Hi Everyone, Last march when I had a crown put on my lower left molar (2nd from the back), I believe the dentist damaged the nerve of the life tooth fragment, as I had excruciating pain for weeks and weeks afterwards and my inner wisdom told me it was a nerve. Nevertheless, all the experts persisted in arguing that the problem was due to malocclusion, and kept filing down bits of tooth to alter my bite. Eventually, an x-ray showed nerve damage but I was not willing to get a root canal. So for the past 3-4 onths, I've been working on trying to heal this tooth. During June the gum puffed out; then over the next few months it started draining puss. Now the pain is gone and the gum has no pockets (e.g. the gum is tight, but I still have puss draining from a little hole that goes all the way down to the root), but an x-ray yesterday showed that the infection under the tooth has spread and the roots are getting less pointed in shape, which apparently is an indication of some kind of deterioration. The endodontist says the nerve has died and can never regnerate and that the infection can't heal with the dead tissue in there. The regular dentist who would do the extraction says the reason that noone ever gets better from the kinds of abscesses that require root canals is that the blood supply to the area dies because the capillary swells and then is cut off by the narrow opening. HEre's what I've tried: - magnets (North pole) - massaging area, stimulating blood flow with hot and cold water in the shower herbs: echinacea, goldenseal internally -- just recently added beta d-3 glucan (which stimulates macrophage activity) - herbal poultices between the gum and the check with: plaintain; garlic; activated charcoal mixed with bentonite or slippery elm, goldenseal, myrrh, colloidal silver - Since August I've been using a magnetic pulser over this infected area every day, and also doing the blood purification and colloidal silver (Beck regime discussed previously on this list under "herpes") - Tried homeopathic remedies, including hepar calc. sulf 200X and silicea salts 6x - Last week added some Standard Process supplements on advice of a friend: Bio-Dent, Immunoplex, Cataplex-C (These thinkgs are expensive and although made from whole raw foods they seem to have so many additives and I also wonder whether such things as veal bone meal are really absorbable.. But's that's another issue) So what next? Give up and get the tooth extracted? Does anyone know of people who have healed from such problems thereby avoiding root canal and/or extraction? I've read about maggot therapy where maggots are implanted inside an abscess with a small surgical incision that is then closed; After a few days they eat all the diseased tissue and they release powerful antibiotics; they are removed and the infection is totally cleared up. They are doing this for people with gangrene in their limbs to avoid amputation at the Hadassah hospital in Israel. I wish I could find someone that would try it on my tooth? Please help if you can. Janis 320 Oakland Park Avenue Columbus, OH 43214 home tel: 614 447-8983 fax: 614 447-8783 [log in to unmask] Associate professor, Kenyon College, on leave alternate e-mail: [log in to unmask]