The post in my left front tooth broke. The tooth is part of a four-piece bridge, replacing the incisor and canine teeth behind it. I had a 2018 accident 2018 that knocked out some teeth and broke others. My dentist did a root canal on the front tooth to help support the bridge, but my latest x-ray shows the tooth and post broke at the gumline. My dentist said I had a heavy bite. She wants to redo the post and bridge, but I want to do dental implants or an implant bridge. Why keep repeating the procedures? What should I do now? Francisco
Francisco,
You are right. What will prevent a new post from breaking in a tooth so weak? You have several challenges that require the skill of a dentist with advanced training in occlusion, bite, and dental implants. We will discuss them.
Broken Tooth Post
Dentists are limited in the techniques they can use for a tooth post that breaks at the gumline. A dentist must drill away tooth structure to grab, twist, and remove the post. Removing tooth structure would further weaken the tooth, making it challenging to retain a new post. Although some dentists use an ultrasonic scaler to hold the post, it would not work for your case.
Broken Post in a Dental Bridge Tooth
Dental implant
When a post breaks in a tooth part of a dental bridge, a dentist must cut off the bridge to access the tooth. You would need a new bridge. Replacing missing teeth with dental implants is a long-lasting repair that does not affect neighboring teeth.
Heavy Biting Force
If you have a heavy bite that may have contributed to the broken tooth and post, it will likely occur again. We recommend getting an in-person second opinion and exam from an advanced dentist. You will probably need dental implants to replace your missing teeth and the tooth that broke at the gumline.
Dr. David Pumphrey, an Atlanta periodontist, sponsors this post.
