Almost There!

pitchpole · 05-21-11, 06:55 PM

I recently had a bad crash and smashed my teeth up pretty good. Left incisor broken almost to gum line. What is left of it is full of cracks. Other teeth where also cracked or chipped but I got lucky in that only one is close to total loss. I am wondering if I should bother with a root canal and a post supported crown or just get an implant done. I have been told it may end up being less expensive in the long run to just go with the implant since further trouble with the tooth is almost guaranteed. Im not sure what to do. I know there must be plenty of people here who have had similar experience.

nelson4568 · 05-21-11, 07:10 PM

i would go with the implants the crowns bonding over time could crack

BlazingPedals · 05-21-11, 07:12 PM

I'm glad I don't have to make that choice, but if I did I'd probably go with the implant, too. Good luck!

Burton · 05-21-11, 10:01 PM

bike forum is really a poor choice of a place to ask for competant medical advice.

Dental work is like everything else - it all looks good on paper and the skills and expertice of the guy that actually ends up doing the work would be the real deciding factor in which would be a `better` solution.

What you might want to look at is the cost, treatment duration and life expectancy of each procedure before making any decisions. Nothing lasts forever and it`ll have to be redone at some point. You need to know the long tern consequences.

Shimagnolo · 05-21-11, 10:12 PM

18 months ago, I lost a molar due to a rare condition called "external resorption".
Initially, I had a root canal, in the expectation of getting a cap.
But then it was discovered the damage was worse than initially thought.
After doing a lot of research, I just had it removed and went with the Ti implant, (no CF option).

There was 6 month delay between extraction and the implant, then another couple months before getting the cap installed. I never had any serious pain in any of the procedures.

The annoying part was the 9 months start-to-finish.
Since it was a molar, there was no cosmetic issue.
I understand there is a temporary option to fill in the gap, but know nothing about it.

The only time I notice it isn't a real tooth is when flossing.
There is a modification to flossing technique they will explain to you.

pitchpole · 05-22-11, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burton

bike forum is really a poor choice of a place to ask for competant medical advice.

Dental work is like everything else - it all looks good on paper and the skills and expertice of the guy that actually ends up doing the work would be the real deciding factor in which would be a `better` solution.

What you might want to look at is the cost, treatment duration and life expectancy of each procedure before making any decisions. Nothing lasts forever and it`ll have to be redone at some point. You need to know the long tern consequences.

I just wanted to see what others had choosen to do and their experience with the result. Im not going to solely base my decision on Bike Forum input. I don't have much faith in root canals as I know too many people who have had them fail fairly quickly or result in chronic tooth pain.

Shimagnolo · 05-22-11, 10:29 AM

A root canal leaves the tooth dead, and since there is no pulp, it will eventually dry out, becoming brittle and prone to crack.