Expert: Rafael Mosery,D.D.S. - 11/8/2006

Question
    I have a few questions, actually. One of them is yet another question about root canals. I have a hole in one of my top front teeth. It isn't causing me any pain, and I can't say for certain how deep it is. I try to disinfect it, and I keep it filled with a temporary tooth filling that you can but at a drugstore to try to keep it from getting worse. My dentist says that I need a root canal. I thought that you only needed one of those if there was pain. I’m also kind of wondering if the temporary filling I put in could be making the tooth look worse than it is. I had a bottom molar that had a hole in it that I knew for a fact was very deep, and it actually hurt a bit. He said I might need to get a root canal for that one, but in the end, all it needed was a filling and I’m fine. I’m concerned that it may just be a money ploy, as I believe my dentistry place is one of a bigger chain, and not anything like the smaller family place that I switched from. (Who I believe helped my teeth problems along, because she would only fill one small one a time, even if there were others around it that needed attention, and she said that we would ‘watch’ the others, to see what happened with them.)
    Another question has to do with the deep cleaning procedure. My mom and I are both supposed to get it done, and we’re wondering if we really need it. We do have some bleeding of the gums, but it kind of seems in my mind that doing a really deep clean would make that worse, and also might damage my front tooth more than it was before. We also worry that this is another procedure that doesn’t really have to be done, but rather is just for money. What questions could we ask to our dentist, both about the root canal, and the deep cleanings, so that we can get a straight answer, yet not make our dentist upset with us by sounding rude? We’re supposed to be getting a special mechanical toothbrush that cleans more like the dentist tool, and I wonder if that could be enough to fix our problems. Anyways, Thank you very much for your time, I hope to hear from you soon.


Answer
As far as root canal therapy goes,it sounds like you most definitely have 2 teeth that are ready for root canal therapy. The temporary materials you buy in the drug store are emergency TEMPORARY materials and even then I advise my patients to stay away from them. You have reasonable doubts about your treating Dr. .You should find a dentist you trust that could show you patiently WHY you need these procedures. Then proceed to have them done and get healthy. If you distrust your current dentist then maybe ask a friend for a referral.The mechanical toothbrush is only that,a toothbrush it's definately NOT the answer to your gum problem.Get to a dentist you trust and get the work done after you get a thorough and adequate explanation .
Good Luck,
Dr.Rafael Mosery