Dental crown/split root/denture/bridge question please

[Millipedewithherfeetup]

Hi
Just wondering if anyone can give me some advice, I have a crown on my "eye tooth", it;s had a root canal filling and a metal post put in.. had this for about 20 + years, it fell out last week I went to the dentist thinking that it was just a matter of being re-cemented back in.
He told me however that the root had split and the post was wobbily, said I would have to have the root removed and a denture fitted in, I was absolutely horrified, I asked him if he could put a bridge on, he said this was probably possible but not on the NHS, I was aware that this would not be covered by NHS,
He said that I'd need to get the denture in first for approx 3 months, then look at the bridge after that.
The NHS denture is going to cost £214 and he did not say anything about the bridge, I kind of got the feeling that he was not keen/not experienced enough to do the bridge, I suppose my question is has anyone else had this happen to them? did you have to have a denture for 3 months first ? and does anyone know how much a single tooth bridge costs ? thankyou for any advice any one can give.

[MillyMollyMardy]

When a tooth is first taken out, there is a lot of reshaping of the gum so the normal is to take the tooth and have a denture or a temporary bridge for a few months. If a permanent bridge goes in at the same time it ends up with a gap above it as the gum reshapes and shrinks.

The main problem is going to be that it is your eye tooth/canine that needs to be taken out. The teeth next to the canine are quite small normally and not idea to use for bridges to replace this tooth. Without looking in your mouth this is difficult to comment on and also depends on the health of your other teeth as to whether a bridge would be suitable.

A third option would be an implant this is the most expensive option and would be private. If you are thinking about this you should get a consultation early on as this would normally before too much gum and bone remodelling is done and ought to be taken into account when the tooth is removed.

Give reception a call and say you really want to have a chat with the dentist about what comes next, prices, timing and so on.

[AMumInScotland]

I've had something similar recently, but with a second incisor, not the canine so the options/difficulty may be different from what Milly says above,

My crown kept dropping out, and being stuck back - sometimes it would manage a few months, sometimes barely a day. I got irritated with my dentist and swtiched to another one.

She had one go at resticking it, and reckoned the root must have split, hence it flexes and "lets go" of the post.

So now I've had the tooth/root out and am waiting for a bridge - I was told on the NHS it has to be 6 months between the root removal and the bridge to let the gum settle, so I have a little denture for now.

I hate it, and am counting down the days...

[Selba]

In Scotland it's a six month wait . This is NHS rules and not negotiable

[higgle]

I had the same problem, almost exactly, exvcept my eye tooth was alread carrying a bridge with the tooth next to it. I was totally sunk and had t have an implant, though I did manage to find somewhere that did it quite reasonably. I do have two other bridges, both done on the NHS and I was told recently when I had to have a root filling on another supporting tooth that I could have the bridge redone if necessary at some point, again on the NHS.

Cobalt Chromium dentures are a good choice if implants are not an option. A friend of mine who cannot have implants due to a blood clotting disorder has had 4 teeth on a Cobalt chromium denture and is very pleased wtih the result.

[Millipedewithherfeetup]

Hi all, thankyou for your replies, I;m really not happy or looking forward to a denture, just worried that it will fall our when i;m talking, the whole thing is just making me so so miserable, it was also the dentist;s lack of information as well that made me think he did not know what he was talking about, I have an appointment next week for impressions so will ask more about the bridge cost and mention the cobolt chromium denture to see if this is an option.
Thanks again and in the words of the great Pam Ayres........Oh I wish I'd looked after me teeth.!!

[AMumInScotland]

A decently-fitted denture won't fall out when you talk or eat or anything. I had a couple of annoying days at the start when I spoke with a lisp, and it took a while before I could face chewy meat. I still find it annoying, tbh, but it looks and sounds totally fine and nobody else is aware of the fact that it's a denture (except DH because I take it out at night - yuck). And that's just an ordinary NHS one - I don't know how you picture a denture, I had never really seen one up close before. It is a piece of pink plastic moulded very closely to the roof of my mouth, it goes right up to the other teeth and fits very closely just in behind them, neatly shaped to tuck between them, so it stays in position without a problem - not at all like joke "false teeth" or what a total denture would look like.

Up to you, but personally I wouldn't have paid out for an expensive version if it is just for 3 or 6 months until you can get the bridge done.

It's always annoying if you don't feel you and the dentist are really understanding each other though. I'm lucky that my new one really explained the options and what she's planning and why, so I felt confident about going for it. For me, I think a bridge is the best option, as implants are expensive and no way am I keeping the denture at my age if I have any choice in the matter. But do try to talk it over with him - hopefully he'll be able to explain the issues properly this time.

[higgle]

I wouldn't bother with an expensive denture as a temporary, but the Cobalt Chromium ones are worth considering if you can't have a bridge or implant as they are smaller and can stay in at night, just brush and reinsert.

[storesman]

Morning all - new to the board and have a question about teeth rather than children. I've just had an immediate denture fitted as a result of an issue with a broken root under an old crown (that I had done 34 years ago). My question is - when I get the bridge put in (expect this will be either in July or October) will I have to pay another treatment cost? I'm planning to have all of the work done under the NHS (have already paid £265 for the work to date) and what an idea of what (if anything) I will pay next. I can't find anything definitive on a NHS website so looking for guidance. Thanks in advance