What happens if I just had a root canal and the file broke by the root of my molar?

Question

What would be the concequences? While i was getting my root canal the dentist told me that the file has broken they told me that i had to go to the specialist And i did and he couldnt Take it out it stayed at the root in my molar and im worried there would be a problem in the future.... it would help so much if i can get an answer

Joseph B. Silberman, DMD, FAGD · Answer

Unfortunately there is no definite answer for you. Much of the possibility of what happens to your tooth depends on when during the process the file separated. If the tooth had been cleaned out well prior to breaking, the odds are better that your tooth will be fine long term. If it broke early in the process, your tooth may not have been cleaned out and the tooth can become infected. I've seen  teeth with broken files last indefinitely, so I would certainly not worry about it since there isn't anything you can do to change anything and you might be ok long term. I hope this helps!

Thomas Dey, BDS, MSc · Answer

The dentist did the correct thing to refer you to the specialist without delay. If the smallest part of the file has broken in the canal then as my colleague has suggested, things many settle almost permanently without any further problems. 
If the amount that has been left behind in the canal is the area that there is infection, then there is the possibility that an apicoectomy can be done at a later stage to save the tooth by removing both the broken file fragment and to clean the apical area of bacterial contaminants and infection.
Finally, if the tooth is not part of a bridge or other significant structure in your mouth, replacing it with an implant when the time arises could be a solution. The important things is to keep your denitst informed so that treatment can be organised in every instance without decay. 
Hope this further expands on and lets you relax a little about what has happened in your tooth.  
kind regards
Thomas Dey, BS, MSc

What happens if I just had a root canal and the file broke by the root of my molar?

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What happens if I just had a root canal and the file broke by the root of my molar?

Answers (2)

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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.