My periodontist removed an infected root in my upper molar (#14), but there is still another root infected that she can’t get to, due to a three-unit bridge that attaches to this tooth.
What would be the best course of action from here? I want to get it extracted and possibly a new bridge. Dental implants would be the best option but they’re too expensive ($1800.00 per unit) and I would need two.
What would you recommend?
Thank you
- Bernard in New Jersey
Bernard,
So it sounds like you’ve been missing tooth #13 for some time, and that tooth was replaced using this bridge. If you had done the implant at that time, you wouldn’t have this problem now. That’s one of the disadvantages of a bridge. If there is any trouble with any of the teeth involved, you have to do the whole thing over.
If you do a bridge after #14 is extracted, it will be a four-unit bridge. That is riskier than a three-unit bridge, but many people do that and it works out okay. Especially if you have gum disease, that will be a lot of stress to put on the teeth that the bridge is attached to, which complicates gum disease. If it were me, I would go for the dental implant. I’m not sure why you need two implants. You can replace two teeth on one implant. But maybe there’s something about your case I don’t know that makes it so you have to have two implants.
I’m a big fan of saving teeth whenever you can. But even if your periodontist could remove the second root, that would leave this #14 very weak, and I’m not sure how long it would hold up.
Your case depends on too many factors that I can’t see or examine, so I’m not in a position to recommend a treatment for you. But I’m not sure you’re being given all your options, and would suggest getting a second opinion. If you don’t hear much different from the second dentist, then that will tell you that you’re probably getting the whole story from your present dentist.
I have some advice about second opinions—don’t give the second dentist any clues about what the first dentist said or about what you would like to hear until AFTER you hear their recommendations. That’s extra insurance that you’re getting an INDEPENDENT second opinion. That’s an important factor.
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