I think a piece of my root canal has broken off. Can this wait 2 weeks or does it need to be seen ASAP?

Question

Had a root canal 3 years ago and I think a piece has broken off. It was a little black and white and some pink stuff. It happened about an hour ago. I can feel a piece hanging with my tongue also. Right now it feels strange but not intense pain. Can I wait about two weeks to be seen if it doesn't hurt or does it need to be seen ASAP? Thanks kind of worried :-(

Vachik Danoukh, DMD · Answer

Hi from Buford Georgia! I am so sorry about your tooth, but you need to see the dentist right away and take care of the tooth. Maybe you can have a crown placed on it so there will be no further damage. You will feel no pain because your tooth has no nerve. If it has broken off this much, try to save the rest by crowning it. After a root canal, we always place a temporary on and than a permanent crown as soon as possible within two weeks.  A temporary is not going to last you more than a few months.  That is why it is a temporary! You needed to get that crown a long time ago. Please go back and see if you can save this tooth!  Otherwise you have spent money on a root canal that has failed.  See your dentist and best of luck to you!

Elizabeth Reiser-Loeber, DMD · Answer

It sounds like your tooth fractured, and this is definitely not something that can wait 2 weeks. If the back piece is loose like you said (and doesn't hurt) the tooth may still be salvageable but you don't want to wait for the piece to break off all the way and let the dentist remove it (or reduce it) appropriately. If the tooth is no longer able to be fixed, then the dentist can help you with options.

Vicki Borowski, DDS · Answer

Don't wait! Get into your doctor ASAP. This tooth is no longer alive so the damage could be much worse than you think it is but you won't feel pain because the tooth has no nerve. You spent the money on the root canal, you would hate to loose the tooth because you waited for 2 weeks.

I think a piece of my root canal has broken off. Can this wait 2 weeks or does it need to be seen ASAP?

Answers (3)

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I think a piece of my root canal has broken off. Can this wait 2 weeks or does it need to be seen ASAP?

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.