Question about teeth extractions

michdjp
michdjp Member Posts: 220
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hello to all

my dad recently went to the dentist because his cap came out. The dentist said he had 2 teeth eroding from dry mouth and that he recommended pulling them.  We went to an oral surgeon and he would recommend grinding them down and then leaving them. He did talk about the hyperbaric oxygen chamber but said it had risks????? I unfortunately could not be at this appt. and am left with just so many questions.  What I do know is dad has 2 teeth that are not good so what should we do with them any suggestions?

p.s. October will be 3 years since chemo n radiation for stage 4a tonsil. 

Thanks for the help

michelle

Comments

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #2
    Hyperbarics

    My oral surgeon insisted on hyperbarics. Not sure what he meant by it having risks unless he meant that pulling your Dad's teeth, even with hyperbarics, could still cause him issues. I am not aware of any potential risks caused by hyperbaric tx itself. 

  • michdjp
    michdjp Member Posts: 220
    #3
    hwt said:

    Hyperbarics

    My oral surgeon insisted on hyperbarics. Not sure what he meant by it having risks unless he meant that pulling your Dad's teeth, even with hyperbarics, could still cause him issues. I am not aware of any potential risks caused by hyperbaric tx itself. 

    Yes

    That's what I thought that pulling the teeth would be risky not the chambers. Did the chambers help you?

    thanks for your help

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #4
    michdjp said:

    Yes

    That's what I thought that pulling the teeth would be risky not the chambers. Did the chambers help you?

    thanks for your help

    HBOT

    I did 30 two hour sessions. Before I had the teeth extracted, I had a recurrance of my SCC that had to be addressed so I never got the extractions. I know the tx was very expensive but my insurance covered all but $20 co-pay for each session ($600 out of pocket). The chamber is basically an inconvenience, no pain or discomfort associated. You put on cotton scrubs and lay in a large glass tube for two hours and watch tv or a movie. I want to say my tx was about $30,000. Unless it had some merit, I don't think my insurance would have approved.  

  • michdjp
    michdjp Member Posts: 220
    #5
    hwt said:

    HBOT

    I did 30 two hour sessions. Before I had the teeth extracted, I had a recurrance of my SCC that had to be addressed so I never got the extractions. I know the tx was very expensive but my insurance covered all but $20 co-pay for each session ($600 out of pocket). The chamber is basically an inconvenience, no pain or discomfort associated. You put on cotton scrubs and lay in a large glass tube for two hours and watch tv or a movie. I want to say my tx was about $30,000. Unless it had some merit, I don't think my insurance would have approved.  

    Oh ok

    Thank you I think filing the teeth down might be the better alternative. I did I not know there was such a risk for extractions.

    Continued heayour to you and thank you 

    michelle

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,773 Member
    #6
    not trivial issue

    Hi,

    The long term side effect from radiation to the teeth and bone structure can be major. Before making any decision please do a lot of research and get fully informed. I have no personal experience and hope to evade this one.

    HBOT is a series of treatments where one is placed in a chamber for a couple hours for about 20 or so times. where oygen is pushed into the tissue and bone to enable quicker repair to health when injured or damaged, in this case, any tooth extraction. It is an expensive treatment and not all insurance covers it.

    Protecting the tooth structure, gum tissue, and bone structure are number one to minimizing any ORN, which is the major disease related to this issue.

    When HBOT works, teeth are extracted with minimal long term damage and the tissue and bone heal. Anything less leaves open the potential that something does not heal up and possibly cause further damage down the road.

    My teeth are not all that great so I am very keen on the topic of ORN related issues. During the past year, a number of consults with various doctors, dentitsts, and oral surgeons are all very cautious about doing anything to disrupt the teeth, tissue and bone.

    I just had a molar with a crown that had decay so the crown needed to be redone. I also had the root canal retreated so it would be 100% good. While removing the decay and preparing for the new crown, a fair bit of remaining tooth had to be removed. The dentist said it will be fine for awhile but advised it may degrade down the road.

    This prompted the dialog about what then. His initial approach would be to grind it to the gumline first. This does the least harm to the gum and bone. If the tooth has to come out then I guess HBOT is the next step. We did not carry to dialog to that decision point.

    The best advise is to do whatever treatment that disturbs the teeth, gums, and bone the very least. ORN can have horrible outcomes so just be 100% sure you are doing the right thing. good luck

     

  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #7
    Being

    being an long long term survivor

    the thoughts of what your oral surgeon are totally the same of what my Dentist, Oral Surgeon and Lead ENT all totally agree on. 

    I pulled three about 5 years ago and last year one of them has not done well and have gone to status or necrosis of the jaw bone. 

    All others since the removal 5 years ago have been root canal, sawed off at gum line, mounded over. this has lead to no problems with teeth since.

    if i had to do it all over before treatments, i would have had them all pulled. 

    not easy to chew certain-most foods but lack of pain is so work the lack of teeth. 

    john 

  • michdjp
    michdjp Member Posts: 220
    #8
    fisrpotpe said:

    Being

    being an long long term survivor

    the thoughts of what your oral surgeon are totally the same of what my Dentist, Oral Surgeon and Lead ENT all totally agree on. 

    I pulled three about 5 years ago and last year one of them has not done well and have gone to status or necrosis of the jaw bone. 

    All others since the removal 5 years ago have been root canal, sawed off at gum line, mounded over. this has lead to no problems with teeth since.

    if i had to do it all over before treatments, i would have had them all pulled. 

    not easy to chew certain-most foods but lack of pain is so work the lack of teeth. 

    john 

    Thank you

    Thank you don and John for your replies. I will call the dentist and make an appt. To just saw down the two teeth and fill over WITHOUT disturbing the jaw or gum line that seems to be the major concern.  We r almost 3 years out and hoped we skipped this side effect but thank goodness we didn't pull out any teeth. I had no ideas it had such effects to the jaw.  Thank you again and continued healing.

    michelle

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