[MelodyL]

Hi. I made a short clip of my husband's crown which fell off today. He said "Oh my tooth came out'. I reached over and said "This is a crown and the post is still in it". He has no pain, he has eaten normally. He has an appointment at 5 p.m. on Monday.

So here is my question. I assume the thing that is sticking out of the crown is the post. That should be IN his mouth right? Not sticking out of the crown. I assume he either needs a new post made and a new crown, right?

Or can this crown be saved by drilling out whatever is inside and then the doctor can make a new post and re-cement the crown?

My husband said "I can't afford a new crown so if they tell me they want to make a new crown, I'll tell them to pull whatever is remaining in that space". We can't afford any new crowns.

So whatever expertise you guys have, I really need to know what we are up against. From looking at the crown, I think it's a goner and he either will be told 'you need a new post and a new crown" And then Alan will tell them "no, just pull out whatever is still remaining of the original work".

This is 2015, so with all this new technology, can this crown be saved and re-cemented or we don't have a shot here?

Here is the video clip. And thanks very much

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln3IuXi97Ko

Sincerely, Melody

[Bryanna]

Hi MelodyL,

If I recall correctly, some time ago your husband had a similar dental situation in which a post and crown came out. Perhaps it was this same tooth?

What you see in the crown is pieces of a decayed tooth, cement and a post. Due to the decay, the tooth has most likely broken off to the gum line. Any tooth with a post in it has been root canaled prior to the placement of the post. It is typical for a root canaled tooth to decay around the post over time. It is worth mentioning that to put this size post in a tooth root, the root had to be hollowed out quite a bit which results in nothing more than a thin shell of root structure. The decay has most likely spread into the root system and possibly beyond. So an xray would help to show how deeply the tooth is decayed and if there is an infection beyond the tooth.

Regarding the replacement of this post and crown..... if the decay is extensive and cannot be drilled out without perforating the root and/or there is infection beyond the tooth, then the tooth cannot be properly restored. If the dentist leaves the decay the way it is and attempts to re-cement this post and crown or make new ones, they will just keep falling out as there is not enough tooth structure to hold the post in or the crown on and he will have a chronic infection brewing from the decay, etc.

There are lots of new devices and technology in dentistry but there are limitations to everything when the tooth is compromised beyond restoring.

Bryanna

Originally Posted by MelodyL

Hi. I made a short clip of my husband's crown which fell off today. He said "Oh my tooth came out'. I reached over and said "This is a crown and the post is still in it". He has no pain, he has eaten normally. He has an appointment at 5 p.m. on Monday.

So here is my question. I assume the thing that is sticking out of the crown is the post. That should be IN his mouth right? Not sticking out of the crown. I assume he either needs a new post made and a new crown, right?

Or can this crown be saved by drilling out whatever is inside and then the doctor can make a new post and re-cement the crown?

My husband said "I can't afford a new crown so if they tell me they want to make a new crown, I'll tell them to pull whatever is remaining in that space". We can't afford any new crowns.

So whatever expertise you guys have, I really need to know what we are up against. From looking at the crown, I think it's a goner and he either will be told 'you need a new post and a new crown" And then Alan will tell them "no, just pull out whatever is still remaining of the original work".

This is 2015, so with all this new technology, can this crown be saved and re-cemented or we don't have a shot here?

Here is the video clip. And thanks very much

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln3IuXi97Ko

Sincerely, Melody

[MelodyL]

Originally Posted by Bryanna

Hi MelodyL,

If I recall correctly, some time ago your husband had a similar dental situation in which a post and crown came out. Perhaps it was this same tooth?

What you see in the crown is pieces of a decayed tooth, cement and a post. Due to the decay, the tooth has most likely broken off to the gum line. Any tooth with a post in it has been root canaled prior to the placement of the post. It is typical for a root canaled tooth to decay around the post over time. It is worth mentioning that to put this size post in a tooth root, the root had to be hollowed out quite a bit which results in nothing more than a thin shell of root structure. The decay has most likely spread into the root system and possibly beyond. So an xray would help to show how deeply the tooth is decayed and if there is an infection beyond the tooth.

Regarding the replacement of this post and crown..... if the decay is extensive and cannot be drilled out without perforating the root and/or there is infection beyond the tooth, then the tooth cannot be properly restored. If the dentist leaves the decay the way it is and attempts to re-cement this post and crown or make new ones, they will just keep falling out as there is not enough tooth structure to hold the post in or the crown on and he will have a chronic infection brewing from the decay, etc.

There are lots of new devices and technology in dentistry but there are limitations to everything when the tooth is compromised beyond restoring.

Bryanna

So it's up to the dentist to tell Alan that he has to drill out the remaining decaying part that is there, and, after an x-ray, depending on what the x-ray indicates, the dentist can either re-cement the whole thing back onto Alan or he will tell Alan, this is too far gone, you need a whole new post and crown" whereupon Alan will look at the guy and say 'Forget that, I can't afford THAT, pull whatever is left".

Did I get this right?

Thanks so much

Melody
P.S. I just re-read your initial post. If there is no possibility to restore even a new crown and post, then Alan's only option is to have whatever remains, PULLED. Because he can't afford any implant (even if it were possible), did I get this part correct?: Thanks

[Bryanna]

MelodyL,

Basically yes.
The "whatever part that remains" .... is the root in the bone below the gum line.

Bryanna

Originally Posted by MelodyL

So it's up to the dentist to tell Alan that he has to drill out the remaining decaying part that is there, and, after an x-ray, depending on what the x-ray indicates, the dentist can either re-cement the whole thing back onto Alan or he will tell Alan, this is too far gone, you need a whole new post and crown" whereupon Alan will look at the guy and say 'Forget that, I can't afford THAT, pull whatever is left".

Did I get this right?

Thanks so much

Melody
P.S. I just re-read your initial post. If there is no possibility to restore even a new crown and post, then Alan's only option is to have whatever remains, PULLED. Because he can't afford any implant (even if it were possible), did I get this part correct?: Thanks

[MelodyL]

Originally Posted by Bryanna

MelodyL,

Basically yes.
The "whatever part that remains" .... is the root in the bone below the gum line.

Bryanna

Hi, if the root is to be taken out, is this done by an oral surgeon or can a regular dentist do this?

Thanks so much . Oh I took the crown to the dentist and they said they will only know after the x Ray is taken on Monday. Will update and thanks so much.

Melody

[Bryanna]

MelodyL,

The root may be a bit tricky to extract because it has been root canaled making it brittle, fragile and infected and there may be some gum disease occurring in that area from the bacteria. Also the older we get, the more dense our jaw bone becomes and sometimes teeth become a bit ankylosed, fused to the bone. So it would be ideal to have an oral surgeon remove it.

Bryanna

Originally Posted by MelodyL

Hi, if the root is to be taken out, is this done by an oral surgeon or can a regular dentist do this?

Thanks so much . Oh I took the crown to the dentist and they said they will only know after the x Ray is taken on Monday. Will update and thanks so much.

Melody

[MelodyL]

Originally Posted by Bryanna

MelodyL,

The root may be a bit tricky to extract because it has been root canaled making it brittle, fragile and infected and there may be some gum disease occurring in that area from the bacteria. Also the older we get, the more dense our jaw bone becomes and sometimes teeth become a bit ankylosed, fused to the bone. So it would be ideal to have an oral surgeon remove it.

Bryanna

Oh brother, Alan is going to LOVE that.

Thanks so much for clearing it up. I once read that a dentist said he would NEVER get a root canal because the canals are always infected, that he would get it pulled and get an implant. I remember reading this somewhere. The way the economy is now, who on earth can afford these things?

Will update Monday night. Thanks so much

Melody

[MelodyL]

Originally Posted by Bryanna

MelodyL,

The root may be a bit tricky to extract because it has been root canaled making it brittle, fragile and infected and there may be some gum disease occurring in that area from the bacteria. Also the older we get, the more dense our jaw bone becomes and sometimes teeth become a bit ankylosed, fused to the bone. So it would be ideal to have an oral surgeon remove it.

Bryanna

Hi there.

I guess Alan got a great dentist, because absolutely everything YOU said, HE said!!! Alan will be going to an oral surgeon (the one everyone goes to around here and Alan's been there before also). We have to wait two weeks for the authorization to go through. The dentist said 'There is no infection, he is not in any pain so it's not an emergency, I'm putting the recommendation that he be seen by the oral surgeon and this usually takes up to two weeks. You will be notified by your insurance and we will also call you to tell you when to go"

So there you have it. And Alan doesn't go for "being put out'. He has no phobias whatsoever. He was in the dental unit when he was in the army and pulled everyone's teeth. I got the willies just hearing him talk about it. So that is THAT.

I thank you so much. You certainly know your stuff.

lol

Melody

[Bryanna]

Hi MelodyL,

Good to hear that Alan went to the dentist and got a referral to an oral surgeon. Hopefully the extraction will go uneventfully

Regarding the infection issue, there is evidently no abscess at this time but there is infectious bacteria in the dentin tubules of the tooth because it is root canaled. Tooth decay is also infectious and from the video you provided of the dislodged crown, there is most likely decay in the root also. It's important to be aware of this because sometimes people will put off having the tooth removed because there is no pain. So this knowledge lets him know that he really needs to go through with the extraction as soon as he can get an appointment.

Thanks for the kind words..... I do try to help

Keep us posted on how things go!
Bryanna

Originally Posted by MelodyL

Hi there.

I guess Alan got a great dentist, because absolutely everything YOU said, HE said!!! Alan will be going to an oral surgeon (the one everyone goes to around here and Alan's been there before also). We have to wait two weeks for the authorization to go through. The dentist said 'There is no infection, he is not in any pain so it's not an emergency, I'm putting the recommendation that he be seen by the oral surgeon and this usually takes up to two weeks. You will be notified by your insurance and we will also call you to tell you when to go"

So there you have it. And Alan doesn't go for "being put out'. He has no phobias whatsoever. He was in the dental unit when he was in the army and pulled everyone's teeth. I got the willies just hearing him talk about it. So that is THAT.

I thank you so much. You certainly know your stuff.

lol

Melody

[MelodyL]

Bryanna:

It's completely up to when the authorization kicks in. Nothing I can do. And telling this man ANYTHING is useless. He's a man. rofl.

Thanks much

Melody