MTX and root canal | Arthritis Information

I'm having a root canal in a couppe of weeks and wonder if I should stop the methotrexate.

I've called my doctor but haven't received a reply yet.

Another question that is off topic. I thought I just need a crown. I had the crown preparation and developed a toothache shortly thereafter. I went back and now I need a root canal.

I wonder why the X-Rays didn't show this before the crown. I wonder if the dentist has some responsibility.

I like him lot, have gone to him for a long time and have never had this problem before.

Any input or similar stories would be appreciated!

Dotty, I have had a root canal since I've been on mtx, was told that was ok. but as you read on here every RD is different.

I would question the dentist about the xray... good luck

Thanks Jan, I called the office again and was told to skip the dose of mtx before the root canal and if I was put on antibiotics not to restart until I'm through with them I guess.

I thought about questioning him, but I'm not good at that sort of thing and the damage is done as they say. It's possible that it would have happened anyway.

Thanks for your reply.

Glad you got your answer. I was going to say that if i were on MTX I would go off it.

I just had a root canal done last week and it got infected. No fun.

Hi! Just for the record, I don't have RA, they thought I did for a long time but I have sarcoidosis instead. Many of the same symptoms and treatments.

I just had a root canal last Thursday, 6 days ago! I had been having an on again, off again tooth ache in the lower first molar. At my regular cleaning they couldn't see anything wrong with it and it wasn't that bad so I left it be for a few more months. It increasingly started to hurt more. I went back complaining of the sharp, stabbing pain on biting. Nothing showed in the x-rays. There was an older filling already in the tooth and he said there might be a hair line crack or something in it and that we should replace it. OK. He offhandedly made a small comment about nerve involvement and possible root canal but when I started to question him he said not to worry about it because he REALLY didn't think that was the case.

Well, he was wrong. Apparently the ends of the roots are opened and if that nerve thats in there or the tissue just under the tooth gets inflamed, x-ray doesn't pick it up. However, once he got the old filling out, he could clearly see all the inflammation and proceeded with the root canal.

I don't take mtx but do get remicade infusions every 4 weeks and I haven't had any problems healing. Just today I am starting to chew some soft foods on the tooth and yeah, its still very sore at times but it is healing. I will have to go back for the crown. But first, I have to go to the hospital and have an oral surgeon remove my totally impacted wisdom teeth next month. I'm 38 years old and was hoping the could just stay happily buried but they are starting to form infectious cysts around them and have to come out.

Good luck with the root canal. It wasn't as painful as I have heard but there were moments of OUCH as I guess they sometimes can't get all of it numb. I had lots of laughing gas and was on a steady stream of vicodin for a few days!

MIchele I had the SAME exact problem. My tooth had been bothering me for 2 years!! I went to 2 different dentists they took the x-ray and nothing! I also had a filling in that bad tooth. I guess that's why they didn't see it. Finally a new dentist caught it. I had my root canal last Friday and after 2 years I can finally chew on my right side!!

I do have to have gum surgery to make my tooth longer before they can put on the crown.

My other option was to have my wisdom teeth that have also been bothering me pulled and the gum might receed, but I think the gum surgery sounds better than having those pulled!

My root canal did not hurt one bit. I didn't even feel him putting in the novicane! He was awesome. I didn't get laughing gas though! I also got some vicodin but I didn't need to take it.

I can't wait till this is all over!

cah14182009-01-28 13:02:11Dentistry is not an exact science, and not everything shows up on X-rays, so the dentist sometimes has to whistle in the dark.

Before I researched root canals I had one and it was totally fine. In fact, the dentistb gave me video goggles and I watched a movie while he was doing it.

Now that I have researched root canals I will never get another one, even if I have to get the tooth pulled instead. I had the same problem as you where I had a crown put on a a tooth and then they said it needed a root canal and I said "no thanks". Eventually the pain subsided but that might just mean the nerve died which is also ungood.

Yeah, can't say I am one little bit happy about having to get my impacted wisdom teeth out. But, its just really not an option anymore as the risk for infection as they are is too high.

I did pass on the next step which was to have two other lower teeth pulled for overcrowding, braces, than two more surgeries. One of which would have been to break my jaw and move it forward and over than wire it shut for a while. I think I will put up with the jaw pain and recessed chin/bite!
a few dentists want the extra money that goes before the crown.....however I went to dentist complaining of extreme pain after having crown a couple of years, he x-rayed and said he saw nothing,after a week I was doubled over in pain. I went back and told him to pull the tooth with the crown. So he decided to drill thru crown to see if anything was wrong, when he drilled there was an explosion of the most vile abcessed material that oozed out the hole. The root canal was the most painful procedure I ever had because nerve was not dead when procedure was done. oh the screams heard thru the office

PS if nerve is dead, procedure is relatively painless, if the nerve is alive the pain can send you flying out of the chair and there is no way of knowing if nerve alive or deadOh, that sounds awful!! Mine squirted a bit and surprised the dentist and assistant and its a good thing they had me in goggles and a bib! Nasty is right! My nerve must have been at least a little alive because at times, I had to pull away and have him stop. How long was it before it stopped hurting once you had the root canal? I have been going through this stuff too. I had a tooth I broke many years ago. First it had a filling, the filling was later replaced with a crown (no root canal), that crown had to be replaced with another crown but had to have "tooth legthening" (not fun), and the new crown was put on. Then about 8 years, I developed an abcess and was told I needed a root canal. When for the root canal, and it was almost done, and the dentist said he could not go any further, the tooth had a vertical fracture--I think he may have done it. Had an infection and at this point both dentists did not give me antibotics for the infection. Asked about the RA drugs and no one seemed to have a clue. So I continued with my normal drugs. When to another specialist to have the tooth pulled (UGGGGGGG) and preped for an implant, at the same time she did a bone graft. However, when I met with this dentist--she gave me antibotics. Also learned that if you have an infection, the infection has some kind of chemical interaction and eats the anthesia so I felt the pain!!!!! So I kept feeling the pain of the tooth being pulled. So much for modern, painless dentisry. Anyway, eveything healed up nicely, no more infection, and I stayed on my RA drugs. Now I have to go back to get the post inserted--which is another incision--seems ass backwards and I am sure they can charge more to do this in this order. There are more procedures after the post--then it has to heal up, then a crown can be put on the post. I think once they start messing with a tooth, the tooth is doomed. In the last 8 years, the only dentristy I needed was my routine cleanings and check ups. Anyway, good luck. I just had a tooth pulled about 10 days ago. I shattered my tooth eating a handful of almonds. After several consults with three different dentists, I decided pulling it was the best option since they all said it was a 50/50 chance of being able to repair it.

micheleb, the pain stopped when root canal procedure was done. i have to say after that one never again, pull the toothYeah Mabus, I'm with you. If I had known going in that it was going to be a root canal and a crown, I would have just had it pulled. Its the first molar on the bottom so its back there a ways. My mouth is small (well, depends who you ask I guess!!lol!) and the bottom teeth are terribly overcrowded anyways. I'm sure I would have lived just fine with one less tooth in my mouth!
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