Did I just crack my root-canaled tooth root with popcorn?

[Kirsten Zirngibl]

Hi,

(I am over a thousand miles away from my home dentist, and trying to determine whether visiting an emergency dentist here or wait a week to get back and have it checked then. If there's no immediate risk of infection or something, I'd rather wait the week.)

A couple days ago, I was eating popcorn and a shell piece got wedged next to the tooth in question. I remember hearing a "crack" (was it just the popcorn sound?) and something felt seriously off. I ran to a mirror to find that front tooth at an angle! I was able to pop it back into place. It hurt only a little, which I guess makes sense since it's a dead tooth. There was no feeling of really deep pain though.

I played with it a little bit, assuming that the crown itself had come loose, and hoping it could just be re-glued. It hurt like it was pinching me and a tiny bit of blood showed up on my gum. It also sometimes hurts if I accidentally chew directly on it, though pain is not chronic.

I was googling and the closest possible diagnosis I could find was that it could a horizontal root fracture. Well, it's not a "real root" anymore, but I have a feeling that something has broken deeper down.

The tooth has had root canal treatment twice before. I've heard this can make it brittle. It was root canaled the first time 4 years ago, then re-root canaled about a year and a half ago. About half a year ago, the crown came loose, and was pulled off and glued back on by an emergency dentist. (Doesn't that seem to be a little early to be having a problem like this?)

I have attached an X-ray taken about a month and a half ago so you can see what it looked like before this happened. I put a red box around the tooth in question.

Any input would be so much appreciated.
~K

 

[thomas m mcconnell]

Dear Kirsten ,It sounds like the crown on #7 has come loose and needs to be recemented , I doubt you will get an infection soon, the tooth has been rootcanaled but I doubt you have a horizontal fracture. The fact that the crown has come loose before suggests poor retentive features of the crown itself. This can remedied most ideally with a new crown prep to gain more retentive qualities and may even require a post and core to maximize retention.

 

[LADentalclinic]

Dear Kirsten ,It sounds like the crown on #7 has come loose and needs to be recemented , I doubt you will get an infection soon, the tooth has been rootcanaled but I doubt you have a horizontal fracture. The fact that the crown has come loose before suggests poor retentive features of the crown itself. This can remedied most ideally with a new crown prep to gain more retentive qualities and may even require a post and core to maximize retention.

I've looked at dental x-rays for 19 years and i can definitely see a horizontal fracture. If there is no pain or swelling you may not have to worry about infection, but be sure to make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible. He can do further tests and tell you for sure if the tooth can be saved with a post and core, and a new crown. If not there are many options to replace it including implants. I hope this helps.

 

[thomas m mcconnell]

Dear LADentalclinic , I too have looked at dental x-rays for that many years but the poor quality X-ray at my disposal does not allow me to definitely see a horizontal fracture on this root. . Would you please share with me at what level or area of the root you see the fracture?.........Or are you referring to the more obvious appearing fracture/debonding of the crown #7, distal and just below the crown margin? Sincerely, Thomas.