Root canal or extraction?

Thank you for your reply - that seems to be the consensus on here. 

1. Extraction. Root canal more trouble than they are worth.

My parents completely refused to have a computer or iPad etc. When my dad was in his last year of life my brother bought him an Apple Watch to alert us if my dad had a fall - but my dad kept forgetting to charge it. So I can relate to what you say here. 

Think yourself lucky you've not had my parents to deal with when it comes to tech, I look like an absolute genius compared to them. When my dad was alive, it took two of them to use the computer, my Dad could use a mouse or track pad but not a keyboard and my Mum could use a keyboard but not a mouse. My Dad never opened an email because he thought it was just the top line that he could see. He was convinced that if he put any details, especially banking ones, into a site that scammers and thieves would be able to rob him of all his money even though he never did online banking or anything.

I do actually know what LoL means, I even use myself!

It’s quicker/easier - and presumably has come into use as a result of people writing texts? 

I’m very sorry to hear that. I’m not quite sure what dentists recommend when a root canal fails - maybe take the tooth out possibly? I think you should go back and speak to your dentist. 

TheCatWoman said:

Why not just say so rather than use some kind of short hand?

Because that is the way people talk these days. You can also type it into a search engine to find out.

You are starting to sound like my mother LOL. (sorry, that means Laugh Out Loud  )

Why not just say so rather than use some kind of short hand?

Idk -I think it means - I Don't Know

idk? What does this mean please?

idk why is there so many comments but i had a root canal treatment and it was painful and it did fail and now idk what to do . 

No, you can't explain things to an animal. My other cat had several teeth removed just before she was deemed too old to have it without having her heart checked on ultrasound, she did becomeess fearful after the opp. But she can't really chew now. 

This is so interesting - thanks for sharing your experience, I really appreciate it. It’s so helpful to hear of people’s real experience of these things. I’m glad it was worth it for you and that it’s been a success. I hadn’t really thought about cat dental health - none of the cats I’ve had (many years ago now because my son is allergic to cats and gets asthma if he’s around them) lived long enough to require dentistry. That must be a hard decision to make for you - i hope it works out ok either way. Tricky. I remember years ago we had to take one of our cats somewhere and she went absolutely crazy in car and we had to turn back - but she was a farm cat and semi wild in a way. It made me cry - it was so upsetting to see her so terrified like that. 

Hi Kate Kestrel

I suppose these things are to be expected as Time marches on, I'm glad I had it done. Periodontitis and dental sbscesses can sabotage so much lore than your oral health. 

I had promised myself a implant once my financial situation was stronger. It isn't really the same colour my other teeth though you do forget it is there once it is in. And it did improve eating, being able to chew properly on both sides.

You won't feel the procedures done to position it, which basically is a screw to anchor the tooth. You do have to look after it though, so now it's a checkup and dental cleaning once a year.

My most recent one was in the spring, and and it hurt!!!! But when the dentist came in to plunge the needle in to numb it all, it was too sudden, and I screamed! So I had to apologise and explain that I'm not too good at dealing with these things always. The two surgeries I had before were more manageable in fact, that's when they mine right under your gums and roots to get rid of the plaque. 

So no BS, they aren't just trying to make money out of you, and it will help maintain your health as you get older. I

One of my cats needs dental resent too, and I feel horribly guilty about that as the last intervention failed, they insist on ultrasound ING the heart once they are older, and my cat 'went wild' and became unmanageable. Both ultrasound and extraction are very expensive, so the question is, how much trauma should I put her through? The vets I've been dealing with can be paragona at times, and someone who I work for commented it would take a lot of work with them to have that all paid for if I do do it. She's 14 now, the cat in question 

Hi Nexus11 - thanks for your reply - it sounds like you’ve been through a lot with your teeth. It’s far from easy isn’t it? The pain I had last week really shocked me - it was so severe. What is having a dental implant like? Is it better or worse than a root canal? And can you tell the difference once they’re in? Do they just feel like normal teeth and do you forget all about them once they’re in? 

I had root canal treatment that failed once because I left it too late. There were precarious immigration/self employed financial issues going on the time alas. Since then I've lost both wisdom teeth that both went bad, memorably on one occasion with an agonising dental abscess that came on whilst on holiday abroad. S

ince had it again, but this time the tooth was saved as it was caught earlier. And I paid for an implant to replace the first tooth I lost. I had extensive periodontal treatment in recent years, being told.I might lose all my teeth otherwise, and agreed to it as there are to many tales about this condition bringing on heart disease, dementia, and worse. 

The pain can be controlled, but the i ital injections are no fun. It's important to explain to the dentist if your pain thresholds are low I think. They know many people fear that side of dental work.

With dental abscesses the important thing is to get that pain dealt with. It's no fun, and a medical emergency really! Luckily in the city I live on there is a 24-four hour emergency dentist. 

Awww well at least he is getting over his phobia. Say I guess I’m not as bad with jabs in the mouth now. I would actually cry on the way to the dentist but when I got in the room I was chatty more than anything. It just felt more like I was poking my gum with my finger nail more than anything. Arms or that however is a completely different story! Especially blood tests! I don’t know how people have the eye jabs though! Guess I don’t want to find out haha 

That’s true! I don’t want a dentist that is (literally!) ‘out of her depth’! 

Thanks Elfilis :) For years my eldest son had a terrible needle phobia but in recent years he’s had to have a lot of injections (he’s not a drug addict they were medically necessary I will just add!) - and gradually his fear has just been eroded by so much exposure to them. So that’s been an unexpected silver lining for him anyway. 

It would certainly be a long way to go to the dentist! My current dentist is an hour and 15 mins drive away and that’s annoying enough. Your great aunt sounds like a fearless woman to have used a knitting needle - wow. 
I’ve never done a long haul flight before - i can certainly relate to your reluctance to do that. It’s kind of mad that people are having to consider going abroad for dental treatment isn’t it? What useless governments we have had - and I bet none of those MPs are using NHS dentistry that’s for sure. I have a cousin who has Private Healthcare and she told me that if she were to call an ambulance a completely different ambulance comes out - not a normal one you and I would use - and that had never crossed my mind. She also had her children in a fancy birth unit in London and there was gourmet food for her and her whole family who visited. It’s just mad how different it is for different people in this country. When I was in labour with my second son we were put in this weird, really dark side room that was almost like a large cupboard and left alone for what felt like hours - my husband had to keep going out to try to find someone - anyone - who could come and help us. It was ridiculous. Bizarrely it had a carpet and was totally unhygienic. We need a revolution! People in this country really need to demand that things are improved because it’s totally unacceptable that basic things like dentistry are unavailable to people. Sorry - rant over!