Fivetide,
Relax. This type of dive related condition is VERY rare. If the fillings and root canal have been done properly, you have almost no chance of a problem. You might want to check with your dentist who did the root canal and make sure that there is no cotton ball sealed within the nerve chamber. The cotton is placed there following the root canal procedure and should be removed before completing a crown or a filling.
Cotton in the chamber would be visible on an x-ray as a dark spot within the chamber. If the cotton is there, have it removed and replace the restoration.
Teeth with root canals ideally receive crowns and, if possible, a post and core. Restoring with only a filling is usually less than ideal. Following a root canal, the remaining tooth becomes more brittle. The crown tends to reinforce better than a filling.
Green_Manelishi,
That is an interesting observation about the lost fillings and helium. It is virtually to seal out helium. That is why watches for really deep dives have a microscopic vent. The best valves and seals are not able to prevent some leakage. There certainly may be some suspicion that this is the cause of your problem.
White (composite) fillings have become very popular now. They certainly can look very nice. Unfortunately they do have some draw backs.
Composites are more prone to marginal leakage and recurrent decay than silver fillings. They are very technique sensitive in that any moisture contamination...even your moist breath may cause a bonding failure. Composites also exhibit a significant amount of polymerization shrinkage...they get small when the curing light is used to harden them. There are some ways to minimize the shrinkage but it not a perfect solution. I prefer to place amalgams in teeth located farther back in the mouth. These are the ones that get the most force applied to them and these are the ones that are hardest to isolate from moisture.
Amalgams have their own set of problems but they are much easier to work with, technique forgiving and wear less than most composites.
Panzer70,
Indeed grafted extraction socket need around 6 months to heal. Microscopically, healing may last more than a year.
This doesn't mean that you can't dive. Within a month to 6 weeks, the graft has revascularized and the overlying gum tissue has healed across the socket. You can dive after about 6 weeks.
Following implant placement, allow another 6 weeks of healing before diving. The most important thing during this healing period is to prevent external biting forces to be transmitted to the healing implant. This will result in micromovement and this can result in an implant failure.
Make sure your regulator bite tabs do put any pressure on the implant site.
If you get an "immediate or early" load temporary...The implant receives a temporary restoration soon after placement, I would avoid diving if the bite tabs can touch the temporary.
Always check with your surgeon or dentist rather than rely on this response.
Good luck
Laurence Stein, DDS
