Root canal molar broken in half. What should I do about it?

Question

I had root canal done over 1yr. Stupidly I did not have a crown put. Last week my tooth cracked in half-kinda hanging. Today, hanging/loose half broke off & fell out. This tooth is already dead bc root canal so- no pain but taste in mouth is bad- tooth is rotting. My dentist wont be in for 2 weeks. I have an appt to extract the tooth when he gets back. What should I do about my mollar in the meantime ? Am I at risk of anything having this situation/rotting tooth that is now 'open'in my mouth ?

Tarsys Loayza, DDS, MSc · Answer

Hello! Thanks for sending your questions. Yes! You are taking the risk of catching an infection.

Paul D. Kantor, DDS · Answer

There’s probably always going to be some risk of infection in a situation like this. If you aren’t having any symptoms such as pain or swelling, you’ll probably be ok until your appointment. If you do experience pain or swelling you should see another dentist to get it checked.

Val Alexander Daniyar, DMD · Answer

From the description you provided it seems that you will be fine until your doc is back and you get to remove this tooth. That is provided that the fracture was rather superficial and the root canal was done successfully. Your only problem might be the sharp edges of the fracture area that might be affecting your tongue and / or cheek. If you need rather urgent assistance see someone else. Good luck, Dr. Daniyar

Root canal molar broken in half. What should I do about it?

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Root canal molar broken in half. What should I do about it?

Answers (3)

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Everything you need to know about Tooth Repair

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.