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Temporomandibular Joint & Muscle Community
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rootcanal infection and skin
by sue929, Nov 06, 2008 08:59PM
I had a rootcanal on tooth #30 about 13 years ago. Two or three years ago #30 cracked. Last year i went to the dentist and he cleaned the decay and put a prefabricated post and covered the tooth with the white filling. over that time i have been experiencing acne on my face and developed cysts under the jaw bone on both sides of my mouth. The dermatologist gave me amoxicilliyn for about 2 years which cleared up the cysts and acne. I stopped taking amoxicil. for 7 months and went to another dermatologist who put me on minocycline. but i feel that the cysts are coming back. In the mean time i went to the dentist for pain with #30, and she said that i have an old infection there and i shouldnt feel any pain because there isnt a root. Would tooth #30 have a correlation to the health of my skin?
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Okay, for starters, you said that you had a root canal done 13 years ago. Was this done by a general dentist, or a specialist? Did they put a crown (cap) on the tooth or just a big filling after the root canal? When a root canal is done, they do NOT remove your roots! They clean out the nerve tissue in each canal of the tooth (on a lower molar you could have 4-5 canals in that one tooth). Then they disinfect the inside of the canals with solutions and then fill each canal, usually with a rubber material (gutta percha) or a flexible resin material. The tooth becomes very brittle and weak after treatment, so it is recommended to place a build up (filling) inside the tooth, and then a crown or cap on top of that to prevent cracking/breaking of the tooth. #30 is a molar that takes a lot of stress when chewing and is very prone to breakage or cracking if it is weak.
You also said that you cracked the tooth several years ago. Did you seek dental care immediently or just wait? If you cracked the tooth and left it like that, the crack would continue to worsen over time. It could even extend down the roots of the tooth. You would not feel sensations that would let you know the tooth is cracked, because you have no nerve tissue inside that tooth. You would not feel the instant pain, hot/cold/pressure sensitivity.
You also said that one year ago, you saw a dentist who put a post and core in the tooth. Did he re do your original root canal? Did he remove all the materials and check to see if the crack extended down the root? If you would have seen a specialist (root canal/endodontist) then they would remove all the old materials and use their high powered microscope to look down inside the roots/canals to see if it does in fact extend to that point. If it does, then it would continue to worsen and you would need to have the tooth removed. Bacteria in your saliva and the foods you eat/drink can seep into the crack and cause an infection at your root tips and in your jaw bone.
The dentist/asst. was wrong when they told you that you should not have pain from this tooth. If you have a crack and an "old infection" in the tooth, then that would cause pain. It can also cause swelling. If there is still infection present in your bone, then that will not be cleared up by antibiotics. You need to see an endodontist in your area. Ask your dentist to refer you to one. They will tell you better than anyone else what is going on as far as a crack and recurrent infection. They will let you know if they can save the tooth, or if you need to have it removed due to the crack.
Years ago, the common root canal filler was metal pins that they heated and placed in each canal with a cement. This method does not seal the canals very well and is not commonly used today. Some general dentists still do it this way. A more flexible material seals much better and you will have better results. Ask what materials were used in your specific case. And remember, cracks do not show up on x-rays usually. You need to have a specialist take out all the old materials and check to see how far down it goes.
When you saw the dentist a year ago, did they place a crown over the filling material and post? They certainly should have. You have probably invested a lot of money in keeping this tooth. You need to know if it can still be saved or not.
Regarding your allergies, I am not an expert in this field, but I have seen several patients who are allergic to certain cements, filling materials, bonding agents, metals used in crowns, and even the rubber like material used to fill the root canals. I have seen patients get sores in their mouths and rashes on their faces from this. There are so many materials that dentists use for each and every procedure, so there is a possibility that your reaction could be because of this.
I would speak to your dentist and doc about this because if you remove the materials and use a different product to do the procedures and your problems subside, you will need to keep track of this because you do not want this to happen in your future dental treatments. It is hard to pin point the exact material, due to the many you have had used on you. It may take time and maybe a visit to an allergist, but you certainly need to find that out. And you don't want to be on antibiotics for that long because you will build up a resistance to them.
Antibiotics will not cure a chronic or "old" infection if it is into your jaw bone. You can usually see this on x-rays as a black area around your root tips. This issue will worsen over time if the problems are not corrected. The infection can continue to break down your jaw bone and even cause trouble with the surrounding teeth. They will not have a "support" system and can become loose and you may eventually lose the teeth.
Please get a second opinion and see a endodontist asap. They know so much more about these previously treated teeth and have special equiptment that the general dentists do not have. They are the ones who will help you determine if your crack is too far down the roots to save, or if they can do a procedure to re do the previous root canal and possibly a surgical procedure to clean out the infection in the jaw bone.
Again, I have not seen your x-rays, or know much more about your case, but it certainly is in your best interest to seek out a specialist. Especially since you have put so much money into this tooth to save it. They really are the best at this issue.
Good luck. Get a second opinion for sure. Let us know how it goes and please post updates on your condition and diagnosis. Hope I helped a little. God bless!