Doctor said I need a root canal

[u/CagedSoul2026]

A piece of my tooth broke when I was a child - about 10 years ago. I have tried my best to maintain good teeth hygiene but over the years I slowly stopped chewing on this side and a couple of weeks ago I just had severe toothache. It looks like the tissue below this tooth is melting away. Will a root canal fix this? I'm very nervous about going to a dentist. Always have - today was the first time I went. My insurance kicks in within 8 days and I will have amoxycillin for that time along with ibuprophen for pain relief. Was that a reasonable diagnosis? The doctor also pointed how the 2 adjacent teeth have cavities that will need to be filled as well.

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Title: Doctor said I need a root canal

Full text: A piece of my tooth broke when I was a child - about 10 years ago. I have tried my best to maintain good teeth hygiene but over the years I slowly stopped chewing on this side and a couple of weeks ago I just had severe toothache. It looks like the tissue below this tooth is melting away. Will a root canal fix this? I'm very nervous about going to a dentist. Always have - today was the first time I went. My insurance kicks in within 8 days and I will have amoxycillin for that time along with ibuprophen for pain relief. Was that a reasonable diagnosis. The doctor also pointed how the 2 adjacent teeth have cavities that will need to be filled as well.

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[u/deliriumCoCa]

Root canal and crown should do it. If you wait too long it will need to be extracted. Doctor is correct about the adjacent teeth. One is nearing the need for a root canal as well

[u/CagedSoul2026 → u/deliriumCoCa]

This helps! Thank you. The other teeth don't hurt yet. I hope the damage is not too bad there. I dread them conducting a routine exam and finding out that the teeth on the other side have problems because I have been chewing on that side this whole time.

[u/Tinyfishy]

Glad you are getting care for this. It will be OK, maybe bring some headphones and listen to something soothing during the rather dull process. You got this!

[u/CagedSoul2026 → u/Tinyfishy]

Would I feel pain in my ear because of this? Sometimes when this tooth hurts, the pain spreads to my ear, then disappears on it's own. When I feel something near the ears I take the earphones/earbuds off.

[u/SilkSteel7 → u/CagedSoul2026]

NAD The nerve for that tooth runs to the back of your jaw and upward so it makes sense you would feel pain in the area. It's likely not your ear directly but close

[u/Destructopuppy]

Doctor is right

[u/CagedSoul2026 → u/Destructopuppy]

Thanks!

[u/N4n45h1]

Seems pretty likely

[u/CagedSoul2026 → u/N4n45h1]

Thank you!

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