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Root canal tooth broke

L

Lrobyn

Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2020
Messages
49
Location
Canada
Hi there, first time poster. I have recently developed really bad dental phobia to the point where I need to be IV sedated for any big process (extraction, root canal). It helps me get through.

But last nite, I was chewing a granola bar and an old root canal molar that I did not crown broke a little bit. Can it be rebuilt or will I need another extraction? ?

see photo, it’s the best I could do. It’s the second last molar with the black stuff on it. Almost like just one point of the tooth broke off
help guys I got no sleep last nite and so scared to go back to the dentistF0090A28-28B2-4ADC-8967-8224F1218510.jpeg
 
Can't tell from the photo for sure, the prognosis depends a lot on whether the fracture has gone down below the gum level and how far...

The main thing is, get back to the dentist ASAP, the longer it's left like that, the more chance there is of the root canal getting re-infected and that's not good.

Even if the prognosis is poor, you could choose to have it repaired as a semi-permanent step, but if the root canal fails you're looking at a lot more treatment to sort it!
 
I did call the dentist, but I was unable to get booked in until January. I was advised to just keep it clean until then and if I get any pain to call back in.
 
It appears to be fractured at the gum line, and I have zero pain.
 
Due to my clenching/grinding issue, I have some rct molars. Not once has a crown ever been mentioned here in the UK by any dentist I have seen. Yet the internet over, Americans etc all state their dentists recommend crowns for this very reason. The one crown I do have, I had to be the one that asked for it. I have 3 molar rct and hoping to get them all crowned next year. I certainly wouldn't be eating those type of foods that broke your tooth. I can feel my rct are weaker. Not sore, but they feel hollow compared to my living teeth. The crowned molar feels like a normal tooth.
 
I will certainly stay away from the chewy crunchy foods and look into a crown once the tooth is repaired. Just sucks waiting a month to go in, my anxiety gets ruthless nearly every day.
 
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