Tooth Extraction after 7 years if bisphosphonates

yes. Broke a tooth while on chemo and Xgeva. Had an extraction by an oral surgeon. Wound wouldn't heal, went back to oral surgeon..he goes in again and cleans it out (apparently that just makes it worse) ...still doesn't heal. Mention it to ONC who sends me to ONJ specialist..I have (had) ONJ.. never should have extracted the tooth. Should have gone to specialist in first place. Most oral surgeons never see a case of ONJ (i am guessing unless what they do actually causes it, like mine). Took a year to clear up, and it was nasty. lost a big chunk of jaw too. Pleeeeeese get a referral to a university with an ONJ specialist. Good luck.

yes, but preferable one experienced with ONJ. They do exist. Just ask. You might get lucky.

I also ageee with Wallycat. That's a very strange correlation that I've not heard before.

sorry beergirl, I too think your dentist is reaching (or embroidering) with the cancer/root canal connection.

But how are your bone after all the years of biosphosphonates? Did you see a benefit?

The point of the root canal is to clean it all out. A good endodontist doesn't leave bacteria. THey also use a rubber-like material called gutta-percha to fill the canals so there is no medium for bacterial growth.

I've heard scientists discussing viruses that could be cancer causers but never bacteria.....

My best friend has had about 6 root canals, she is 3 years younger than I am and has no cancer....

Sorry you are going through this. The good news is that the crisis is solved, so you have some time. It's not an emergency. I'm not sure how long it's been since you stopped taking those meds, but that could make a difference.

I second the recommendation to go see the *faculty* at a dental school if possible (i.e. faculty in the school's oral surgery department.) This is who the oral surgeons refer the tough cases to. (and so they have more experience with tough cases). The oral surgeon you see should be able to refer you for a second opinion. (you can google and see who the faculty are and in theory, you could make an appointment right now, but it probably makes sense to get a referral to the right one).

I read that ages ago, before dental implants, when teeth broke off they would sometimes insert some sort of abutment into the root of the tooth and then build a crown on that. I don't know if anyone even does that anymore. It might not make sense (you spend a lot of $ and the end result is less good than today's implants).