Broken tooth after root canal

[GeorgeK]

Hi

I had a lot of problems with my lower molar last year and I saw a dentist to have it root canal treated. After he did the root canal the pain stopped and I assumed that it would be the end of my root canal problems.

Yesterday during lunch a chunk of that tooth cracked but I dont think that it has actually come out. Now when I am eating on my tooth, suddenly I get this sharp pain down the side of the gum around that tooth.

Does this mean that the tooth will have to be removed? Why has the tooth developed this fracture so soon after the root canal? I expected this root canal to last longer than one year. Please advise how I can save my tooth.

[Dr Vahid Motahar]

Hi,

Thank you for your question.

This is very common on the teeth that have jad root canal treatment and have not been crowned yet. This does not mean there is something wrong with the root canal. This just means that the tooth has been structurally week after root canal which is normal.
Unless the fractured section is deep under your gum you do not need to have your tooth extracted and all you need is building the tooth up and then crowning it. We would be happy to assess you and suggest you the best options.