My NICO and Root Canal Removal Journey (Part 1)
In My NICO and Root Canal Removal Journey (Part 1) I show steps I took to get an infected root canal extracted and jaw cavitations diagnosed.
Neuralgia-Inducing Cavitational Osteonecrosis. Whew, that’s a mouthful! NICO and infected root canals can lead to mystery symptoms and ongoing health issues. Exploring alternative treatments offered by biological dentistry may provide relief and improve overall well-being.
But what is NICO and why would anyone want to get a “perfectly” root-canaled tooth extracted from their mouth? Let’s dive into some of the science and then get into my experience with both of these oral health issues so far…
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NICO and the Dangers of Root Canals: The Nerdy Stuff
Neuralgia-inducing cavitational osteonecrosis (NICO), also known as infected jawbone cavitations, is a condition that can arise secondary to trauma, such as dental extraction and endodontic treatment, as well as due to a low-grade chronic infection. While there is some debate in the literature about NICO, it can present in clinical scenarios as being hidden on common dental radiography and is resistant to routine therapeutic measures by conventional dentistry. Source
NICO can also occur in teeth that have been treated via root canal but continue to harbor infection after root canal treatment. This ongoing inflammation can lead to health issues like autoimmunity, even without pain or symptoms in the mouth since the nerves and blood supply have been severed during the initial treatment. Source
Biological dentistry offers alternative treatments for NICO and infected root canals. Techniques such as ozone therapy, laser therapy, platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), and more can be used to reverse NICO and eliminate chronic infections. These treatments focus on addressing the underlying infection and promoting healing.
If you have unexplained health issues and feel like you’ve tried everything but can’t seem to get better, it may be worth considering the possibility of NICO or infected root canals. Seeking out a biological or holistic dentist who specializes in these conditions can help you find answers and potential solutions.
To find a biological dentist near you, you can visit the International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology (IAOMT) website and use their search tool. They have a directory of dentists who follow holistic approaches to dental care.
Additionally, there is a Facebook support group called NICO, jawbone infection, root canals, implants, cavitations where you can find physician recommendations and ongoing support from others who have experienced similar issues.
For further information on the potential health effects of root canal procedures, I recommend watching the documentary Root Cause – The Health Effects of the Root Canal Procedure. This documentary explores the controversial topic of root canals and their potential impact on overall health.
My NICO and Root Canal Removal Journey (So Far)
Diagnosing the Infected Root Canal-Treated Molar (Early December, 2023)
In early December 2023, my Hashimoto’s TPO antibodies reached sky-high levels. It was the highest they had ever been. Despite trying various diets, lifestyles, and holistic modalities, the TPO levels continued to rise slowly over the past few years. I had a strong feeling that my root canal, which I had gotten in April 2014 just before I started experiencing worsening and severe chronic fatigue and gut problems in 2015, was a major contributor to my ongoing inflammation. And for me, inflammation meant more antibodies.
When I saw my thyroid TPO levels nearing 1500, it was like a silent voice in my head saying, “It’s that damned root canal, Sam.” If you’ve been following my journey, you know that I’ve been searching for answers to my intense chronic fatigue for about nine years now. I’ve had some victories along the way, but I’ve never been able to truly and completely fix myself.
That’s when I watched the documentary Root Cause. It was eye-opening. I urge anyone with a root canal or tooth extractions to spend an hour and fifteen minutes of their life watching this movie!! You can find it for free on Tubi and YouTube since it was banned on Netflix due to pressure on the network from conventional dentists.
Feeling motivated and empowered by what I learned from the documentary, I made an appointment with Dr. Chen at Natural Focus Dental in Frisco, TX to get a cone beam scan (aka CBCT). She is a natural-focused dentist who specializes in integrative methods in dental care. My hope was that she could diagnose any issues with my root canal and extract any festering dead bone from my face. I also wanted her to clean out the site and perform ozone treatment on the jawbone.
I knew that this was another step on my healing journey, and I felt determined to fight a little bit longer.
Infection Discovered During the Extraction Process (December 19, 2023)
If you have a weak stomach, you might want to look away. Next, we’re diving into the gruesome details of a tooth extraction…with photo and video of said tooth once it finally came out. Brace yourself!
Let’s start with the star of our story – the aforementioned root canaled molar, also known as tooth #19. This little troublemaker put up quite a fight during its extraction. It broke into shards and clung onto my jaw bone for dear life. Talk about stubbornness!
My amazing natural dentist, Dr. Chen, mentioned right after the procedure that the tooth’s strong attachment to the jawbone was a clear sign of infection. But that wasn’t all – she also discovered infection in the tooth itself, as well as on my gum and jaw. To make matters worse, there was even black junk inside the rotted tooth! Yuck!
What’s truly astonishing is that this infection went completely undetected in multiple scans. Three sets of standard x-rays, one panoramic scan, and even a cone beam scan – none of them revealed the hidden danger lurking in my mouth. It was only Dr. Chen’s expertise and intuition that led her to suspect something was amiss.
Initially, Dr. Chen had referred me to an oral surgeon and an orthodontist for further evaluation. She wanted to ensure that I didn’t lose my last bottom left large molar unnecessarily. However, after a week of contemplation, I decided to reach out to her again. I just wanted the tooth out, and the thought of finding another dentist seemed daunting. Thankfully, she agreed to perform the surgery herself, and she also mentioned that she had shown my cone beam scan to her mentor, who discovered that I additionally had potential cavitations in my jaw. (I will mention those in the next section of this post, but you can see them circled in yellow on the image below!)
The day of the extraction arrived, and we were all feeling ready to get this done! After about an hour of oral surgery, Dr. Chen and her assistant removed the final STUBBORN chunk of tooth from my mouth, a wave of relief washed over us. But what surprised her was the presence of infection inside the tooth and jawbone despite it being invisible on any scan. It was a humbling reminder that sometimes, diagnostics can fail, and the importance of listening to patients’ experiences and symptoms, which I’m so glad she did!
For the first week I was definitely in the recovery phase, relying on legal THC, holistic and herbal remedies, red light therapy, and Aleve for pain relief, though I couldn’t take the Aleve for long because it wrecks my gut. I had a fair amount of pain in my jaw at the surgical site and due to the amount of pressure that needed to be applied to my jaw in order to get the tooth out. I ended up requesting antibiotics (which you can read more about here) because I began to feel feverish and did not want to chance an infection spreading to any other areas of my body!
My diet consisted of squishy and liquid foods for the first two weeks after surgery, with lots of softly prepared, animal-based proteins to build back tissue and bone per doc’s orders; ie: chicken pureed into bone broth, homemade healthy fruit gelatin, and scrambled eggs. I also made chia pudding though I found the seeds kept getting stuck in my surgical site.
And of course, my loving partner took care of me like a baby bird and provided emotional support! (Thanks, Hunni. Muah.)
The Post-Op Checkup Went Well! (January 14, 2024)
I passed my 3 week post-op with flying colors! Dr Chen said there was no sign of infection at the site and the gum was healing up nicely! I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief and gratitude as I left her office. It had been a long journey to get to this point, and finally seeing progress in my recovery was a ray of hope.
Though the chronic fatigue that had plagued me for years was still present, I knew that healing takes time. I reminded myself to be patient and trust the process. As I reflected on my journey so far, I reflected on just how much my body had been through. The post-surgical toxic burden was evident, and it was clear that my body needed time to rest and repair.
But I also knew that this was just a portion of my oral healing journey because I still needed to address the cavitations that Dr Chen’s mentor noticed on my CBCT scan.
Preparing for More Surgery in February 2024
When I received the email from the acclaimed and peer-recommended Dr Lagos in Tijuana, Mexico confirming my diagnosis of NICO and the need for revision surgery upon his review of my CBCT scan, I knew I needed to seek a second opinion. It’s always a good idea to get multiple perspectives when it comes to your health, especially when it involves a complex condition like NICO.
After doing some research and reaching out to the NICO support group, I found Dr. Olson in Coppell, TX, who came highly recommended. I scheduled an appointment with him to discuss my case and see if his treatment plan aligned with what Dr. Lagos had recommended.
During my in-person consultation with Dr. Olson, he carefully reviewed my CBCT scan and confirmed exactly what Dr. Lagos had said – I needed to have those cavitation sites revised. It was reassuring to hear that both surgeons were on the same page about my condition and the necessary course of action.
Now came the difficult decision of choosing which surgeon to go with. On one hand, going to Dr Lagos in Tijuana would save me money on surgery and provide slightly more comprehensive pre- and post-care in-office, including modalities like acupressure, pain relief magnets, ozone therapy, vitamin C infusion, and lymph massage. On the other hand, going to Mexico would mean incurring travel expenses and potential exhaustion from the journey.
After careful consideration, I decided that the slightly higher cost of going to Dr. Olson was worth it for me. I would still be able to procure those bonus healing modalities at or near my home (even though I’d have to shop around a bit for them) and have the peace of mind of being treated by a highly recommended surgeon closer to home. I wanted to prioritize my comfort and convenience during the recovery process, and having a surgeon nearby gave me peace of mind.
I couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of hope once I booked my appointment for the surgery.
Please Stay Tuned for Part 2 of My NICO and Root Canal Removal Journey!
In Part 2 of this blog post series, I’ll delve into Dr. Olson’s treatment plan for revising my cavitations. I’m excited to share my upcoming experiences with the procedure and its recovery here as well.
Before I sign off, I want to encourage anyone who may be struggling with their health to keep pushing for answers. It can be disheartening when you hit dead ends with conventional, holistic, or integrative care, but don’t give up! You and your precious life are worth fighting for, hun!!
*Not medical advice.
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6883897/
