Waited too long to get crown after root canal, now what? (teeth, pulled)
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About 4 years ago, I had an gum abscess on a second molar which necessitated a root canal. The endo put some sort of medication on it after the procedure and the abscess went away. There was a temporary seal over the site, which feels like there's a hole in my tooth. The endo recommended a crown asap, but I didn't have the finances for a crown until now.
What's the recommended course of treatment? I tried my best to keep the area clean, but the seal's likely compromised by now. I don't want to get a crown and then find out that it's been reinfected. Do I need another course of that medication? A do-over of the root canal? I haven't noticed any infection though. Can the dentist doing the crown clean behind the seal at all?
Also, the dentist I'm considering has a CEREC machine. Would zirconia be a good choice + mouthguard for night jaw clenching issues? Or is gold significantly better?
Sadly, I need braces for bite issues, how does that fit into this timeline?
not being a dentist, i believe the biggest problem you had previously is that the root provided a path for the infection to spread through your nerve. the root canal should have removed part of that path and capped it. i dont know why you would need a second root canal.
abscesses happen, some go away without the dentist doing anything. the most universal remedy i know (from dentists, not youtube) is swish regularly with saltwater. its a good place to start, and it should help somewhat.
the only seal i know of in this situation is the one thats part of the root canal, and theres a test to tell if thats compromised or not. you might refer to a different kind of seal that im not aware of. what i would figure is that you can treat the infection and (if there is enough bone structure) still get a crown. you dont have to decide the best option before you go-- if your dentist (and we are talking about oral surgeon stuff here) is any good they will be happy to walk you through the options and the merits of each.
About 4 years ago, I had an gum abscess on a second molar which necessitated a root canal. The endo put some sort of medication on it after the procedure and the abscess went away. There was a temporary seal over the site, which feels like there's a hole in my tooth. The endo recommended a crown asap, but I didn't have the finances for a crown until now.
What's the recommended course of treatment? I tried my best to keep the area clean, but the seal's likely compromised by now. I don't want to get a crown and then find out that it's been reinfected. Do I need another course of that medication? A do-over of the root canal? I haven't noticed any infection though. Can the dentist doing the crown clean behind the seal at all?
Also, the dentist I'm considering has a CEREC machine. Would zirconia be a good choice + mouthguard for night jaw clenching issues? Or is gold significantly better?
Sadly, I need braces for bite issues, how does that fit into this timeline?
Thanks in advance for any help.
The crown is recommended because the tooth is compromised and can crack or break. If it's sound then it should be fine to get a crown now. The root canal is sealed, and it can't get reinfected.
CEREC machines are great, you get the crown the same day that the tooth is prepped for it, you don't have to wear a temporary and come back. The dentist will decide what material to make the crown out of they are all very strong.
The crown is recommended because the tooth is compromised and can crack or break. If it's sound then it should be fine to get a crown now. The root canal is sealed, and it can't get reinfected.
CEREC machines are great, you get the crown the same day that the tooth is prepped for it, you don't have to wear a temporary and come back. The dentist will decide what material to make the crown out of they are all very strong.
Just relating my own experience with my one and only root canal here. Root canals are sealed, you're right, and I guess theoretically don't provide an access path for reinfection, but it can happen. I did have a crown over my root canal, but somehow ( and perhaps my Gorilla strength bite and teeth clenching during sleep might have contributed), that root canal cracked several years after I got it leaving a pathway for reinfection and an abscess to form in the jawbone next to the tooth root. There was no pain ( thanks to the root canal), but I knew there was a problem when the abscess formed a track leading to the exterior of the gum under that crown. The dentist first tried deep planing and cleaning the area, but the abcess recurred a couple years later and the dentist finally pulled what was left of the tooth.
The OP stated he/she doesn't have a crown over the root canal. He may be lucky and the area's still sealed with the root canal intact. But with the everyday exposure of the area to those powerful bites, food particles and oral bacteria, without even the protection of a crown over the area, you just never know.
I have several zirconia crowns now ( Brux-Zir was the name the dentist mentioned they were), and they're great.
A root canal is not completed until the crown is placed. You did not complete your treatment. Now see what the options are from your dentist.
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