Posted by writeradmin
Can you help me? When I was younger I had a tooth get hit pretty hard while playing pool with my brothers. The cue ball jumped right off the pool table and smacked me in the mouth. When it happened, my dentist said the tooth was fine. However, the older I’ve gotten the darker the tooth has turned. I went to my dentist because I wanted to have a more attractive, professional looking smile. He told me there is pretty much no root left for the tooth and I will need to replace it. He suggested a removable partial denture. Is there anyway to save and whiten the tooth?
Mildred
Dear Mildred,
It sounds like what happened to your tooth is root resorption. It is possible that if your dentist had given you a root canal treatment, this could have been prevented, but that is not a guarantee. If there is not a root there, then there is no way to save the tooth. While a partial denture will replace the tooth, you have other, better options. I’m a bit concerned that your dentist did not give them to you. In fact, he is ethically obligated to share with you all of your options.
Two Better Options to Replace Your Tooth
In addition to the removable partial denture he mentioned, I would look at two other options. The best tooth replacement is a dental implant. Because you don’t have any root left there, you may need some bone grafting done. It will be worth it if that is the option you choose. This is the closest thing to having a healthy, natural tooth in your mouth.
The second option would be to have a dental bridge. This suspends a false tooth between two dental crowns. It will secure your tooth. The only real downside is that you will need to have the adjacent teeth crowned. If you need those teeth crowned, then that treatment option would take care of two procedures in one go.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. John Theriot.