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Crowns, Bridges, Dentures, Implants

Re-cementing loose tooth crown

04/10/2008

Question:

I have a front tooth that had root canal and a crown was placed on it. After 14 years, the crown has become slightly loose. My dentist now says this crown cannot be re-cemented back as the tooth base in the gum has a crack. He recommends to extract this tooth and install a dental implant with a new crown. No crack is visible in the X-rays and I have no pain at all. He states that a crack behind the root filling will not show in the X-ray. Please advise ?

Answer:

Unfortunately, your dentist is most likely correct. Root canal-treated teeth can crack, thus allowing the crown and/or post to become loose. We do not have any detection devices that will confirm a crack at this time, since they are so small. But eventually bacteria will travel down the crack and you will get a gum pocket and bone loss. I too would recommend replacing that tooth with a dental implant before the bone is affected.

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Response by:

Julie A Holloway, DDS, MS, FACP Julie A Holloway, DDS, MS, FACP
Associate Professor of Restorative and Prosthetic Dentistry
College of Dentistry
The Ohio State University