Dental surgery for broken tooth

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slobee

New Member
I broke a tooth & the dentist wants to build the tooth up for a crown. That includes a post & core, some shaving of the gum, total about a 1-2 hour procedure. I'm trying to decide if I am strong enough & brave enough to have this done. After I heal from all of that I would still have to get a crown.

I do not want to be put to sleep but that seems like a long time for an old woman to stay still. I don't like the idea of all the things that I might swallow. I also worry about getting vertigo in that shape. The idea of an extraction does terrify me but it might be easier to tolerate. What would you do. It would also be quite expensive. I sure would like some opinions on what you would do. I don't know anyone that has had this done. thanks!
 

If extraction is fairly simple and you will be able to chew your food properly without that tooth, it would be the cheapest way to go. They numb you up good so you won't feel it. I have had several pulled. I might need dentures in a few years. We'll see.

If it is complicated, your dentist will have to tell you about the options after extraction, and that can cost a lot. To save the tooth at our age is not as important as it once was 20 years ago, but it won't hurt as much ( I imagine, but really don't know ). What does your dentist suggest?
 
Had similar problem with a molar. Had it extracted. No pain, due to numbing. The dentist tried to convince me to get an implant. The speech was all about the teeth on either side beginning to cave towards the opening, improper chewing due to the gap. He was a little surprised when I asked him how long it would take for those horrible consequences of not getting an implant to actually happen.

Then I got really upfront with him. I have cremation as my choice after death & the metal used for the implant would be really uncomfortably hot in my mouth during cremation. He was at a loss for words.
 
I have several crowns but they are all at the front. If it was a back tooth, I would just have it extracted. My dentist is really good - he asks me if I want to take a break during the procedure, stretch, bathroom break etc. and then resumes working. I too have vertigo and he is aware of this and does not lower the chair as much as he usually does. It is an expensive procedure though so that is something to consider as well. Good luck.
 
slobee said:
I broke a tooth & the dentist wants to build the tooth up for a crown. That includes a post & core, some shaving of the gum, total about a 1-2 hour procedure. I'm trying to decide if I am strong enough & brave enough to have this done. After I heal from all of that I would still have to get a crown.

I do not want to be put to sleep but that seems like a long time for an old woman to stay still. I don't like the idea of all the things that I might swallow. I also worry about getting vertigo in that shape. The idea of an extraction does terrify me but it might be easier to tolerate. What would you do. It would also be quite expensive. I sure would like some opinions on what you would do. I don't know anyone that has had this done. thanks!
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If it’s only a cracked tooth, most dentists will only freeze your tooth to grind and shape it. No sedation needed. Once your tooth is ground down they usually put a temporary tooth on until your permanent one’s ready. It’s really not that big a deal. I’ve had 3 teeth done like that. You then get a brand new crown at another appointment. It’s sounds scarier than it really is.
 
I would get it replaced, but that's just me. I don't want any cracked or missing teeth. I've had root canals, crowns repaired and veneers put on my front teeth. All have been painless due to numbing. I also wear noise canceling AirPods and listen to soothing music during the procedure to keep me distracted and unable to hear the drilling.
 
slobee said:
I broke a tooth & the dentist wants to build the tooth up for a crown. That includes a post & core, some shaving of the gum, total about a 1-2 hour procedure. I'm trying to decide if I am strong enough & brave enough to have this done. After I heal from all of that I would still have to get a crown.

I do not want to be put to sleep but that seems like a long time for an old woman to stay still. I don't like the idea of all the things that I might swallow. I also worry about getting vertigo in that shape. The idea of an extraction does terrify me but it might be easier to tolerate. What would you do. It would also be quite expensive. I sure would like some opinions on what you would do. I don't know anyone that has had this done. thanks!
Click to expand...
They won't put you to sleep, they'll only inject a numbing agent around the area.

And you won't swallow anything during the procedure because they'll isolate the tooth with a thin plastic sheet they call a tent. It totally shields the inside of your mouth.

If cost is an issue for me, I opt for extraction. If not, I choose the repair.
 
@slobee
G'day and welcome to the forum.
I had a front incisor snap off in 2002, my dentist put a post in it and reattached it, it was good for 15+ years until I chomped on a crusty bread roll. It was my first dental implant to replace it.
My $0.02 is fix it, shop around if necessary.
I've used the same dentist for over 20 years.
 
Decades ago I got pulled a molar in my right upper jaw which then got a bridge. But three years ago I got problems with one tooth that supported the bridge. I told my dentist (a friend from school) to pull the molar. He did it and wanted to give me a larger bridge, but I refused. For this reason since three years I have two missing molars in my right upper jaw, but this doesn't disturb me at all. If I want to chew something hard like nuts or meat I simply use my left side. I would never get implants, but this is my personal decision.
 
My recommendation would depend on which tooth (upper or lower; front or back), your age and general health, and what dental insurance would cover.

I've had a number of different types of procedures done over the years (good dental hygiene but bad genes :() and properly done most will last for three to ten years. Once a tooth starts to deteriorate though, a dental implant is the only more or less permanent solution. Implants aren't always an option, they take a number of months to complete, and are expensive.

A post and crown, done well, might last for a number of years . . . or not.
 
You wouldn't believe the amount of dental work I've had over the years. Maybe one day I'll post about it. I've had two root canals and crowns within maybe the last 10 years. I haven't been to a dentist since Covid and really need to go for a cleaning, although I've been trying to take extra good care of my lower teeth (I have an upper denture). During one of my cleaning appointments, an Xray was done and they discovered a cavity near the root of a tooth. That was why one of the root canals and crowns was done. I've was thinking if that ever happens again, I may just say "pull it".

But if was me that had to have the more complicated procedure, I'd want to be put to sleep. My first major dental work was at age 21, I got laughing gas and woke up happy that ...that part (the extractions) was over.
 
DO NOT get the tooth pulled until you find out the consequences of that.

If it's a front tooth, obviously you're going to have to either live with the gap or fill it with something, and that filler can be expensive too.

If it's a molar, once it's missing the other teeth around it will start to shift in location, unless it is a wisdom tooth. Then you'll have to deal with fallen, moved teeth for the rest of your life.

Which tooth is it? What number? Teeth Numbers Guide: Everything to Know About Your Teeth - Web DMD
 
VintageBetter said:
DO NOT get the tooth pulled until you find out the consequences of that.

If it's a front tooth, obviously you're going to have to either live with the gap or fill it with something, and that filler can be expensive too.

If it's a molar, once it's missing the other teeth around it will start to shift in location, unless it is a wisdom tooth. Then you'll have to deal with fallen, moved teeth for the rest of your life.

Which tooth is it? What number? Teeth Numbers Guide: Everything to Know About Your Teeth - Web DMD
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slobee said:
I broke a tooth & the dentist wants to build the tooth up for a crown. That includes a post & core, some shaving of the gum, total about a 1-2 hour procedure. I'm trying to decide if I am strong enough & brave enough to have this done. After I heal from all of that I would still have to get a crown.

I do not want to be put to sleep but that seems like a long time for an old woman to stay still. I don't like the idea of all the things that I might swallow. I also worry about getting vertigo in that shape. The idea of an extraction does terrify me but it might be easier to tolerate. What would you do. It would also be quite expensive. I sure would like some opinions on what you would do. I don't know anyone that has had this done. thanks!
Click to expand...

Thanks for your replies you've really helped. I'm pretty sure it is a L-8 wisdom tooth. Even after 4-6 weeks of healing from procedure then the crown. I've had crowns before & didn't mind them. They do want to do under sedation dentistry because it is easier on them.

I don't wake up easy after sedation & I don't want more brain damage. Whatever I do looks like it will be an all summer event.
Thanks everyone!
 
My husband just broke a tooth a couple of months ago. Our dentist sent him to someone for a root canal since he doesn't do those. Two weeks later or so he came back to our dentist who has a machine that makes custom crowns in his office while you wait. After two hours there he was done. He was awake with only local numbing during all of the procedures. No pain & the crown is working very well.

I don't think it's a good idea to loose any teeth as we get old, but to try to keep as many as we can. Loosing a tooth can cause the others to shift & create other problems down the road.

It does sound like your dentist is ripping you off. :(
 
@slobee If he/she wants to crown a WISDOM TOOTH, go get a 2nd opinion.

Unless the wisdom tooth needs to be saved so it can be an anchor for a bridge (see Bridge here) https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-bridge just get it extracted! Last one I had extracted cost only $85 for the co-pay because I chose a specialist to do it.

It was not a "summer long project". I felt better in a week or less. I think you are being bamboozled by a dentist who just wants your money.
 


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