Your husband is correct. A root canal can be performed on a crowned tooth. Teeth are worth keeping if at all possible. If it's removed, you'll be left with a hole that will feel strange, and over time, the nearby teeth will start to shift into the open space. Try to save the tooth first, and if you can't for some reason, your regular DDS should be able to remove it or at least refer you.

I would think that a regular ole dentist could do the root canal just fine.

I know when I'm in pain, I just want it gone...NOW, but would hesitate getting it pulled, unless it is way at the back, and maybe does not have a mate....meaning a tooth to match it on the upper, or lower, whichever the case may be. If you want/need a tooth where that one is pulled, an implant is super costly, so I would save that tooth if at all possible.

Since you are in pain, and likely won't be able to get anything done for at least a few days, you might try Oragel ADVANCED Tooth Desensitizer It is over the counter, and come in a box with 3 applications. Each application lasts up to a month. It is 'supposed' to be the same stuff the dentist paints on sensitive teeth. I bought a box, but have not used it, as all of a sudden, the super sensitive tooth just quit hurting.

I would start by going to a local dentist and see just what he suggests. You can then decide if you want him to do the work, or if he refers you on to an oral surgeon.

Sue

Your regular dentist could do a root canal but I prefer to have mine done by an endodontist. Root canals are all they do.

Many dentists around here refuse to do root canals and send patients to a special center where that's all they do. My dentist is selective - he wouldn't do DHs but did mine.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I'm due for a checkup, too. Past due. :-(

Thanks everyone for the advice. I called my local dentist and he won't touch it, ... so will need to see an endodontist. Montana_Jan

Do get it taken care of soon so you don't have additional problems because of delay. Dental work isn't fun, but it's so important to keep all our teeth as long as we can!

FoggyJ and others are right. You'd want to keep your teeth as long as you can.

If you pull that tooth out, you'd need to replace it with a bridge in order to avoid your teeth from shifting, then later, you'd suffer from occlusial (disalignment of top and bottom teeth). Not to mention, a bridge (2 crowns on each side holding the center fake tooth), is about 3 times more expensive and the DDS would need to grind 2 good teeth in order to put the bridge in.

In the mean time, rinse your mouth with salt water a few times each day. Actually, hold in your mouth for a few minutes before spitting it out and use Orajel. Spread over the gum with a q-tip to ease the pain. Keep the crown area clean.

If you make an appointment with the Endo, make sure you find out who will be responsible to remove the crown before the procedure and put it back afterward in order to do a root canal. You may end up going back 'n forth between the DDS and the Endo.

Avoid having the crown drilled to do the root canal. This would mean, you'd end up redoing the crown.

I used to work in the DDS clinic.

Hi mon jan,

Hope you got some advice that you can get your (good) teeth into!

ole joyful