I had a root canal done yesterday because the nerve had died. The endodontist was surprised to find that a pulpectomy had been done. I was surprised too. The doctor said these are mostly done on baby teeth. He also said he found cotton balls and that dentists sometimes filled the pocket with a compound that could contain arsenic or formaldehyde. It must seem like I'm making this up. Does this really happen to other people? I wish I knew what was in that compound. Any ideas?

Not right at all... cotton on a tooth cavity... thats begging for an infection.

Most fillings are Amalgam, and have been for 150 years.

Dental Amalgam (http://www.qualitydentistry.com/dental/amalgam/amalgam4.html)

Amalgam is safe... any claims to the contrary are scientifically unproven.

A pulpectomy and root canal are virtually the same treatment except as your dentist says pulpectomies are usually the term used when talking about baby teeth.

If the tooth you had the root canal on was your 6 yr molar you may have had a pulpectomy done when the tooth was still partially developed.

To clean out the canals of the teeth dentists normally use a solution of sodium hypochlorite or formocresol. The ADA does not permit the use of formaldehyde.

When I was a dental assistant (34 yrs ago) it was common to start a root canal, clean out the canals, flush them with the sodium hypochorite solution and pack some cotton pellets that had been soaked in eugenol in the opening of the tooth. This was done in case pressure was to build and the client could remove the cotton and relieve the pressure and pain. The client would return a week later, the canals would be cleaned and dried and either silver points or gutta percha (what most use today I believe) was place in the canals and a filling would be placed.

It sounds like the dentist who did the pulpectomy years ago forgot a step (or two). It surprises me that a dentist couldn't pick up the pulpectomy of an x-ray.

Your tooth in which filling was done earlier might have undergone secondary caries due to microleaeakage of the material .due to which your dentist has told u that it has to go for rct.as the decay must have reached the pulp...