Dental Dilema and Advice Needed | Pull Out All My Teeth?

Symptoms & Treatments Other Treatment
1

Every since three crowns and two root canals on the same tooth that was later removed, dentists appointments have been nil. My doctor would not allow any dental work for the past three years. Hell, for the first two years I rarely brushed my teeth or could do anything after a lifetime of excellent dental hygiene.

My teeth burn, ache, freeze, gnaw and pierce life there is no tomorrow. I told my Specialist that I felt so disgusted with my dental hygiene the past three years. I asked many times if I could just see a dentist for a cleaning. Finally, after three years he agreed to let me see a dentist after I suggested I go to his dentist! I thought maybe an underlying dental issue could be exacerbating the pain.

The dentist said my bite is off, my back teeth don’t touch when I close my mouth and I will never get better without facial exercises to fix my bite. He insisted my bite caused the initial problems which is dead wrong. My bite was a result of the injury of which I am 100% certain. In addition to dental care, he wants me to see a cognitive behavioral therapist at UCLA to address why I use my tongue to protect my teeth from pain, why I try to suck my fillings out, etc.

I had a cleaning that took six hours over three appointments. They insisted I be numbed when cleaning the damaged area. I so did not want any needles ever again. The cleaning of my bad area, around #13 to #15, triggered a massive attack, pain, migraines and more, that kept me in bed for 18 days. The cost was $1,000.

The dentist said I had two small cavities to fill at $500 each. They are on the other side of my mouth so the first one cause pain but no reactions. The complicated part is that five of my teeth, including all four back molars where fractured several times. This would normally involve five crowns and possible root canals of which everyone agrees is never going happen. He wants to cover the fractured teeth with porcelain inlays to help protect the teeth for a while. I don’t have dental insurance and live on Disability. Three dentists and $20,000 caused me this illness and now they want to start all over again!? The time, money and emotional distress of being in a dental chair is overwhelming.

Basically my mouth is a ticking timebomb. It is just a matter of time. At 52, I do not want to be waiting for the next shoe to drop for 20 years. I am beside myself. I asked my doctor to remove all my teeth therefore saving me 20 years of fear. He said absolutely not and that I would be miserable with full dentures. Knowing the shape my teeth are in, my bite issues and over fragile state I am in, I am ready to pull them out myself.

Thoughts? Comments? Help?

2

I asked the question on here once whether anyone had considered having all their teeth pulled to at least take them out of the equation and got shot down by the howls of protest. To me it seems a bit of a no brainer!!! The discussion at the time was not dissimilar to your story in that it involved a lot of " let's see if this works" type dental work. To me it just makes sense.

3

Thank you. It really makes sense to me as horrible as it sounds. I don’t want to find a shady dentist to do it. Everyone who says no, makes money off my misery so it is hard to find a unbiased opinion. I am numb to it all.

4

When all is said and done it's your teeth, your mouth, your money.

5

Don’t pull out all your teeth. Each tooth has a nerve inside, which is connected to a branch of a trigeminal nerve. Doing multiple extractions could make you much worse because you’re severing all of those nerve endings. My problems started with an extraction and got worse with further dental work. It’s just like how amputating a limb can lead to phantom limb pain. The tooth is gone but the pain remains.

6

Toothache. I agree but I may have no option. I have been cleared for the ketamine infusion therapy at USC to address phantom pain but do not have the support I need for 30 days of treatment. I have literally had 100 or more doctor appointments. Everything we try fails. As long as I have damaged teeth there is no way to say 100% that they contribute to the failure. Having 5 more root canals and crowns, with more teeth at risk is so overwhelming for me I no longer leave my house. It is a no win situation for me.

7

My scenario is the exact same as yours.

I can't even use adult toothpaste. I have to use kids "bubblegum flavor" or "berry blast" kind of toothpaste because regular kind make the burning and nervy pain a hundred times worse.

Toothache said:

Don't pull out all your teeth. Each tooth has a nerve inside, which is connected to a branch of a trigeminal nerve. Doing multiple extractions could make you much worse because you're severing all of those nerve endings. My problems started with an extraction and got worse with further dental work. It's just like how amputating a limb can lead to phantom limb pain. The tooth is gone but the pain remains.
8

Have you tried toothpaste for sensitive teeth like Sensodyne? It actually desensitizes the nerve endings in the teeth. I think it helps for me. It doesn’t relieve the constant pain but at least my teeth don’t trigger it.




Juliette Suzanne said:

My scenario is the exact same as yours.

I can’t even use adult toothpaste. I have to use kids “bubblegum flavor” or “berry blast” kind of toothpaste because regular kind make the burning and nervy pain a hundred times worse.

Toothache said:

Don’t pull out all your teeth. Each tooth has a nerve inside, which is connected to a branch of a trigeminal nerve. Doing multiple extractions could make you much worse because you’re severing all of those nerve endings. My problems started with an extraction and got worse with further dental work. It’s just like how amputating a limb can lead to phantom limb pain. The tooth is gone but the pain remains.

9

I cannot believe with all this dental work none of these dentists has referred you to a neurologist, unless you have already seen one and had an MRI. All the pain that seems to be dental is one of the symptoms of Trigeminal Neuralgia, it has nothing to do with teeth. How could theses dentists you have seen have done so many root canals, one is already too much. I feel for you and hope you can go see a neurologist to have that MRI done ASAP. God bless!

10

Thanks Astrid8. I have had 10 MRI’s, 7 surgeries, umpteen procedures and have the best neurological team in California. It just so happens that in the middle of all this I need more dental work. It is a no-win situation pushing me closer to the edge.

11

You can pull all your teeth, and still have TN pain. Pulling all your teeth can risk making your pain worse due to damage caused by dental work. Remember TN is neurological, not dental pain.

12

I know the risks but I would be happy to live in pain then constantly fear dental work. I need five root canals and crowns today, tomorrow who knows. It’s a no win situation with no happy ending.

13

Are you having all of that dental work to get rid of the TN pain? Or because you need it?

14

Richard,

Since you have gone through so much pain, can you help with my question. I am like you with a lighter version. I am suffering with one extraction site which is burning while i needed more tooth work. I did a feeling and that is in fire now. I went 5/6 dentist, endo , cone veam, everyone saying there no wrong is tooth. They are are saying it is TN pain. I know it is TN but pulling the tooth out gives me less pain compare to having the tooth on the same place. Did you experience the same? Thanks for the reply.

15

There is a dentist in Arkansas. I will find it again. He has people coming from OTHER COUNTRIES for his services. And he fixes bite problems. With computer diagnosis and then builds up or takes down the spots. One girl said they wanted to do all this stuff to her that never would have worked. I had an extraction in June. As soon as the antistetic wore off I knew something was wrong. So I know it was damaged that way. But an endodontic told me that me bite is very unstable. So I wonder if this could help?

16

I went to an oral pathologist. She had me seen endodontist to rule out root fracture because that can cause so much facial pain. I didn’t have a fractured root but I would have loved to. Then I would have had it pulled out and no more pain. The endodontist charged me $169 for the visit. It was worth knowing. I have atypical facial pain. And E VC en though the endodontist ruled out a fracture, he said I could get the tooth pulled and it could solve my problem or it may not. A new dentist told me I should not ha VC E pain after a root canal and sometimes there is nothing showing wrong with a tooth and no one can find it. But it is the tooth. I also know it could be the nerve and pulling the tooth won’t end it. Best of luck and prayers to you. 20 years is too long to suffer. I would have pulled :pensive: