I tend to do dental care on an emergency basis. The last two times I went I ended up needing a root canal treatment and dental crown. Last week my husband went in with a toothache to the same dentist I use for emergencies and he only received a crown, no root canal. What gives? Was he misdiagnosed? Will he end up needing more treatment later?
Caroline
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Dear Caroline,
There are several reasons for tooth pain. When you needed a root canal, it was likely because you had tooth infections from decay that went undetected and spread. However, that doesn’t mean your husband had the same issue.
His pain could have been for a cracked tooth. It would hurt when he bit down, but wouldn’t need a root canal treatment. The crown would be to protect the damaged tooth and hopefully protect it from further damage.
I’m a tad concerned that the dentist you see for emergencies didn’t explain to either of you why he chose the treatments he did. It’s important you go to a dentist who thoroughly explains not just your diagnosis but all your options for treatment.
Avoiding Dental Emergencies
While you’re not alone in your desire to avoid the dentist. I’m afraid your method of waiting on emergencies is dangerous and don’t want to see you end up in a life-threatening situation. While you’ve caught all infections in time to be solved by a root canal treatment, these type of things can blow up quickly.
One day, you may end up with a tooth which can’t be saved. Either you’ll have to extract the tooth and get an expensive replacement, such as a dental implant, or worse, the infection could spread too quickly to contain.
If you think about how close your heart and brain are to your jaw, the infection could easily spread there and put you at serious risk. People still die from tooth infections. Even this year, several people have died in the United States, including a young father of three young children.
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Dental Care Without Fear
Most people avoid the dentist because of the fear of pain. What if I told you there is a way for you to have stress-free, pain-free dental appointments? I recommend you try sleep dentistry. This allows you to sleep through your appointments, getting a healthy smile without any fear. Patients with dental anxiety have found this to be a life changer.
This blog is brought to you by Glendale Dentist Dr. Robert Thein.