Are broken & infected teeth always removed?

[Guest]

I have a molar that has broken away, not down to the gumline (at least on the outside- dunno about the middle) and there's about half of it left. I've noticed some painful swelling on the roof of my mouth on that side that comes and goes, sometimes the back of my tongue is sore, and it actually tastes pretty icky. So... it's very likely infected and possibly I have an abcess? It can be rather incomfortable, so I've decided to finally see a dentist about it, but I'm terrified that it will have to be extracted. Most of what I'm reading here seems to support that, but is there ever a time when the tooth can be restored? It's not wiggly or anything, but is tender when I nudge it with my tongue.

 

[letsconnect]

Oftentimes, a badly broken down tooth can be saved with a root filling (the dying or dead nerve is removed and replaced with inert material). You'll then need a crown to protect the tooth, especially if it's a back tooth, because it won't be able to withstand biting pressure in the long term otherwise. So there's a good chance that it may be possible to restore the tooth, but only a dentist who has actually had a look would be able to say for sure .