Root canal tooth broke surgury needed before postcrown can be done should I allow DDS or should I see speclist

I went to a dentist DDS and he did a root canal on a tooth that did not really need it. After the root canal was done it was eating and 1/2 of the tooth broke above the gum line. I went back to him he said that I need some sort or surgury where they would need to cut the gum and the bone before they could do the post and crown because most of the tooth is gone. My question is he is offering to do the surgury for $150 but he said he is not a specalist or I can go to a oral surgury and he said if I go to a specialist it will run me $550. I went to a root canal specialist this morning he said I should see a gum specialist. I really want to know even though he is not a gum specialist is it safe to allow him to this surgury or should I just pay 550 and go to a specialist? since you are a dentist would you do a surgury like this for a patient ? could it be that he knows how to do it but just isn't a specialist?? is something like this safe to have done by a DDS? please help I am so confused I just want to save my tooth...





thanks in advance





Mia

Root canal tooth broke surgury needed before postcrown can be done should I allow DDS or should I see speclist
Hi Mia! I've been in dentistry for over 20 years and this does happen. What you need to have done is called "crown lengthening" and it usually runs about $500-700 depending on where you live. I have had this done on several of my own teeth and always had a periodontist do it. Most dentists are NOT trained to re-shape the root so the crown "sits" down right and has no open margin that would allow for decay over a period of time and cause you to lose the tooth. My feeling is this.


Get a second opinion by a periodontist and ask straight forward if this procedure can be done and save the tooth. You need at least 5mm of tooth and additional prepared root to save the tooth. The question is HOW much of the root is still good? It this is not by 1 1/2, the answer is NO. Make sure you get this in writing and get a commitment that there is enough of the crown of the tooth to cap after the procedure so the root is NOT top heavy.


Alternative. Factor the cost of surgery, crown and and find out HOW much would an implant cost? If it is not too far apart, remove the tooth and get an implant. It will take more time, but out live you. AND you never have to ever worry about it again.


Any tooth that is root canaled, has maybe a 10-15 year life expectancy tops. And then the tooth is gone. If the tooth is that brittle, expect 5 years at best. THEN you are looking at a bridge or implant. Cutting down the side teeth is crazy if they are healthy and intact. SO, I would also see an Oral Surgeon and have h/her evaluate the tooth and he will probably tell you an implant is the smarter, long term way to go and solve the problem once and for all and have a great looking tooth for life. I have 9 implants BY choice as a root canal, post and core and crown is the same cost and to remove the problem and put in a implant is the long term way to solve it once and for all. Good luck, if you have any other questions, please ask. ~M
Reply:do not let him do the surgery.. he already messed up your mouth once.. you need to let someone qualified do it.. pay the extra $ let the specialist do it ...
Reply:I would definitely have a specialist or periodontist do the surgery, an oral surgeon is not skilled at gum surgeries or crown lengthening.





I also agree that you should consider an implant since the price could be the same, but you avoid paying for it twice. Implants usually take 10-14 months to finish.
Reply:I have to do that too! I had a root canal and my tooth is too short for them to put a crown on. It's called crown lengthening surgery, I am going to a specialist with mine because I don't want to risk it. They have to use tools to cut your gum and bone that I highly doubt dentists use on an everyday basis. It is more expensive (and I have no money), but it's worth it. I also went to a root canal specialist for my root canal and I thought she did a way better job than my regular dentist.