Root Canal, Tooth Implant or Bone Loss-Take My pick
So I found out today I have a gum boil. Do you know what that is? I didn't. But I do now. Sort of.
About two weeks ago I noticed what felt like a canker or irritation on the left side of my mouth along the tooth line next to a tooth I had work done on two years ago. I broke the tooth, a molar, and had an overlay done at that time.
This gum boil is like a small soft blister like lump. When I pressed down on it I was surprised at how much blood issued out of it. Hmmmm I was starting to think I had cancer of the gums or something. It didn't go away. In fact now when I brush quite a bit of blood fills the sink when I rinse out.
So today I walked into the dentist with a pre-scheduled appointment made six months ago for a cavity. I said, "I think I've got a problem." He looked at it and said "gum boil." Huh? That's it?
He went on to say I could do one of two things. I could get a root canal for that tooth (yikes) or have it taken out and put in an implant. It seems as tho this boil is caused by a fracture of the tooth under the overlay and the root of this tooth is dying. Geeesh I just put in that overlay and thought I was good. That was huge and now after all this I have to tear the tooth out?
There are not too many two-word combinations I cringe at like I do "root canal." "Impacted tooth" comes close.
The root canal will not guarantee that I wouldn't have to end up eventually with the implant anyway. It may not work and it's bone loss he's concerned with. He said right now I have a low grade infection that will not go away until this gets taken care of. He seemed to advise the implant way was the best way to go.
So he's going to call Dr Drew for me tomorrow. Remember him? He was the one who took out my wisdom tooth in June. Remember how stressed I was over that? Do you know what an implant is? Well I didn't until today. It doesn't sound good. I also found out it's quite expensive. After they yank the tooth, they put in a post (made of metal) and screw it into your bone that is under your now yanked out tooth. After that heals up all nice they pour a make believe tooth around it.
So as he's telling me all this and even saying while it's not an emergency I shouldn't wait too long I said, "well I've got to throw a monkey wrench into all this" He smiled,eyebrows up and waited as I told him I was moving in a month. Great timing.
So he said he'd call Drew and hope he can get me in to at least just put in the post. The tooth part can come later I guess. He thought it might be nice if I had someone I knew and was friendly with.
Dr Drew is always hard to get into because he is so busy. So I guess my options are, root canal, tooth implant, or bone loss. Not much to look forward to here. I mean I like Dr Drew and all. He's a really nice guy and good friend and all. But I was more than a little happy.....let's just say "giddy" is more applicable when I said "see ya" as I walked out of his office for good last June.
This is not going to be fun.