I finished my treatments in June '07. I had my teeth checked before treatments and my dentist said I should be ok to go ahead with the radiation/chemo without needing any prior dental work.
Well, a month and a half ago I needed a small surface cavity filled on the outside of one of my lower molars. Other than a little soreness, I experienced no problems with it until...about three weeks ago I was chewing some gum and all of a sudden the back half of that same tooth just broke off!
I went back to my dentist and he said it would be best to try and save the tooth instead of pulling it, but he wouldn't touch it. Instead, he referred me to a specialist (endodontist).
Today I saw the endodontist and he told me that he would do the root canal but that I would have to take antibiotics prior to the procedure and after the procedure. He also said that if the root canal doesn't "take", then I would probably need HBO treatments and may need a referral to an oral surgeon to pull the tooth.
I'm sure some of you may have experienced this complex journey involving dental care, but this is a first for me. I am just very scared that I will not only lose my teeth, but that I will end up with all the serious problems that come with it concerning the jaw bone, etc.
Sorry for the long story, but I just felt the need to express my concerns and was hoping that some of you could share your experiences and insight.
DR. MIKE...HELP!!!