The Root Canal

Today I am going to a dental professional in Richmond, IN at 9am to get a probable root canal. I say probable as the tooth has some issue (well obviously, it is getting a root canal, after all). First off it has a crack and a gold crown that was put on 14.5 years ago. Second the tooth has died in the last 6 to 12 months which means now it is a festering cesspool of infection that so far my immune system has had little problem in controlling. I do have a swollen gum by the tooth and a bit of pain this morning (I have a very high pain threshold so I suspect the average person with a lower pain threshold would be in a lot of pain right now).

I was really hoping that the root canal could not be done and that someone would pull the tooth and than I could get busy on getting another implant. Granted, a root canal is going to cost around $800 and an implant when it is all said and done costs over $3000. I suspect that in another couple of year this tooth will deteriorate more and have to be removed and than I get the choice of either a bridge or an implant. Since bridges and implants cost about the same but an implant lasts for a lifetime and a bridge can break and needs replacing every 10 to 15 years I will opt with the implant. I already have one (#20, I am learning the numbering system for teeth as this will make my conversations with the various dental professionals that poke around in my mouth much much clearer) and I am quite happy with it.

I swear there is rarely a dull moment in my mouth-I was given a very very bad genetic hand of cards as far as my mouth is concerned