Current situation with my teeth

With the raging infection which spread in my mouth silently for a few years, I had to take drastic measures between 2018 & 2019 to stop the infection in its tracks.  For the record, root canaled teeth do not have the ability to fight off infections.  Since 2006, and up until this year, I had 12 RCT’s or Root Canal Treatments completed in order to “save” the tooth.  Here is how the teeth are numbered as an adult:

By definition, root canaling a tooth literally taxidermy’s the tooth to where the nerve, pulp, and blood supply are removed and blocked from your bodies immune system from being able to help repair / heal the tooth.  The tooth is literally dead.  With that being said, the tooth can also now harbor bacteria within the tubules of the tooth.  Which are small canals within the tooth.  Again, the immune system cannot reach, heal, repair, or aid in the removal of the bacteria. 

Had I have known this, I would have just started pulling teeth instead of RCT.  Albeit a strong opinion, I don’t think RCT’s should be an approved procedure by the ADA based on my experience.  Maybe others have a better experience with them, but from what I’ve learned, its a toxic vessel just waiting to make you sick.

Now for the ugly history of my mouth:

• 2006
• Tooth #19 RCT 

• 2009
• Tooth #24 RCT due to an abscess at the root

• 2011
• Tooth #24 retreated via RCT due to abscess reforming at the root

• 2012
• Tooth #29 RCT due to sensitivity and pain
• Tooth #31 RCT due to sensitivity and pain
• Tooth #2 RCT due to sensitivity and pain

• 2014
• Tooth #20 RCT due to sensitivity and pain
• Tooth #18 RCT due to sensitivity and pain

• 2015
• Tooth #12 RCT due to sensitivity and pain
• Tooth #13 RCT due to sensitivity and pain
• Tooth #14 RCT due to sensitivity and pain
• Tooth #18 retreated via RCT due to sensitivity and pain
• Tooth #21 RCT due to sensitivity and pain
• Infection spread to gums which required a gum graft

I owe much to my Oral Surgeon for being an amazing doctor.  Between listening to me, and utilizing CBCT (Cone Beam Computed Tomography), we were able to get rid of all but 3 RCT’d teeth (#2, #31, and #29).  I am so grateful that I found him and was able to accomplish what I believed was the problem all along. 

Overall the RCT’s that were completed my previous dentist were just not done right, improperly sealed, and in some cases, caused infection.  I have several CBCT’s to back that up.  He even admitted to ruining tooth #18, and said he would pay for it.  However, once all the other teeth started to fail, and I told him about this, he blocked me on his phone.  RCT’s are not perfect in general, however, regular dentists shouldn’t be allowed to perform the procedure.  But that’s just my opinion.

So there you have it up until this point.  I literally have no teeth on the entire left side of my mouth (except for #15).  Since pulling the teeth the septic episodes seem to have ceased (for now).  Now for the replacement portion, this is where things get ugly $ wise.  I have the option of dentures (no thanks), or going with titanium implants, to which yes, I am going the implant route.  See the below comparison:

This will require:

• Sedation – $1,500
• IV Administered

• Single Tooth Titanium Implant Supports – $17,600
• Teeth 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24
• Tooth 22 might not be able to support an implant, so we will have to see how the bone graft heals / takes.  This may change how the implants are placed.

• Abutments / Crowns – $6,500
• The crown attaches to the abutment, which screws into the titanium implant.

The plan is around June start taking the impressions of my mouth to start planning the implants, then by mid June, the installation of the titanium posts will happen.  Once installed, the implants need to bond & heal with my existing bone for at least 4 months before the abutment/crowns can be placed.

So most likely by the end of this year, I will have all my teeth back.