@lucybunyard This is a tough decision to make when no one can give you an exact cause. In my case, an infection had spread into my jaw so there was no question. The first time that happened, a surgeon saved the tooth, cleaned out the infection, did a bone graft into the space, and repacked the root canal substance, and I was told the problem could reoccur. I was really upset about the possibility of loosing a front tooth, so no one tried to talk me into it, but that would have been a better decision if I could have let go and replaced them all at that time. I was not emotionally ready for that having been so careful about preventing loss for many years. I had 4 in a row right in front that had root canals and an old bridge from years ago, and some of that had been redone when decay got under them when the cement broke down, so there wasn't much to try to save. When the second tooth seemed to start having issues, I decided not to keep playing along to save them because I knew it was just a mater of time for all of them, and any restoration of 4 together needed to match which wasn't likely if done in different years. That is when I chose to replace them with bio-compatible implants and it probably saved money over try to keep saving each one.

I don't think this can all be resolved in a month. If you have a blood test that indicates a true allergy or immune response to the materials in your crown, that may make this decision easier. If this crown is not causing a problem, removing it may not change your health status. My environmental medicine doctor told me to keep my dental work because it is so expensive and involved to replace it, except for replacing the old silver amalgam fillings. My original dentist (and the ADA) didn't admit they could cause a problem, but they do, and most dentists have moved on to other filling materials. That is where the opinion of a biological dentist helps because they have removed a lot of toxic things from patients. I think that treating symptoms in Dallas would be like allergy shots that train your body not to react. You would still be exposed to it and the effects over the years. Your body has to detoxify everything from end products of metabolism and anything you are exposed to. Like my case, the cement under a crown can break down eventually and decay can set in. If you were to elect implants, there are titanium implants and ceramic non metal Zirconium. Zirconium is not as strong and it depends on your jaw bone structure as to what they can do. Titanium would have been a disaster if I had that from what I've learned from titanium and my broken ankle. A consult with a good oral surgeon can answer that.

There are drugs to suppress the immune system which may be how a rheumatologist would handle this or re-training the immune system with functional medicine. You could call the Dallas office and ask about it and how they treat as well as get another opinion like you suggested. If you decide to remove the tooth, that will take a long time to heal. Can you delay this decision until after your trip? Is it possible that saliva may dry out while you are sleeping if your mouth is open? That has happened to me with post nasal drip that glues itself to the roof of my mouth. The other thing they don't tell you about implants is that they do not want the new tooth to actuality meet and touch other teeth, so the tooth will be shorter and not make contact. If a patient grinds their teeth and there is a lot of pressure on an implant, it can loosen and fail and become infected around it, and you loose the tooth. The mouth creates a seal around it, but not as good as a natural seal around a real tooth. This is a big decision and you should take time to explore your options and get opinions.

Jennifer