Dental Heart Concerns

I am a 30yo male, have mild MR...but not MVP according to
numerous echoes.

Despite the recent AHA change in guidelines I still premedicate at my
dentist and did today when I went for a routine cleaning. They have
been keeping an eye on some sizeable fillings I have on my back
molars. My teeth looked fine except they said I had one cavity and
that the one lower molar showed some additional decay below the
filling and that it would need root canal and then a crown. They gave
me a "sedative filling" today on that tooth and told me I would need
a root canal but two dentists differed on whether I could wait for a
while or whether I needed it soon (next month or so).

My reasons for concern are two fold...one of which is heart related.

1. They apparantly cleaned out the tooth today and removed any decay.
My concern is that it could redecay while I'm waiting for a root
canal and pose a risk on bacteria and potentially endocarditis. Am I
being a little over concerned about this? I know there is a large
variance on what type of dental issues docs are concerned about for
MR...I floss everyday now because I heard it helps. Any thoughts?

2. I am finishing up law school this year and would really like to
wait to get the procedure done (root canal and crown) because it will
run about $2,000 and I'd like to wait to get insurance.

Thanks everyone

Tom in KC

[FLBrat]

I may be incorrect, but I believe since you started treatment on this tooth that it would be considered pre-existing and not be covered by your insurance.  And you dont want to fudge because insurance fraud is illegal.  (as I am sure you know)  If you are concerned about redecay, go ahead and have it done, ask if they will do payments maybe, or offer trade out, legal work for dental work.  You never know, the dentist may bite.  (Sorry couldnt help the pun)

[Barbarella]

You wont get Insurance if you have a "pre-existing" condition.  I checked it out because I did not want to pay cash for my two root canals.

You have two choices:  Have the root canal done and pay big bucks or have it pulled IF the dentist is willing to pull it.  I saw one who flat out told me "I refuse to pull a good tooth".  Of course a root canal brings in more money.

I had one root canal done, and a couple of months later the tooth fell out.  They will NOT give you a refund if your tooth falls out.  I was told " I told you that my success rate for root canals are 80%, I'm sorry you fell into the 20% where it failed".  Since his dental assistant was right there when he told me that his success rate is 80% there wasn't a thing I could do.  She would have backed him up that she heard him say that, and I went along with it and allowed him to go ahead and do the root canal.

I switched dentists since, not because the root canal failed, but because I don't need to hear some dentist who is after big bucks telling me "he doesn't pull a good tooth" its my mouth, and my money, and MY decision, period.  There are plenty of dentists out there willing to pull a tooth.

[Barbarella]

You're 100% correct, its all about $$$ pulling a tooth is around $50.00 a root canal around $1.500 or higher.