Dentist not sure whether tooth is infected and in need of root canal. Can anyone help?

[FabGirl27]

I am a 27 yo black female and went to the dentist today for a check-up and cleaning. This was my first time going to this dentist. They did the typical X-Ray and the dentist found some black spot near the root of the my teeth. However, when he tested to see if there was any pain (tapped my tooth and asked if there was any pain which there wasn't) and did what he called an Endo test (used a cold spray to spray my teeth and told me to lift and lower my left hand when i felt the pain and when it went away) and he said the reaction was normal. Therefore he said it was inconclusive if I needed a root canal or not. As the X-rays showed there was a dark circular spot near the bottom front tooth. Yet he also said, maybe there was something wrong with the X-Ray. The doctor then said I needed to an endodontist, yet it cost a lot of money which my insurance does not cover. Can anyone give me advice. I can email the X-Rays of my teeth that were taken.

I can say I have no history of dental diseases and he found no cavities nor have any of my other dentists.
https://imgur.com/sZu0KIu
https://imgur.com/nfWDy8S

 

[MattKW]

That sure looks like a "sterile" abscess on the lateral incisor; that Xray looks just fine. These abscesses are usually caused by a blow to the mouth, probably several years ago. Since bacteria haven't entered into the tooth, then the body is able to contain the dead, but uninfected tissue. I'm surprised that you felt a cold sensation in this tooth - I assume he didn't spray the tooth directly but used a cotton or foam pellet? Give me feedback pls.

 

[FabGirl27]

No I think he sprayed it directly, but I'm not sure. He may have used cotton ball.

All I know is it felt cold for a few seconds then went away. He also did a percussion test and felt no pain.

The tooth has never given me problems, and I've never gotten hit in the mouth so I don't know what caused this. It doesn't have any discoloration and no pain on the daily.

I went to another forum and it said it could possibly be periapical cemeto- dysplasia which is common in black women

Also its on the central incissor. Tooth #22

Also for a sterile abscess, will require root canal if I don't have any problems with it and no infection? Plus the nerve is still working because it still felt cold

 

[honestdoc]

Cemento-osseous Dysplasia. No treatment needed.

 

[FabGirl27]

Ok so it's either an abscess or the cemento-osseous dysplasia, which I figured.

But what test need to be done to confirm which it is?

 

[MattKW]

If he did the cold test correctly and it gave a response, then its COD and no treatment required. One of these odd things that Nature throws up.

 

[honestdoc]

If your tooth in question feels cold, then the nerve is healthy and you do not have an abscess. Root canal abscess only occurs when the pulp died because of trauma or cavity infection.

 

[FabGirl27]

Thank you both.