How Serious is Fractured Root
A fractured tooth root can be a very painful dental malady. Within each tooth is a system of tissue, or “pulp”, that houses the blood flow and nerves of each tooth. When a tooth suffers a root fracture, the pulp becomes susceptible to bacteria and infection at which point an abscess can form. A dental abscess is a pus-filled sac near the root that is very painful and requires treatment as soon as possible to prevent further damage to the tooth or even your overall health.
A fractured tooth root can happen to anyone for any number of reasons! It can result from an injury, eating hard foods, old dental fillings, dental decay, or even age. When a fracture happens below the gum line, it can be hard to identify on your own and may not even present any symptoms that the patient notices. Your dentist will be able to identify any problem that may arise with a tooth with a simple evaluation and dental x-rays.
How serious is a fractured root?
The severity of a fractured root will largely depend on the type and size. There are actually a few different types of fracture that a root is subject to. Identifying the type of fracture will help your doctor determine the best treatment path to give you the best outcome and hopefully save the tooth.
Types of Root Fracture
Vertical: When part of the root actually breaks off and is trapped below the gum tissue; this type is often a result of brittleness due to previous root canal or a root canal procedure gone wrong.
Oblique: Occurs below the gum line and into the jaw; an oblique fracture is often extremely painful and requires endodontic treatment for relief.
Vertical furcation: When the tooth splits into two or more parts; again, this type is extremely painful and may need to be extracted to resolve the issue.
Vertical apical: When the tooth fractures straight down the middle into the root; again, extremely painful but may be treated with root canal therapy and a dental crown.
The number one symptom of a root fracture is pain, especially pain that comes and goes throughout the day. Other symptoms that you may experience include temperature sensitivity, redness and swelling in the gum tissue at the affected area, and pain when biting or chewing. It is important to visit your dentist if you experience any pain in any of your teeth. Pain is how our bodies tell us that something is wrong and without immediate treatment, a fractured root can become infected and an abscess can develop.
It is important to seek professional treatment as soon as possible. In the event that your dentist is unable to provide the necessary treatment, they will refer you to the appropriate dental specialist. In a perfect world, we would keep our natural teeth forever but things happen and teeth break. If you keep up with good oral hygiene at home and see your dentist regularly, you will hang on to your teeth as long as possible.