How to stop further supra-eruption before implant of opposing tooth?

[Annie364]

I've got a lower 2nd molar that seems very keen to supra-erupt - it started giving me nagging pain about 6 weeks after a root canal was done on the tooth above it, and the root canal tooth was shortened which left a space for the tooth below to grow into. The tooth below has got a deep filling so I think that's why it started hurting a bit, and when it started moving the the nerve got disturbed. The pain stopped when it stopped moving, when I think the nerve settled down.

I didn't get the root canal restored and it has now cracked and has to come out.

I think I'm going to get an implant but I have to wait 3-4 months with a big gap there after extraction, for the bone to heal, and then possibly longer if I need a bone graft.

I really do not want more supra-eruption during this time (it's already moved up 4mm and has now stopped as it is touching the shortened root canalled tooth) and I'm convinced it's going to get moving again fast and move up into the gap in the months after extraction.

Can I get a hard mouthguard to wear on the bottom jaw to at least try stop it moving upwards, for the 3-4+ months? I could wear it in the day too when working at the computer or watching a film etc.

Or could anything be made to wear over my top jaw so the tooth below would meet hard plastic? Like a biteguard for the whole upper jaw but with plastic over the gap where the extraction is. There is unfortunately no wisdom tooth behind my upper 2nd molar.

This is the bitewing - it's the lower 2nd molar on the lower right of the picture that has supra-erupted - I think the angle of the bitewing doesn't quite show it, but I was told it has come up 4mm and I can feel with my tongue it has (it might have come up a bit more since the x-ray too). On the upper right of the picture is the upper 2nd molar that has to be extracted.

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Thank you very much.

 

[Gordon]

A lower soft biteguard would probably do the trick.

I'd be really, really surprised if the lower tooth erupted any more, (at least enough to be a problem) in that short a space of time.

 

[Annie364]

Thank you so much Gordon, really appreciated!
That's reassuring to hear you think it's very unlikely to erupt further.
If I wanted to do a lower bitegard for peace of mind, could I perhaps buy one of the cheaper mouthguards online for this purpose - one of those ones that you put in hot water then shape to your teeth - would that work as well, as I'm doing it just for this one tooth to stop it coming up for a few months?

 

[Gordon]

I don't think it would work, sorry. Most of them don't extend back far enough.

 

[Annie364]

OK thanks so much - I'll get to a dentist and ask them to make me a soft lower biteguard.

 

[Annie364]

I was also wondering, why can't the supra-erupted tooth be encouraged back down again after it has erupted up, 4mm in my case?
I heard it can't be made to go back down, but surely if there is a crown (or implanted tooth) above it, the crown could be made slightly 'high' then that would slowly over time encourage the erupted tooth opposite it to go back down. Then the crown/implant could be adjusted to be slightly highl again until the erupted tooth is back to normal.
As having an erupted tooth and a shorter crown/implant above it isn't ideal, as the erupted tooth could end up needing a root canal and/or there could be bite problems caused by an erupted tooth.

 

[Gordon]

It doesn't appear to happen, it seems that eruption is a one-way street

 

[Annie364]

I see, thank you Gordon!