Tooth decay and broken beyond gum line

[Krael]

I have some bad teeth. I have a few crowns, a few fillings, a few extractions and still a load of cavities.

I have 4 bad teeth. One of them broke off today to where there is barely nothing. One broken side of the tooth is still above the gum line just a bit. It feels sturdy. I would say a little less than half of the broken tooth. The other bigger half is right at the gum line and possibly below it a little bit. No pain, just a hole where a molar use to be.

Is it enough to save? That's the question. I've never had it this bad and everything on Google suggests that extraction is likely the option with a implant. I have to do something, I can't chew now.

That being said, I don't fear extraction, root canals or needles. Been there, done that. It's a real breeze. But, the possibility of another extraction worries me. Can a tooth not be saved beyond the gum line?

I really don't want an implant after hearing the pain behind a screw in your head. But what options do I have at this point? I would love to see my dentist tomorrow and him telling me a root canal with a crown is an option. But, I fear it's not going to be the case...

 

[bcjch]

I have no good answer for your gum-line question, but it seems I've heard there are cases where a tooth was saved beyond the gum line. I suppose it all depends on the remaining tooth structure.

An implant isn't your only choice here. Depending on how many teeth you're missing and where, a partial denture may be a workable option. There are also bridges, which are like a double crown and connect two teeth but have a bite/chew surface all the way in between - though I think I'd get an implant rather than a bridge, given the choice.

 

[Krael]

I have no good answer for your gum-line question, but it seems I've heard there are cases where a tooth was saved beyond the gum line. I suppose it all depends on the remaining tooth structure.

An implant isn't your only choice here. Depending on how many teeth you're missing and where, a partial denture may be a workable option. There are also bridges, which are like a double crown and connect two teeth but have a bite/chew surface all the way in between - though I think I'd get an implant rather than a bridge, given the choice.

I have two decent teeth on either side of this tooth. Is a bridge still a option in that case? I thought bridges were when I have to have 2 crowns on either side of the missing tooth?

 

[Krael]

Now that I read up about bridges, I think that will be a perfect option.

Both sides of my mouth have the same tooth worn down. The two teeth beside it are not that great, so they can be used for bridges on both sides. The bonus is that my knines are also bad on the other side. So, I wonder if I can get a four-tooth bridge on each side to fix my top mouth. I know that's going to be expensive, but it beats 2 to 4 implants and my good to bad tooth ratio is every other tooth. So, that's good for bridging evidently.