Panic!!! black tooth will I need root canal?

[GeorgeyGal]

Im kicking myself I didnt visit a dentist sooner, my back molar is half black now Im worrying it will need to come out or root canal, anyone had this? Of course Im booking in with my dentist asap, Im still on mat leave so I will get free treatment wont I?

 

[nanomey]

hi,
ive had lots of teeth problems & am such a nervous patient i used to trie not to go to the dentist for as long as i could bear - or id go for emergency app have a temp filling & then never go back!! ive had root canals/teeth out, crowns, fillings etc!

i managed to find a dentist i felt comfortable with & my dentist has fitted in all my treatment from after my baby was born to now (hes 8m) ive just had my nearly last appointment & then im done! (so excited about 6monthly check ups only!)
its free though preg & a year after.

a black tooth could mean a root canal - but it could not... you need to go asap & find out - if you catch it early it can be saved! root canals are not that bad because they numb you up so much you can t feel a thing - but they take time, several appontments.

 

[GeorgeyGal]

Thanks, I havent been for a few years and have really neglected my teeth through my pregnancy and since LO has been here. I have an appointment next weds, I reckon Im due quite a few fillings, I have been brushing and flossing like crazy, hopefully they can save my tooth, I dont have tooth ache so thats a good sign, its just black on one side, I thought black meant rotten inside, do they just clean the black off? Least its free as I have a feeling it would cost a small fortune, especially if I need caps which I probably will. x

 

[nanomey]

hey,
yes the black does generally mean rotten inside - not just some thing they can wipe off im afraid!! what i meant is if its caught early enough it might only be a filling & if theres no pain yet that could be good that it is early! ... worst case is canal or tooth out & they generally give you a choice ('saving' the tooth is much more hastle then just removing it!!)
yes its worth going while it is free!! my brother had very similar treatment too me (more then once!) and his set him back a few grand privately with everything including crowning etc!!
good luck for the app & let u know how you get on!! xx

 

[julietz]

Depends how rotten the cavity is, if there is lots of tooth left they willjust file away the rot with their drill and build it up again with amalagam, i wouldnt waste time with RCT, can be long and painful needles required, if it comes to it have it out.

 

[emme]

I had this recently I kept putting it off until some of my tooth actually broke off! They had to drill down to see how deep it went, unfortunately it went further down past the bone so they couldn't save it so had to have it removed, good luck xx

 

[Laura80]

I hate the dentist and didn't go for about 10 years. I had a toothache and ignored it for years until I was in absolute agony and had no option but to visit the dentist. I needed a root canal, which was my worst nightmare, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Once you're numbed you don't feel a thing, just a slight ache in the evening when the numbness wears off. The worse thing for me having a root canal was having to go to multiple appointments until it was finished.

 

[GeorgeyGal]

wow i thank myself v lucky, i only need a clean and a filling!!! ive learnt my lesson though!

 

[katy1310]

Glad that's all you needed! I put off and put off, and was awful for only going if something was hurting then not going back after it was fixed!

My mum made me go (I'm 35!!!!) before my free dental treatment ran out after having Sophie, and I'm glad she did because I needed a small filling and an inlay and it would have cost £200 if I'd been paying! The inlay was just needed because my old dentist had made such a mess of filling that tooth in the past.

I'm definitely going to go for 6 monthly check ups now though - the dentist said you're much less likely to need major work if you go every 6 months rather than waiting for something to happen before going. I hate going to the dentist!

xx

 

[GeorgeyGal]

Glad that's all you needed! I put off and put off, and was awful for only going if something was hurting then not going back after it was fixed!

My mum made me go (I'm 35!!!!) before my free dental treatment ran out after having Sophie, and I'm glad she did because I needed a small filling and an inlay and it would have cost £200 if I'd been paying! The inlay was just needed because my old dentist had made such a mess of filling that tooth in the past.

I'm definitely going to go for 6 monthly check ups now though - the dentist said you're much less likely to need major work if you go every 6 months rather than waiting for something to happen before going. I hate going to the dentist!

xx

Thanks, I had a lucky escape there! I wont be missing anymore appointments must have been 4 years since last visit, I was prepared for the worst so was amazed when she said its just a filling and I had good oral hygiene! Looks like the 3 weeks of mad brushing and flossing paid off some as I really neglected my teeth during pregnancy and since LO has been here, forgetting to brush, eating in the night etc!

 

[womblemum]

My wisdom teeth came through completely black but the cause turned out to be taking tetracyclin antibiotics when I was in my early teens. Teeth were perfectly healthy just never turned white