Pulling teeth

[Snaggletooth]

Question.

 

I no longer have a NHS dentist but have some tooth gip. Years back I had a root canal but the tooth quack left some mooch in there. Over the years much of the remaining tooth has crumbled away and little more than the canal filling remains above the gum line. Anyway, a couple of days ago it started to niggle, I reckon the remaining tooth has cracked and it's time to pull the little b*stard. It an upper molar, right at the back. As I have no dentist I'm thinking of yanking it myself instead of paying through the nose to go private. Currently sat here with a pen knife, some pliers and half a bottle of Talisker on the table and psyching myself up for it. Anyone know if there is anything I need to do once the tooth is out? Do I need antiseptic or to fill the hole with anything? Is the jawbone exposed once the tooth is out or is there gum between it and the tooth? I don't seem to be able to find that info on line.

[amaysngrace]

Is that why your name is Snaggletooth?

[thefooloftheyear]

Question.

 

I no longer have a NHS dentist but have some tooth gip. Years back I had a root canal but the tooth quack left some mooch in there. Over the years much of the remaining tooth has crumbled away and little more than the canal filling remains above the gum line. Anyway, a couple of days ago it started to niggle, I reckon the remaining tooth has cracked and it's time to pull the little b*stard. It an upper molar, right at the back. As I have no dentist I'm thinking of yanking it myself instead of paying through the nose to go private. Currently sat here with a pen knife, some pliers and half a bottle of Talisker on the table and psyching myself up for it. Anyone know if there is anything I need to do once the tooth is out? Do I need antiseptic or to fill the hole with anything? Is the jawbone exposed once the tooth is out or is there gum between it and the tooth? I don't seem to be able to find that info on line.

 

 

Why dont you see if it can still be crowned...?

 

If its too late, and cant be fixed, then see a dentist...Most dentists charge very little for extractions...5 mins and done...Even a dead tooth(like the one you are describing) can give some pain, so they will numb it for you, and also, dont forget this...There could be some remaining nerve left buried in that tooth...If you have this condition, then you are going to just about pass out once you expose that...Not to mention the risk of an infection...Be smart, man...Do it right,,

 

TFY

[anne1707]

As others have said plus consider the damage you might do to the surrounding area including your jaw and neighbouring teeth. This could result in future loss of perfectly healthy teeth.

 

Is there a local dental hospital you could go to for the work? It will be students doing it but they are supervised. Could be a way round the costs and a far safer option than a DIY extraction.

[nerd]

Talisker? That's too good to waste for something like this, save it for when it can be savored properly

[Snaggletooth]

Is that why your name is Snaggletooth?

 

Yup

 

Fool of the Year Thanks. Problem is I don't go numb so many dentists won't go near me for anything that might cause a lot of pain. The few that do charge a fortune to deal with me, which is understandable. The one who did the root canal was very patient but it cost a bomb, even he said he wouldn't do an extraction on me, though. In the US there's a drug that would get me numb but we don't use it over here.

 

Anne Thanks, yes there is a dental hospital, I went there to have my wisdom teeth pulled. They overdosed me on fentanyl. Flatlined, resuscitated and ended up with five people holding me down while a tooth was extracted without anaesthesia. Those butchers aren't getting anywhere near me again. I also doubt they would have me back, for as soon as my right arm was free the dentist got knocked the f*ck out before he could get going on the other tooth. "Stop" means stop, not "you have permission to pin me down, strap my head to the chair, slice me open, drill my skullbone and saw my tooth in half while my body is in shock from the overdose and the pain blowing my head apart". A while later he was fired. Turns out he was ex Saffer army medic who had come in with fake certificates of qualification. All the same, I'm not going back there. The anaesthetist, students and nurses were all kosher yet did nothing to stop what was going on. The anaesthetist also later tried to lie about the doses, which was stupid as I took a copy of the charts before storming out. No trust left for that place.

 

 

Anyway, I had a go last night but it doesn't seem ripe for picking just yet. I'll leave it a while and do a little more research on what to do once it's out.

[M30USA]

Is that why your name is Snaggletooth?

 

Don't get a root canal. Ask your dentist about the cutting edge procedure called Snaggletooth.

[M30USA]

Is that why your name is Snaggletooth?

 

Don't get a root canal. Ask your dentist about the cutting edge procedure called Snaggletooth.

 

No, in all seriousness now, have you considered an implant? I'm scheduled for one in 10 weeks. I just had the tooth removed and, once the bone solidifies, they're putting the implant in. My understanding is that root canals are only a good idea if the tooth still has strong roots and enough enamel near gumline to securely attach to a cap. Otherwise they won't last long.

[Snaggletooth]

Don't get a root canal. Ask your dentist about the cutting edge procedure called Snaggletooth.

 

No, in all seriousness now, have you considered an implant? I'm scheduled for one in 10 weeks. I just had the tooth removed and, once the bone solidifies, they're putting the implant in. My understanding is that root canals are only a good idea if the tooth still has strong roots and enough enamel near gumline to securely attach to a cap. Otherwise they won't last long.

 

 

I think the tooth was fine for a root canal when it was done, I had an abscess but the structure of the tooth was mostly fine. The problem is the rest of the tooth has been crumbling away since.

 

The biggest problem is that I don't go numb and am very resistant to drugs, so an implant is a no no. I've undergone so many procedures without being numb or unconscious, sitting there and allowing someone to put you in that kind of pain, it takes a piece out of you each time. You have to fight every natural instinct to allow someone to work on you like that and as I age it's becoming more and more difficult to psyche myself up to deal with it. I had to go in to fix up a severed vein and ligament in my hand a couple of years back. It was only a few internal and external stitches but it drained and chilled me in a way it never used to. I didn't even go back to work for the rest of the day. A while before that I smashed my head at work, tore a big flap clean off the skull about three inches square which had to be stitched back in place. I was struggling to lay there and take it so in the end the doc had to rush and dumped in big, quick and crude stitches that left a big raised horse shoe shaped scar. I went back to work but after an hour my teeth started chattering and I then started shaking all over. It was the swallowed up stress and pain coming out. As pathetic as it sounds, these things are starting to become a bit traumatic to endure.

 

 

 

Afraid I'm just not as tough as I used to be. I used to go into these things with the attitude of "come on then, do your worst, I can handle it", now it gives me the chills.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Snaggletooth

[FitChick]

There are alternatives to giving you a jab. Gas so you would be out. Muscle relaxant pills or tranquilizers would take the edge off. Acupuncture is used for major surgery in China. Call the top dental school for a consultation to at least see what your options are. Start googling.

 

It sounds like you never got a crown when you had your root canal. That is standard in the US.

Edited December 16, 2014 by FitChick

[amaysngrace]

Yea I agree...how come you didn't get a crown? It's made out of porcelain or something and it protects your very drilled out tooth from crumbling.

 

M3O has a good idea too. You might want to consider an implant to help keep your other teeth from shifting. If they shift it can mess up your bite and you can weaken the remaining teeth in your mouth by biting down improperly.

 

Go to the dentist and go find out your options. But if you don't value your teeth then don't expect your dentist to. It's not his mouth.

 

I know it's expensive when the work gets extensive but maybe you can work out a payment arrangement. I did that with my daughter's braces. See if someone will work with you.

[M30USA]

Snaggletooth, your name reminds me of a cat my sister had years ago. This cat was lost for about 2 weeks. She got a call from someone about 10 miles away, literally on the opposite side of a walled expressway, saying they found it hanging around a garbage dump down the road. It's collar was yanked and twisted over its mouth and snagged on its back tooth. We all were wondering how this cat possibly crossed a walled expressway and how the heck its collar wound up getting snagged on its back tooth. Things you'll never know!

[anne1707]

There have been a couple of posts expressing surprise that Snaggletooth did not get a crown when his root canal work was done. Just to explain, here in the UK we do not (up until recently maybe) have the same emphasis on cosmetic dentistry that there is in the US. In spite of what some may think, our dental health is fine but we do not all have brilliant white, totally straight teeth.

 

Instead we mostly have creamy white/ever so slightly yellow coloured teeth that may be a bit crooked. This is what teeth look like in real life when what you concentrate on is dental hygiene.

[FitChick]

A Brit answers the question "Why do English people have bad teeth?"

 

My dentist, who has lectured in UK dental schools, said the main reason is because, for the NHS, it's cheaper to just pull a tooth than preserve it. US dental schools teach that you should do whatever you can to save the tooth. That is now changing with the advent of dental implants which are considered as good or better than real teeth in term of function and maintenance. At some point my dentist believes that insurance companies will cover the cost of an implant (about $5K) because it will save them money in the long run from repeated repairs. Hope so.

 

For the uninformed, orthodontia is more than cosmetic. Has to do with speech and dental problems due to faulty bite which can cause fractures. It's more difficult to keep crooked teeth clean which leads to gum disease, bad breath and even heart problems if the infection gets into the blood stream. A coworker's husband wound up hospitalized for this reason. If people take special care they can make their teeth last a long time which will help maintain their quality of life.

 

Snaggletooth, you might also look into getting a nightguard if you grind your teeth at night because you will break more teeth. I assume a dentist would make one for you. Good luck!

[thefooloftheyear]

There have been a couple of posts expressing surprise that Snaggletooth did not get a crown when his root canal work was done. Just to explain, here in the UK we do not (up until recently maybe) have the same emphasis on cosmetic dentistry that there is in the US. In spite of what some may think, our dental health is fine but we do not all have brilliant white, totally straight teeth.

 

Instead we mostly have creamy white/ever so slightly yellow coloured teeth that may be a bit crooked. This is what teeth look like in real life when what you concentrate on is dental hygiene.

 

 

 

And all along I thought that was just a bad joke(bad teeth over there.)!!:laugh:

 

But really....A crown isn't just for cosmetic sake...Im not a dentist, but the way I understand it, is that once a tooth is "killed"(nerves removed) then the tooth will more readily lose its structural integrity....Then the inevitable, cracking and total failure occur...

 

The freshly root canaled tooth can be "saved" with the installation of a screw(s) which is referred to as the post and the porcelain/composite crown..Once cemented into place, the tooth can remain intact in the gum and not suffer the same degradation...

 

.02

 

TFY

[Snaggletooth]

Fitchick, thanks but I've tried just about all over the years. Trust me, when you have this problem you look into it. As for acupuncture, I'm afraid that is used in conjunction with fentanyl and midazolam when the Chinese use it for operations. Both of which I have proven resistant to.

 

Amazing I'm more than halfway through life, losing a back tooth without replacing it doesn't bother me, especially if it means avoiding yet another re-enactment of the Marathon Man. Besides, I had a front one kicked out my head back in my rugby days. Never missed it, matches all the other lumps and scars.

 

 

M30USA Poor kitty, if it needs a new back peg I might have a spare one soon. Could be a good fit for I think was found hanging round a garbage dump too. At least that's what the Old Goat told me.

 

BTW, for the uninitiated and them too young to remember, Snaggletooth is the Motorhead mascot.

 

 

I appreciate all the advice and I thank ya'll most kindly, but I still be a wondering........ does anyone know what to do once the tooth is out?

[skydiveaddict]

Question.

 

I no longer have a NHS dentist but have some tooth gip. Years back I had a root canal but the tooth quack left some mooch in there.

 

Never get a root canal for any reason. Ponder this: What other medical profession drills a big hole in a dead bone and fills it full of gunk?

And then leaves it in your body?

 

You may as well have a witch doctor with a bone through his nose and a rattle cast a magical healing spell on you.

 

If you have any others, have them removed and go with an implant.

[anne1707]

Seeing as further clarification on UK dentistry is needed....

 

Most people here get there dental work done through the NHS. This means that for some, they will pay nothing due to their financial circumstances. Others will pay a relatively small fee for their work. However this means that the system concentrates on essential work. If the tooth is still intact after root canal work then a crown may well not be done. Seeing as none of us our dentists and know what Snaggletooth's tooth (not easy to type, let alone say) was like at the time, none of us can say whether the dentist took a short cut or did not do their work properly. Dentists here also work hard to save teeth. A good dentist will do what is needed and will not do work as a just in case for something that may or may not happen 20 years down the line.

 

There are insurance schemes available for dental work however again these still tend not to focus on the extras such as cosmetic work. In spite of what some seem to think, teeth do not have to be perfectly white to be healthy (in fact there is evidence to support the argument that very white teeth are not as healthy as creamy white/pale yellow). They also do not have to be perfectly straight to keep clean. We do have good dental hygiene here too, we just don't feel the need (or have the money) to spend a fortune on extras such as veneers as it all has to come out of our pockets as opposed to some insurance scheme.

 

Final point: UK dentists (and posters) do know what crowns are by the way so we don't need those kind of "lessons" from US posters.

Edited December 17, 2014 by anne1707

[Lernaean_Hydra]

It is sooo weird I just happened upon this thread because not 20 minutes ago I pulled what was left of my upper second molar. Did it with pliers and a little switchblade. It was already loose so there really wasn't much pain and minimal bleeding. All I did was rinse with hydrogen peroxide.

 

This wasn't the first time I did it though so I was prepared for the worst. Earlier this year basically I was in the same boat as you in a way. I had a root canal (poorly) done a few years back. In reality rather than a root canal he should've just done an extraction but I didn't know that at the time. That coupled with my crossbite and bruxism caused the structure of the tooth to eventually weaken.

 

The first time I did it I was a bit drunk and decided, screw it! got some tools, wire and more booze and went to work. It took a good half hour or more and I bled like sheep. It hurt like a bitch too but I felt extremely bad ass.

[Snaggletooth]

To add to what Anne said. A lot of NHS dentists are brilliant, they have heavy workloads and could often have easier lives, along with more money, if they turned private. They offer necessary dental care to people who otherwise would not be able to afford it. There's also a school of thought that says leaving as much of the original tooth intact as possible is the healthiest option. Once any part of a tooth has been drilled away it is a lifetime of maintaining foreign materials in your body, therefore many NHS dentists are reluctant to take away original tooth unless absolutely necessary. It's once you step into the office of a private dentist that recommendations of further work appear. In other words, them who fill their pockets from it recommend it.

 

In my case no NHS dentist in my area will touch me. They don't have the time to deal with me, nor do they want to risk a potential lawsuit or spooked patients. It's written all over my medical records that I must not be treated and that I need specialist attention.

 

Going private can be a very different experience, you can pay for whatever you want but it can be very expensive. My root canal is best part of a decade old and has been good for most of the time. It cost a grand and was done out of hours by a private dentist who was prepared to take me on. It was done out of hours so the possibility of spooking other patients was out of the equation. I asked about a crown at the time and he said it wasn't necessary. As I said before, even he wont extract a tooth from me and I'm sure he also wouldn't drill into my bone to fit an implant, neither do I want him to when not numb. There's a reason why dental work without anaesthesia it is used as a method of torture, it stings a bit, the kind of pain that can take you to the edge of sanity. It's not something you volunteer to undergo if it can be avoided. It's also impossible for a dentist to do any kind of work on a patient when they are in that kind of pain. Not unless they strap them down and restrain the head, and that cops a pop on the beak.

[Snaggletooth]

It is sooo weird I just happened upon this thread because not 20 minutes ago I pulled what was left of my upper second molar. Did it with pliers and a little switchblade. It was already loose so there really wasn't much pain and minimal bleeding. All I did was rinse with hydrogen peroxide.

 

This wasn't the first time I did it though so I was prepared for the worst. Earlier this year basically I was in the same boat as you in a way. I had a root canal (poorly) done a few years back. In reality rather than a root canal he should've just done an extraction but I didn't know that at the time. That coupled with my crossbite and bruxism caused the structure of the tooth to eventually weaken.

 

The first time I did it I was a bit drunk and decided, screw it! got some tools, wire and more booze and went to work. It took a good half hour or more and I bled like sheep. It hurt like a bitch too but I felt extremely bad ass.

 

Aha, thank you, that's what I was looking for, bad ass advice from a bad ass. A no nonsense toothpuller, my kind of woman. Tell me you can chew nails and sh*t bricks and I'll go weak at the knees.

 

So there was no need to cover or plug the hole with anything while the underneath heals? Also, did you get to see what is directly under the tooth? is it bone or is there a layer of gum or something already there? I'm waiting for this one to loosen up a little more, don't want to risk snapping it as that will be poochy, but want to be prepared for when I go for it. Wondering if I need to add a needle and catgut to the tool kit. I've stitched myself before, just don't know if it would be necessary or damaging.

[amaysngrace]

I appreciate all the advice and I thank ya'll most kindly, but I still be a wondering........ does anyone know what to do once the tooth is out?

 

Put it under your pillow?

[Lernaean_Hydra]

Aha, thank you, that's what I was looking for, bad ass advice from a bad ass. A no nonsense toothpuller, my kind of woman. Tell me you can chew nails and sh*t bricks and I'll go weak at the knees.

 

Chewing nails is why I needed the root canal in the first place, love .

 

So there was no need to cover or plug the hole with anything while the underneath heals? Also, did you get to see what is directly under the tooth? is it bone or is there a layer of gum or something already there? I'm waiting for this one to loosen up a little more, don't want to risk snapping it as that will be poochy, but want to be prepared for when I go for it. Wondering if I need to add a needle and catgut to the tool kit. I've stitched myself before, just don't know if it would be necessary or damaging.

 

The first time I did it was on an evening before a holiday weekend kicked off and I only had the option of waiting until the next business day (three days away) or getting emergency dental work done the following day which would've been ridiculously expensive.

 

 

I will say though, I was extremely lucky the first time (and likely this time too) because I could've seriously injured myself and/or ended up with a rather *nasty infection. There was a lot of bleeding and also good chance I wound up with something called "dry socket". Especially since I didn't properly "plug the hole" with gauze or antiseptic (you know...like a real dentist would do).

 

However I think the chances complications were greatly diminished of since A) it wasn't as if I completely removed a complete or "in tact" tooth and B) there wasn't an abscess present beneath the tooth and C, it had been worked on and weakened already so much of the area under/surrounding it had been exposed/deadened for some time. If the tooth is removed "cleanly" that is to say, no fragments are left whatsoever then your gum should heal fine and fairly quickly.

 

The catgut and needle might be good to have on hand but if it starts feeling like you really have to "get in there" or go digging I seriously don't recommend doing at home. It really just isn't worth it. As a matter of fact, I don't recommend this to anyone ever but it's more practical to share the steps I took than to simply say "nah, you're gonna die don't do it!" (knowing you would anyway).

 

*I forgot to add earlier, in conjunction with peroxide I took a course of some amoxicillian my mom happened to have left over from her own previous (legitimate!) dental work which may well have been what prevented infection.

 

**Oh wait, also, rinse with warm salt water for 15 minutes a few times a day for a few days**

Edited December 17, 2014 by Lernaean_Hydra

[amaysngrace]

This sounds like a really bad time

[anne1707]

Total t/j but just re-read my last post and realised I messed up on things that bug me - there/their, our/are.... not like me at all. That's what happens when you post when you have just got up