinion, if possible from an endodontist.
As for the calcification, as we age, our canals tend to shrink. Plus, if a tooth is irritated, it will build up dentin on the insides of the pulp chamber. In the more extreme cases, it will block the canals. However, an endodontist will have special tools to get through the calcified parts.
This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Holistic Dentist Dr. John Weaver.