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Have you ever gone for a routine dental exam and suddenly been informed that you need a dreaded root canal on a tooth that is slightly sensitive to cold and sweets?
This tooth is still vital, so why should you need to kill the tooth?
Why would a tooth suddenly die that was normal 6 months ago?
Root canals are very expensive and often painful.
Did the dentist miss something?
Maybe the filling or crown that was just placed still hurts?
It is common for dentists to suggest a root canal to remove the pain, but is that the only answer?
Root Canals on the Rise
In my over 40 years of practice, I’ve noticed that dentists are getting more aggressive in their treatment planning.
Rather than try to save teeth and keep them alive, they immediately recommend a root canal and crown.
An informed consumer should demand that the dentist carefully clean out the decay and place a medicated filling with zinc oxide and eugenol (known as an IRM) to calm the nerve.
The poor fitting crown with an open margin should be replaced.
Conservative dentistry is the best option in this situation where sensitivity or tooth pain is present. Not a root canal!
Pain in an Existing Root Canal
If you had a root canal in the past and are experiencing discomfort, you should get a 3-dimensional CBCT scan to determine if that tooth is infected.
Abscessed teeth don’t always hurt because the tooth is dead, but it may harbor a chronic infection at the end of the root that is missed on a regular, two-dimensional x-ray.
Infected teeth have been linked to other systemic illnesses and can weaken your immune system.
Dead teeth spread bacteria throughout the jawbone.
It is important to know that retreating an infected root canal tooth does not sterilize the condition.
Extraction of the root canal tooth using ozone and proper debridement of the socket by a holistic surgeon is needed in this situation. Your own Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) stem cells can be used to graft the tooth socket. This signals the body to make more bone.
PRF comes from the plasma portion of the patient’s own blood. It is important NOT to use pig or cow bone.
Replacement of the missing tooth can be done without metal implants, which have been known to corrode and release particles.
Ask your dentist for a Zirconia metal-free implant.
Another option is a non-invasive, low-cost Valplast, biocompatible, BPA-free partial. These replacement bridges do not require cutting other teeth and are simple cosmetic solutions.
Root Canals Are Not the Answer
It is important to take the time to get educated before committing to an irreversible surgical decision like a root canal.
If your dentist suggests a root canal, that is your cue to get a second opinion. Book an appointment with a holistic dentist who can address the situation conservatively and solve the problem without risking your health long-term.
If you already have a root canal and have any sort of autoimmune disease, it would be worth considering getting it removed properly by a holistic dentist as soon as possible. Root canals are a source of 24/7 infection that makes it very difficult to resolve other seemingly unrelated health problems.
Where do I find a wholistic surgeon who does this near Atlanta? Is there a list somewhere? Now a days, dentists call themselves wholistic if they diffuse EO’s. Someone please point me in the right direction!
I just worked with a dentist at Social Circle Dental who was very helpful in exploring my options with me. He also referred me to East Cobb Oral Surgery for a consult to remove 2 teeth with existing root canals.
East Cobb Oral Surgery Dr. Brunner