Failed root canal on baby tooth (I'm an adult)--now extraction, implant?

I'm hoping someone has had a similar situation to mine, because I really don't know what to do. This all began when I started having pain in a lower left molar--it's actually a baby tooth that was crowned when I was in high school (I'm 23 now). I just don't have a permanent tooth in that place! My general dentist saw nothing on the x-ray, but said since I was having pain I should see a root canal specialist or a pediatric dentist (because we're dealing with a baby tooth). I went back to the pediatric dentist who crowned the tooth. I had to see his partner that day, and he said he saw an infection of sorts from the x-ray, and put me on a antibiotic. This didn't seem to help. When I went back to see MY pediatric dentist, he said he didn't see any infection on the old x-ray. and referred me to a root canal specialist.

I went in for the root canal, and the guy told me since it's a baby tooth, the roots have calcified, so he might not be able to find them. Indeed he could not find the roots, so I went through it and paid for it for nothing. (Also I'm wondering why he couldn't tell from the X-Ray that my roots had calcified and he wouldn't be able to find them..) He said now the alternative is to extract the tooth, get a dental implant, and then crown it. He told me to set up the extraction with my old pediatric dentist.

I set up the appointment but couldn't get one for a month. The root canal specialist told me when I had the extraction, that dentist would refer me to an roal surgeon for the implant. I decided to just take matters into my own hands--I'm constantly worrying about this--and set up an evaluation appt. with an oral surgeon I've seen before.

The problem is, the tooth hasn't bothered me at all lately. Even when I went in for the root canal on Oct 31 it hadn't been bothering me. All the dentists I've seen say I need to take care of this ASAP. I hate to go through all this (not to mention the huge issue of how much it all costs, also taking time off work and making the long drives) if it's not absolutely necessary. I know some will say that just because it's not hurting now doens't mean the problem has gone away. I guess I'm worried that if I let it go, I could develop an abcess and have extreme pain, and have to have an emergency procedure done. But no one sees anything on the x-rays, and the roots have calcified--doesn't that mean there isn't a problem??

My eval with the oral surgeon is next week, So I'll see what he says, and friends have suggested I also get a second opinion.

Thanks for anyone who read through all this!! Any advice would be much appreciated.

~Andrea Tweet