Tooth reconstruction options

[shane_c]

So I had a very nice day today, had planned on going to a RCMP town hall meeting at 7:00.... get home from work around 6:00 and my first bite of dinner didn't feel right. Try another bite, and something was weird with my tooth. I was having cereal (needed something quick) and it felt like something was stuck between my gum and tooth. Go upstairs to try and floss it out and discover that a piece of the granola I put in my cereal split my tooth in half. I previously had a root canal done on this tooth so it didn't hurt too much.

Instead of going to the meeting I was going to attend I ended up at the dentist. She pulled 1/2 of it out and put something on the other half to tidy it up a bit and get rid of the sharp edges. She wants me to call back tomorrow and set up a consultation appointment with my usual dentist but told me that if they did the gum surgery, did something else, and put a crown on it that I'd be looking at a few thousand dollars. My benefits will cover 70% (up to $1000) so I'm thinking this isn't an option because it will be too expensive.

I guess another option is to just pull the rest out and be without a tooth. It's at the side of my mouth so it's not really noticeable. Are there any downsides to doing this? I'm thinking it will be a lot cheaper.

[Mass_nerder]

I had my tooth broken two years ago in beer league.
The tooth was broken off at the gum line, so they did a root canal, and inserted a cap with a little dowel down the root's canal. Later they put a molded permanent fake tooth on instead, using the same method.
Wonder if they would be able to build on your existing tooth?
Not sure if it's the exact same scenario, but I guess I was lucky they were able to essentially build off the broken tooth, since it wasn't damaged below the gum. I would have had to have surgery to put an implant in if the tooth was any more damaged.
I think it was around $1200 total, but thankfully my insurance covered most of it.

Not sure about cost wise because I'm not privy to the most recent fee schedule.

But I can tell you if you pull the tooth and don't have a bridge or something to keep the space, the rest of your teeth will "float" which will a0 cause crooked teeth and b) cause a misalignment of your teeth possibly causing abrasion or even another chipped tooth.

[boobaloo]

well, I've had 3 root canals, and lost all 3 teeth, including one in the middle of the side of my mouth. I have a plate that I can't stand wearing, so I don't. I've never had the middle tooth bridged, or replaced in any other fashion and my remaining teeth are in the same position they were when I lost my teeth 15 years ago. No floaters here!

[Kybosh]

Dental Plan. Lisa needs braces.

[afc wimbledon]

about half of my furthest back molar split off about 10 years ago, I have half left and it seems fine.

You could wedge a bit of epoxy putty in there, that crap'l fix anything.

[bc-chris]

about 15 years ago i took a high stick at drop-in hockey (first time ever that i forgot my mouth guard) and had the top right tooth right beside my front teeth break off at the gum line. they did a root canal and put in a post & cap. that worked for a while, but eventually it broke. i then had to get a bridge.... all said and done it was about $3000 total.... that's one expensive game of hockey

last year i had a tooth split in half (eating a raisin of all things.... i guess i got one of the little raisin stems wedged in between my teeth and then the chuck broke off). i had 3 options... pull it, pull it and get a bridge, pull it and get an implant. since my wife's insurance thru work covers most of the cost of a bridge i went that route... but that was still north of $1000 that i had to shell out



if you pull the tooth and just leave it there is the chance that your teeth will move a little... but i'm no dentist. i'd take the advice of the professionals

[Sr. Mints]

Every time I go to the dentist, I swear I hear the sound of old fashioned cash registers and a maniacal cackle coming from a secret room.

What tooth is it? I cracked a molar and just had it yanked. That was about two years ago, and while it took me about six months to get use to it being gone, I don't regret it at all.

Then there's that tooth that cracked after getting hit with a hockey stick. About 30% of it was gone, so they created a filling-thing to fix it. It fell off about two years later, so I had another one put one. Then another. I think I had it filled four times. Then eventually a cap was put on. And about six years after first breaking it, it required a root canal.

[freedogger]

If they can't crown what is left, an implant is the best option. Four to six grand though. If they bridge or leave a toothless hole, you won't have any pressure on that part of your jaw. Over many years that part of your jawbone will weaken and could eventually deform or disintegrate into some sort of disfigurement. A bridge would be fine for a few years, but look to get an implant eventually. I'm not a dentist but I have put my dentist's, periodontist's, orthodontist's and my oral surgeon's children through more than one semester of university with what I've paid them in the last few years.

Here's some propoganda to consider:
http://www.implantdentistryinstitute...aw%20Bones.pdf

[shane_c]

Going in for my consultation with the dentist tomorrow morning.

Looks like I'll have to live off bread and water for the next year or so.