Can my cracked tooth be saved? (photos)

Question

Hi, I bit on something hard and my tooth cracked. I think it may be one of my root canal tooth. There is a very mild shooting pain when I chew on it. The crack moves slightly but I would like to avoid extraction, so I was wondering if it looks like I can get a crown? I will be seeing the dentist in a week, will my tooth be okay in that time frame? I'm eating soft foods in the meantime.

Richard Champagne, DMD, MAGD · Answer

Thank you for supplying the photograph. I really need to see more details of where the fracture ended and possibly an x-ray to determine whether or not this tooth is savable.In general, the rule of thumb is that if the fracture ends more than 2 1/2 mm above where the supporting bone starts, then the tooth is considered savable. If you've been cavity prone, then I usually don't recommend doing heroics to save a tooth that is questionable.

Thomas Roberts, DDS (retired) · Answer

It looks like your tooth fractured through the root.  Unfortunately, if this is true, there is no way to restore the tooth and it will need to be extracted.  Your options then become an implant or a bridge, with the implant being the more modern choice.  You dentist will confirm the diagnosis and give you your treatment options.  Good luck!

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