Diving after a root canal ...?

[hurley]

Hi everyone,
I had a root canal done about two weeks ago, I have a temporary filling in until I go back in January for a temporary crown and then back again for the permanent crown. I'm going on a spur of the moment trip to cozumel diving in 2 weeks and wonder if I might have problems, I've tried calling my dentist office to ask them and have not heard back yet. Anyone been diving after a root canal with a temporary filling and had any problems??

 

[bleeb]

You'll probably want to go look in the Dive Medicine forum in the Marine Science and Physiology section, where some medics hang out, and maybe ask a Moderator to move this thread there. Try a . This question comes up regularly.

 

[Mo2vation]

Hi everyone,
I had a root canal done about two weeks ago, I have a temporary filling in until I go back in January for a temporary crown and then back again for the permanent crown. I'm going on a spur of the moment trip to cozumel diving in 2 weeks and wonder if I might have problems, I've tried calling my dentist office to ask them and have not heard back yet. Anyone been diving after a root canal with a temporary filling and had any problems??

I half expected the plaster cap to come loose and shoot like a bullet up through my hard pallet and into my brain and out the top of my dome.

Didn't happen.

I also did 2 more dives that Saturday (3 days later) - no problems at all.

YMMV.

---
Ken

 

[Doc Intrepid]

You might have problems.

You might not.

It depends in large part on whether there is a tiny air pocket remaining underneath your temporary filling (and how deep that filling is).

If there isn't, you're likely golden. If there is, you'll find out about it in an interesting way.

Best,

Doc

 

[vlkr]

i had a root canal last may and a trip to czm scheduled. that month's issue of scuba had an article about diving after root canal so i persuaded my dentist to put in permanent filling before i went. all went well.

 

[Digger54]

Hi everyone,
I had a root canal done about two weeks ago, I have a temporary filling in until I go back in January for a temporary crown and then back again for the permanent crown. I'm going on a spur of the moment trip to cozumel diving in 2 weeks and wonder if I might have problems, I've tried calling my dentist office to ask them and have not heard back yet. Anyone been diving after a root canal with a temporary filling and had any problems??

Hurley: First of all --- I am a dentist. Mentioning that you have a temporary filling in after a root canal causes me some concern if you are going to dive. Often, after the completion of root canal therapy a cotton pellet is place over the access opening of the tooth and that covered with some sort of hard (sort of plaster like) filling material. This is so if you have problems that persist it is easier to gain access to the root canals for re-treatment.

If there is a cotton pellet in there, then there is an air space in that tooth. Changes in pressure could possibly cause some painful problems.

Find out from your dentist if there is a cotton pellet in place. If so get him to replace it with something solid before you go to Coz and I bet you'll be just fine.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Hurley,

Might wish to read the replies from my diving dentist buddy Larry Stein (Laurence Stein DDS):

Rot Canals
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/search.php?searchid=7792732.

He is a consultant to DAN, writes occasionally with me in DAN's "Alert Diver" magazine, is quite knowledgeable and an all round good guy.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[riverdiver]

I had one done a couple of months back, and my dentist told me I could go the next day and I did, no problems, I did know that I was getting a tooth problem when diving the tooth would hurt at depths over 20'.