dental woes 4 wks post-op

[LaughClown]

well, I'm 4 weeks post op and my back top molar started hurting. I had had pain 4 yrs ago but it was a few months after my wisdom teeth taken out so I thought it was related. it happened again a year ago but figured it was somehow still related. Ok the this summer I had my teeth checked and they took an x-ray of the tooth. First they thought it was an abscess but did it from a different angle and my dentist said it was just a shadowy area and wasnt really sure what it was but said it didnt really look like an abscess. Nothing had been wrong with it for awhile so I figured it was ok.
Fastforward and i have the surgery and we're where I started. I went to the dentist and this time they look at the x-ray and hear my complaints and they say it IS an abscess and i need a root canal. I asked the dentist (who had known my condition and upcoming surgery) what had changed since the summer. He said the x-rays basically looked the same but he was more "conservative" and didnt work on these things unless there are symptoms.
Needless to say I am a bit pissed. If he had told me that over the summer i would have had it done then to avoid exactly this! I couldnt get a hold of my card (nurse at the clinic said she's probably on vacation) so I called my surgeon. I talked to his nurse who eventually talked him once he was out of surgery. His nurse called me back and said he thought it was ok to get it done but I needed to be on iv anti-biotics for the procedure. My dad talked to the guy who did his root canal and he said to just get the root canal now and have the crown done in a couple months since that involves the blood supply more.
Now my question is should i be on antibiotics now until I get it dont sometime next week? Also I've read it may be best to get to have an oral surgeon do it since they are usually quicker and it will be hard to find an endontist who will do iv (my neighbor is an oral surgeon but he's out of time for the week)? If I do deal with an oral surgeon are there problems with anesthesia this early after surgery? What if I wait, I havent had pain for a day?
What bad timing. Im going to call a card that works with mine and see what he says, but any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

For SURE, I would want the IV antibiotics so that should be the determining factor in WHO you have do the root canal.

I agree, you have every right to be PISSED at your dentist for not doing the root canal (or refering you to an endodontist) BEFORE your surgery.

Keep making calls until you get the answers you need is all I can advise.

Good Luck !

'AL Capshaw'

 

[WayneGM]

Sorry to hear about your problem. Unfortunately, I can't answer your questions, but I agree with Al.

 

[Magic8Ball]

Pissed!, i'd have given the guy some dental work of his own to sort out....

How frustrating, especially to spell it out to the guy what is going to happen and for him to be 'conservative'.

Drop the p***k and go see a proper dental surgeon, i had my four wisdom teeth took out by a dental surgeon a month before my heart surgery even though i could have got away with just two and to be honest i barely felt a thing, no swelling, nothing.

I'm really sorry about the news but in my uneducated opinion i think you will probably handle anesthetic better post surgery than prior.

Regards.

 

[geebee]

IMO - if you have an abcess, you should be on antibiotics until the root canal is done.

You should find out just what they mean by "IV antibiotics." Some doctors use that phrase for an antibiotic shot before and after the procedure which could be done in your PCP's office or perhaps by the endo. I would want an endo to do the root canal as that is what they specialize in. I have had root canals done by endos and by dentists and the endo ones are fast and easy. I guess oral surgeons do root canals but I do not know.

If your doctor wants you actually hooked up to an IV during the procedure, you may need to call around to find an endo that will do it. I would not think this is such an unusual situation that you would not be able to find one to handle it.

Oh - BTW - fire your dentist.

 

[Dennis S]

Dentist:

Dentist:

I would never let that dentist touch me again. This was a very bad mistake by him/her, and you are the one that now has the problem.

I think the first thing you need to know is whether the tooth can/should be saved. If the endo guys says it can't be saved you need to find an oral surgeon, ASAP. If he says he can save it, I would still ask about a dental implant. I dropped $1,000.00 on a root canal that lasted 14 months, then needed to be extracted anyway. So, I got to sit through a root canal, pay a $1,000.00, then have the whole thing extracted. Now I can pay for the implant-which is a permanent solution, and would have been a much better choice to begin with.

If you need the extraction and/or 1st steps toward the implant, I would want an oral surgeon. I think you probably should take a lot of anti-biotics. If you do so, try to keep a good handle on your INR. The anti-biotics caused mine to jump.

 

[catwoman]

Sorry you're having to deal with this only 1 month post-op.
I agree with the others, you should be on antibiotics now and do ask what is meant by "IV antibiotics." I also agree that you should look for a new dentist.
(I wonder how many of his patients have had valve replacements & how many of those are valve patients.)

 

[Blanche]

I m so sorry this has happened to you so soon after surgery. My husband also has a mechanical valve and has had all sorts of dental work done. For someone with a mechanical valve, antibiotics must be administered by IV. Antibiotic shots for dental work and other conditions that require premedication should not be given as they are counterindicated for people with mechanical valves.

Whenever my husband goes for dental work he must first go to outpatient services at our local hospital for his IV antibiotics. It takes about 30-45 minutes for the IV to provide the antibiotics and the antibiotics should be in the body 30-60 minutes before the procedure is done. I do not know of any dentists, oral surgeons, of periodontists in our area who have the facilities for administering antibiotics. Yesterday my husband had an endoscopy and a colonoscopy and he also had penicillian and gentamiacin, IV, one hour before the procedure at the local hospital.

Hope this helps.

Blanche