Dentist left hole in tooth beside the one he was operating on. Any suggestions? (photos)

Question

I had root canals on my 2 front teeth. The tooth beside them has a small crater in the top. When getting my permanent crowns, he drilled some in the cratered tooth. Now I have a big crater on the side too. I mentioned it after and they said it's just blood. I brushed my teeth later there is definitely a hole. I want to take care off my crowns but brushing is hard with the that tooth. I used all my insurance with the crowns and can't afford a filling until January. What should I do?

Ira Shapira, DDS · Answer

That hole is definitely not from accidental drilling into the tooth.  You may have lost a composite or there could have been decay hidden by an overlapping tooth.  My chief concern looking at the photo is the health of your gum tissue.   You have a very narrow upper arch and are probably a mouth breather as well.  Are the teeth tipped or is it just the angle the photo was taken on, it is hard to be sure without a full face photo.I would suggest looking into a DNA Appliance to orthopedically grow you maxilla and orthodontically move the lateral forward.  This would also improve your airway and give a full smile.I would not have done your case in that manner.  I always prefer to look at long -term outcomes before doing anterior crowns.  Ideally all health issues should be corrected before cosmetic work.If you decide against idealizing structure I would suggest getting a bruxism appliance to protect the teeth.  It is evident that you have severe bruxism from the wear patterns on the teeth and this will prevent expensive replacement costs in the future. Patients with severe wear frequently have sleep apnea, snoring, UARS or chronic headache and sinus issues.  These are ideally addressed as well.Ira L Shapira DDS, D,ABDSM, D,AAPM, FICCMOChair, Alliance of TMD Organizations

Sarah Thompson, DMD · Answer

Sorry to hear about the hole in your tooth, but I can tell you that it would be best for you to have that hole filled or have that tooth crowned, immediately.  I understand that your financial situation may not currently permit this, but this is such an important tooth, you may need to get on a payment plan at your dentist, or consider financing options.  It is soooo much cheaper to fix that tooth now, than to let this issue wait and have to fix it later.  Good luck and I hope this helps. Follow me if you have more questions.Sarah Thompson, DMDReal Self 100

Dentist left hole in tooth beside the one he was operating on. Any suggestions? (photos)

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Dentist left hole in tooth beside the one he was operating on. Any suggestions? (photos)

Answers (2)

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Everything you need to know about Dental Crown

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