Urgent query re: 3 tooth bridge failure...

[Lullo]

PLEASE can anyone urgently advise me? I am absoloutely frantic - In the lower right hand side of my mouth, I have a 3-tooth bridge, which has been in place for approx. 4 years. Three years ago, I had terrible pain from the tooth holding the "frontal" part of the bridge - the tooth was abcessed, and the dentist drilled through that part of the bridge, to do root-canal treatment, etc. All eventually settled down - however, over the past few years the gum has shrunk quite dramatically, exposing some of the old tooth underneath the bridge.

Last night, the unthinkable happened - I felt a "crunching" sensation underneath that part of the bridge - I gently felt it with my finger - and it appears/feels like that the old tooth left underneath the front of the bridge, has broken out of its socket ! But as the bridge is well secured to the rear tooth, the bridge is still holding.

I am not in any pain, but my gum area around there feels sore. I phoned up the local Emergency dentistry service (we live in the North west) and explained what had happened, but I was amazed - and pretty disgusted - to be told that the Emergency Dentists are all fully booked up right over the weekend. I was advised to buy Corodsyl, eat only soft food, gently brush my teeth then swill regularly with corodsyl to hopefully keep infection at bay. I was advised that I should then phone my Dentists surgery on Monday (I have an appointment anyway next Wednesday) and warn the dentist in advance what has happened.

Please - does anyone know whether if this now means I will loose the whole of the 3-tooth bridge unit? I am gutted - I have battled for many many years to retain my own teeth - I have endured approx. 8 apecectomy's etc., and II have a horror of actual loose "false teeth".

Is there any hope for this (what appears to be) fractured tooth? Can it be repaired?

Many thanks - I hope someone can reply please.
kind regards
Lullo

[Dr Mohsen J. Esfahani]

Thank you for your post.

From what you describe it sounds like one of the teeth holding the bridge has fractured, possibly a root fracture.

Root filled teeth are weakened by the root filling procedure and risk of fracture does exist after root canal treatment. Also other things such as decay could also lead to tooth fracture.

Now depending on the level of the fracture, this tooth may be save-able. If the fracture level is deep below the gum level, the tooth may have to be extracted. If the fracture level is superficial, it might be possible to create a new bridge.

If the tooth is not save-able and it has to be extracted, you will be left with one natural tooth gone and the bridge false tooth in between also possibly gone. I say possibly because sometimes its possible to convert the old 3 unit bridge into a two unit cantilever bridge and extract the hopeless tooth at the front.

If you lose the front tooth +/- the false tooth, you could have implants or a denture in their place.

You have to be very careful with this bridge and not put any pressure on your bridge as you wait to see your own dentist. You must keep it very clean and if possible try to bring your dentist appointment forward. If the tooth can be saved, the sooner the fractured part is removed and the rest of the tooth is sealed, the better. Because if the root canal area is exposed, the longer that is left exposed, the higher the chance of bacteria infiltration, causing root canal failure. Also there is the chance of further fracture of the tooth.