Yesterday I had

Yesterday I had a lower first molar extracted which had been root canal filled one and a half years ago. It had caused me intermittent pain and I had felt unwell in a vague way since the day it was placed. No abcess ever formed, but often the gum was red, slightly swollen with a bit of recession. In between the molar and pre-molar also hurt and looked mildly inflammed.

Over the last few months I have felt so exhausted that I had to stop working and take to my bed.

I had several x-rays over the last year of the tooth including a panoramic one. Non of these showed anything obviously wrong. Every dentist said it looked like a very well done root canal.

Recent blood tests showed that I have some serious challenge to my immune system going on. My doctor says I am fighting off an infection somewhere. I decided to have the tooth removed as the most obvious cause of my problems.

The tooth came out easily and the surgeon says the bone all looked nice and healthy.

I asked to keep the tooth. When I recovered from the sedation I examined it and found a piece of bendy black wire sticking out of a hole in the root about 4 millimetres from the tip. The wire is about 2 mm long. There is also another piece of identical black bendy wire inside the same root. I am mystified as to what this might be and why it didn’t show up on an x-ray.

Does anybody know what this wire might be and why it is there? Also does anybody know what it might be made of? I have a fairly severe nickel allergy. Could the wire contain nickel. I only have to put cutlery to my lip that has a trace of nickel in it for a swelling to develop.

After the tooth was extracted I thought I’d feel really terrible. Instead I feel fantastic. I seem to have got my energy back. Although I have mild aching in the extraction site, the horrible pain in the jawbone has stopped. It is early days yet and I might just be feeling happier as I’ve finally got rid of the tooth that has been bothering me for so long. I am due for another blood test in 4 weeks. It will be interesting to see if my white cell count has improved with the tooth extraction. Fingers crossed. Losing that tooth is a big loss but worth it if I can get my health back.