I don't know how I missed this original posting..... but anyway, sorry to be so late on the draw here.
YES, I can definitely comment on the wisdom teeth/root canal dilemma!
- Had upper wisdom teeth come through (just like a normal tooth) years ago. One at a time and one at a time they broke/split and were pulled, just like a normal tooth.
Not so with lower wisdom teeth. I never even knew I had them! I had not been to the dentist for regular annual exams and care for almost six years. When the court nightmares were getting closer to an end...... DH insisted that I was way past due and should go in for an exam.
Dentist said I had the healthiest mouth of anyone she had ever seen who hadn't had regular dental check-ups/care in six years! Reassured her that I am an anal brusher/flosser because my mother was a dental assistant (years ago) and was down right MEAN about oral hygiene.
Dentist pointed out to me, "Did you know you still have your bottom wisdom teeth?" Nope! Who cares anyway? Well, you might one day. Especially with this one on the left side, it is sideways and against the farthest back molar.
Exactly one month after initial exam/cleaning/check up - I started having a tooth ache. Purely psychological? So I thought.... it kept getting worse. Went back to dentist who assured me, there WAS a cavity on the back side of farthest back left molar - but not reachable because of wisdom tooth pressed up against it. You really need to get those wisdom teeth out of there.
Well, you may recall the nightmare that turned into. First, dry sockets from wisdom teeth removal. THEN. Before, the back tooth could be repaired, waiting for the wisdom teeth/dry socket to heal.... it BROKE! Cracked, right down the middle, through the root! Not only that, the cracked root was shoved into the nerve in the lower jaw because it shifted and went through the hole where the wisdom tooth had been removed. (Of course, this was not initially known, even after at least 5 full facial x-rays!)
Sooooooo we try a root canal. Or at least start one. But the pain only gets worse and worse and worse...... finally determine that a root canal is NOT going to work and go back to the oral surgeon to have the far back molar removed! Ok, wait for that to heal.... yet another gaping hole.
But the pain STILL isn't going away? Well, during one of those initial
5 x-rays of the back molar...someone, not sure if it was oral surgeon, dentist or endodontist had asked... "are you sure the pain isn't coming from the molar in front of that one?" Well DUH? How the hell would I know that? MY whole freaking jaw was in so much pain by that time, I couldn't have told you if it was tooth number One or tooth number Five!!!!!
Another two weeks later..... we are contemplating a root canal on the NEXT tooth in line! Sure enough... the root on THAT one was bad! So another $1000 later, a root canal, a molar extraction, wisdom teeth extraction and multiple visits to a neurologist - (I am just now - 6 months later - getting all the feeling back in my chin, lip and lower left jaw)!
My opinion/advise? If you have lower wisdom teeth that have never come through the upper gum - if you are fit and healthy and nearing 40 - get those $#$&%^)(^%^%$()*^&( wisdom teeth out of your mouth as soon as you can feasiby do it !!!!!
Why? Because one, what they are doing UNDER the gum line can not be seen or detected (many times even on the BEST x-rays) until it is too late. They have a tendency to grow into the back molars - sideways or otherwise - and cause damage to the roots, deep down below. Two - it is harder to recover from oral surgery, the older you get. Proven fact and I definitely believe it now.
We have discussed the possibility of implants for my two back teeth - but quite frankly, the one that seems to be holding up to the root canal - works well enough and the other one - well, I'm getting used to just not eating certain things on that side and I have to clean a little better back there now because foods have a tendency to accumulate in that space!
Somehow, the extra cleaning is much more desirable than letting ANYBODY back in my mouth again ANY time soon.
I hope your healing goes well and quickly Teri!
Hugs, Tina