Question:
I just saw my dentist today who said I needed a root canal and a post. Also
said no need for a crown or cap. I looked up info on this procedure on the
web and found they all were about doing a root canal, post and crown or cap.
I do have 9 teeth on the bottom only. This would be about the 4th tooth from
the back if there were any other teeth there. Is this a norrmal thing to do?
This will be my first root canal, I can't wait.
Answer:
On many lower anteriors a crown is not always necesary.
Each situation is different.
Root Canal Therapy (RCT) should be a painless procedure,
in modern times it is no big deal.
Do yourself a favor and ignore jandrew's
"root canals are poison" links.
She is *not* a dentist and is not qualified to render
professional dental advice.
http://www.zip.com.au/~rgammal/RCTframeset.htm
http://www.ericdavisdental.com/root_canals.htm
http://www.whale.to/d/root2.html
http://www.drshankland.com/rootcanal.html
http://webpages.charter.net/kyarbrough/rootcanals.htm
http://www.dentistry-toothtruth.com/faq.htm
http://www.cfsn.com/maz/
http://cnorman.best.vwh.net/blazing/dental.html
http://rheumatic.org/teeth.htm
http://www.zip.com.au/~rgammal/root_therapies.htm
http://zap.intergate.ca/root.html
http://www.toothwisdom.net/
http://www.dentistryholistic.com/education.html
http://www.hugnet.com/Root_Canals.html
http://www.karlloren.com/ultrasound/p25.htm
http://www.hallvtox.dircon.co.uk/hallvt.html
Root Canals. A tooth has miles of tiny canals running through the root. A dead
or root filled tooth will have bacteria in these canals. There is no way of
removing the bacteria once they are in there.
http://www.toothwisdom.net/
Toxicity from Root Canals
The next subject to be discussed are root canals and their possible source of
toxicity. Approximately twenty five million Americans undergo root canal
therapy every year in an effort to prevent the loss of teeth that have
abscessed. The root canal is the left portion of the tooth which houses the
vital organs such as the nerve and blood vessels. The dentist endeavors to
clean and sterilize this canal and fill it with a sterile, non toxic inert
material. This usually renders this tooth serviceable and non painful; however,
the entire inner hard core of the tooth is made of dentin which has several
million dentinal tubules. These tubules allow the circulation of lymphatic type
fluid to circulate from the vital organs of the root canal to the outside of
the tooth. This is a viable circulatory phenomenon which has a purpose. It
services the periodontal ligament as well as the sensory aspect of the nerve
and blood centers in the root canal. If the body chemistry is healthy, the flow
of lymphatic fluid is from the root canal to the outside of the tooth. This
creates an irrigation for the tooth and usually prevents the accumulation of
plaque to form. When the body chemistry is not healthy, then the circulation is
from the outside of the tooth to the inner root canal. This allows for no
irrigation, but rather an accumulation of plaque to form. There are many more
reasons for maintaining the integrity of the circulation in the dentinal
tubules. Root canal therapy completely destroys this integrity, and what
happens to the non-circulating fluid in these tubules? This fluid as it ages
becomes stagnant and becomes a toxic substance. This porous structure now
becomes a septic mass emanating poisons into the body. Is this what you want?
Mercury amalgams are said to be the caskets of the body. Root canals are said
to be the cadavers of the body.
I do not recommend root canals for anyone. Each individual has a right to their
decisions. Many people simply do not wish to lose a member of their body. I
respect this, and I always discuss the consequences.
The next area of discussion is whether the root canal filling actually
sterilizes the apical end of the tooth. There are so many lateral canals at the
root end of the tooth where bacteria can harbor that it is unlikely that a
complete aseptic condition exists. This, however, is a debateable subject.
Again, the complete acceptance of root canal therapy as a viable substitution
for extraction is completely and whole heartedly supported by organized
dentistry. You are in violation of the code of ethics if you speak out against
root canal therapy. When I was a practicing dentist, I always let the patient
make that decision after explaining all pros and cons.
If the tooth is badly broken down and you have muscular parafunction, a
metal post will break the root, a fiber post will break off, and no post
will result in the crown breaking off. If you have enough tooth remaining,
you don't need the post. If you have just barely enough tooth left, you
MIGHT need the post. If you have parafunction, you might break anything
which is placed in your mouth.
No offense but this is the 3rd time yoiu have sent all this info. I see no
numbers on success and failure of a root canal in any of this stuff you
sent. I have pretty much decided to go ahead with this anyway on the theory
that when I use Listerene it leaves a bunch of dead germs floating around in
my mouth. So what's one dead tooth going to add to this?
