A fractured tooth root is rather hard to diagnose as it isn’t always visible. A common cause can be chewing on hard foods, grinding your teeth during the night, or it could even happen naturally as you age in life. A fractured tooth root doesn’t necessarily mean that the crack will appear above the gum line and the symptoms are likely to come and go. As an individual, a fractured tooth root can be quite disturbing, especially when it comes to eating or drinking cold and warm beverages.

Lower 1st and 2nd premolars (bicuspids) - Just have 1 root. Upper 1st, 2nd and 3rd molars - 3 roots. Lower 1st, 2nd and 3rd molars - 2 roots. Variability in the number of root canals. Each of a tooth's roots will have at least 1 root canal. But some characteristically have, or at least often have, more. This item has been shown 3 times. 3 PRONG ROOT MOLAR FORCEPS ONSIDE 19': $200. 3 PRONG ROOT MOLAR FORCEPS ONSIDE 19'. Oct 09, 2015 The buccal surface is relatively verticle. Maxillary molars have 3 roots with tripod arrangement, which enhance the anchorage in alveolar bone. The presence of oblique ridge on the occlusal surface is a characteristic feature of the maxillary molar. The crown of the maxillary molar is more centered over the root.

1. Maxillary Second Molar - root formation may be different from first molar - usually three canals - access similar to maxillary second molar (blunted triangular - outline) - always look for four canals - more variability of anatomy in second and third molars compared to first molar. Mandibular first molar - has two well formed roots.
2. The upper maxillary molars have three roots, the lower mandibular molars have two. You could mean how common is it to have three canals in molar teeth? The canals are what is inside the root of the.

Due to the complexity of diagnosing a fractured tooth root, we have put together this article to help identify symptoms and understand the types of treatments that are available. A fracture doesn’t always mean that the tooth needs to be removed; however, in some circumstances, a cracked root might result in damaged tooth structure which will require extraction or root canal treatment. The treatment procedures for a cracked tooth root could cause a fair amount of pain and the recovery time can be longer than expected.

We would not advise that you eat hard food in order to prevent infections and the worsening of the condition if you suspect that you have a fractured tooth root as it could quickly lead to infection. Upon reading this article, if you feel that you may have a fractured tooth root, you should contact your dentistry professional as soon as possible for a thorough examination. Tooth fractures in the root won’t repair themselves, so the only option is a dental procedure.

Causes of a Fractured Tooth Root

A root fracture of a permanent tooth is commonly referred to as a vertical root fracture and it usually consists of a crack that appears on the root of the tooth below the gum line. Occasionally, the fracture will spread up the natural tooth appearing above the gum line where there is then the risk of a complete split. Below are a few of the signs and symptoms of a fractured tooth root.

• Excessive pressure or hard trauma
• Like with several traumatic dental injuries, a fractured root commonly affects those who have already had multiple procedures that have ended up weakening the integrity of the broken tooth and the fracture site
• Fractured root relating to fragile teeth
• Age, a fractured tooth and root is often seen in elderly people

Root Symptoms of a Fractured Tooth

It is important to know that not every fractured tooth will produce symptoms, but when they do occur,the pain can be excruciating. A fractured root typically presents intermittent symptoms which often leads people to believe that it isn’t severe, especially if the fracture itself isn’t visible. The most likely symptoms you would experience include:

• The occasional sharp pain when chewing or biting things, especially when you release the current bite.
• Painful sensitivity to hot and cold food and beverages.

Unless the tooth with the root fracture becomes infected, the symptoms are reasonably limited though when they do arrive it can be very painful. The worst thing about a fractured tooth root is that due to the hard diagnosis many people are unaware that they have, which means they continue as they were before and can end up damaging the root further.

Treatment for a Fractured Tooth

The treatment of a fractured tooth root is again pretty limited. It mostly depends on how big the fracture is and when it was discovered. Unfortunately, the root canal isn’t usually as effective by the time it is discovered, and so root canal has a very poor score rate.

1. Root Canal

A root canal is a dreaded word among patients. As soon as a person learns they need a root canal, they become petrified and consider running for the hills. The critical thing to do is to not get too hyped up by thinking that your tooth will be fixed. If the fracture is on the root and it hasn’t spread up the tooth or completely damaged the root, then root canal may be a valid route. It is widely reported that a root canal is one of the more painful procedures but if there is a chance to save the tooth you may as well give it a shot.

2. Extraction

This is also another treatment method for a fractured root. Unfortunately, this is the only other treatment that is offered and most cases actually end up with an extraction. Once the removal has been completed and the area has healed, there are several procedures available to cover the hole left behind from the missing tooth.

Recovery Time of a Fractured Root

The recovery time for a fractured root largely depends on whether it resulted in a root canal or an extraction. Anesthetic is used in both procedures and thanks to modern technology dentistry is becoming a lot swifter in its methods.

Root Canal Recovery

If a dentist recommends a root canal for a fractured root, then this means that there is hope for saving the tooth. It may turn out that the tooth needs to be extracted at a later date, but occasionally a tooth with a fractured root can be saved. Once the root canal procedure has been completed, the gums surrounding the area will remain swollen for a while. For a few days after the treatment, there will likely be some sensitivity, but this should scale back by the day. The evasiveness of the procedure will probably reflect in the recovery time, some dentists advise that the recovery period for root canal could take up to three weeks.

Tooth Extraction

Surprisingly, quite a few people are more nervous about a root canal than they are a complete tooth extraction. Although the whole tooth is being removed, some people feel that it is a less invasive treatment. Immediately after having a tooth extracted, the area will gradually begin to get the feeling back. Once it has fully returned, you should prepare to spend the night on the sofa with a heat pack, dosed up on painkillers. The advised recovery time for a tooth extraction could be up to two weeks but this mostly depends on the type of tooth and how much of it—if any—damaged surrounding areas during the process. It’s not unusual to require stitches after a tooth extraction especially if it was a wisdom tooth. However, as we continue to mention the mouth is the fastest healing part of the body.Therefore, although you may be advised that the recovery time is two weeks, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will take that long. The majority of people reported a significant decrease in pain and discomfort by day three.

A strong tooth does not fracture easily and practicing good oral hygiene is vital for the overall health of the mouth and teeth.

The recovery of a fractured root will most probably take a lot longer to heal than an extraction. Whichever procedure suits you, there will be plenty of movement going on in your mouth. Even though you don’t feel it at the time, the aftermath will involve a lot of swelling. A dentist will provide suitable post procedure advise to help speed up the process. If you suspect that you have a fractured root, then contact the dentist as soon as possible and try to avoid putting any pressure on it or chewing with it.

Relate Posts to Read:
Black Spot on Tooth: An Explanation with Treatment Options

Indications for this procedure – Broken or cracked teeth, Impacted wisdom teeth, Curved roots, Root tip removal. Techniques used: Tooth sectioning, Bone removal.

What is a surgical extraction?

The term Surgical tooth extraction refers to the process used to remove teeth that includes additional “surgical” steps that aren’t performed during routine extractions.Routine/”Simple” extraction protocol. These added steps may include:

• Creating a gum tissue flap. – With this procedure, an incision outlining a section of gum tissue is made. The area of tissue is then reflected (peeled) back, thus providing your dentist with access to the bone tissue and/or tooth that lies underneath.

• Removing bone (ostectomy) – Trimming away bone tissue may be needed to give your dentist better access to, or a better view of, your tooth. Or it may be required to create an opening through which your tooth is taken out.
• Tooth sectioning – This is a process where your tooth is cut into pieces (“sectioned”), so it can be removed more easily.

When does a tooth extraction qualify as a surgical extraction?

When one or more of the above techniques are used, the procedure is formally categorized as a “surgical” extraction. Procedures that don’t require any of these steps are termed “simple” extractions.Surgical vs Simple example.

When are surgical extractions needed?

Indications / Applications

There can be a number of situations where the nature of a tooth’s extraction is expected or discovered to be more complicated or challenging than with routine cases. And as such requires the inclusion of one or more of the above surgical techniques as a means of helping to lessen the complexity, difficulty or risk of the procedure.

A decision to include these additional techniques might be planned, anticipated or even an impromptu event. Situations can include:

• Severely broken or fragile teeth.
• Teeth that have extreme root morphology. (For example, especially curved or exceptionally long roots.)
• Impacted teeth. (Wisdom teeth are a common example.)
• Dense or inelastic bone tissue surrounding the tooth.

Our next section discusses the difficulties and challenges that the above situations can pose for a dentist and then explains what surgical steps (gum tissue flap, bone removal, tooth sectioning) are used to overcome them. (Jump to a specific section using the links above.)

If instead you’d rather learn more about the process itself, use this link: Surgical tooth extraction procedure details.

Problem situations and their surgical solutions –

1) Broken teeth.

Many teeth are slated for extraction because much of their crown (the portion of a tooth that lies above the gum line) has been lost (fractured, broken) or severely damaged (like by decay), and now the tooth is beyond repair.

Or it’s possible that during its extraction procedure, a tooth has broken (for example, the crown of a weakened tooth might break off at the gum line), therefore leaving little of the tooth visible or accessible to the dentist.

The difficulty this causes – In cases where significant portions of a tooth are missing, the shape of the piece(s) that remains may be difficult for the dentist to grasp or manipulate with their extraction instruments.

And since these are the tools the dentist will use to remove the tooth, the dentist now has a dilemma.

Solutions for this situation.

One remedy is for the dentist to remove bone from around the pieces of the broken tooth that remain, so they’re more accessible and visible. Then, once this process has been completed, the tooth can be worked and removed using conventional extraction instruments.

How it’s done.

• In some cases, the procedure that’s used to remove the bone may be as simple as the dentist using their drill to create a trough around the tooth, thus exposing more of it.

  If so, the whole process may be completed in just a minute or two, with little extra attention required for the wound because this technique has been used.

• With other cases, the dentist may find that they need more of the tooth exposed, or a greater extent of bone removed to reach where the broken bit lies. If so, a gum tissue flap will be raised, then the bone underneath trimmed away.

  This scenario is a more involved surgical process than the first one. And afterward, stitches will be needed to hold the flap in place as it heals.

(See below to learn more about both of these procedures.)

2) Fragile or cracked teeth.

Beyond just having missing parts, what remains of a broken tooth may be fragile. And traumatized teeth that may still appear substantially intact, may have cracks that suggest to the dentist that they’ll fracture during the extraction process.

The difficulty this causes – Teeth are extracted by way of applying forces to them. And these same forces might be enough to break a fragile tooth. If so, the portion that remains in the tooth’s socket may be difficult to access and manipulate, thus adding greatly to the degree of difficulty of the procedure.

▲Section references – Ahel

3 Root Molar Native American

Solutions for this situation.

With these types of situations, the dentist may decide that approaching the tooth’s procedure as a surgical one right from the start makes the best plan because it minimizes the chances of complications associated with the unpredictability of the tooth fracturing.

Here’s how performing a surgical extraction can help.

• Removing some of the bone that encases the tooth’s root(s) can make it so it can be loosened up and removed with less force, thus reducing its chances for fracture.
• The dentist may decide to section the tooth. “Sectioning” means cutting a tooth into pieces and taking them out individually.

  As an example, a two-rooted molar might be cut in half. That way each piece, each having one of the roots attached, can be removed separately.

(See below for more details about these procedures.)

3) Teeth with long or curved roots.

An extraction’s level of difficulty often hinges on the configuration of its roots. (This is one reason why dentists typically recommend that wisdom teeth should be removed before full root development has occurred.Rationale / Example.)

Here are some of the root-related challenges that a tooth may pose that a dentist can manage by performing its extraction surgically:

a) Curved roots – Removing multi-rooted teeth (like molars) that have especially curved, hooked or crooked roots can prove to be stubborn extractions. Beyond just being difficult procedures, the act of pulling these teeth may require the use of excessive forces that may cause bone or tooth breakage.

Solutions for this situation.

Molars (including wisdom teeth) are frequently sectioned when pulled. Cutting the tooth into parts, each having its own individual root, means that each piece will take less force to remove than if the tooth were whole.

The dentist will also have the luxury of removing especially curved roots each on their own, instead of locked together as an unmanageable unit.

(See below for more details about sectioning teeth.)

b) Long, large roots – Teeth (like eyeteeth, canines) that have relatively larger, longer roots will take more force to extract than those that have comparatively shorter, smaller ones (such as lower incisors).

And when having to extract a tooth with a longer root, the dentist doesn’t want to be placed in the position where they must apply excessive forces. Doing so puts the tooth, surrounding bone and even the jawbone at risk of fracture.

Solutions for this situation.

By removing some of the bone that encases the roots of stubborn teeth, or sectioning them into parts if multi-rooted, the dentist can lower the level of force they must use, thus lowering the risk of procedure complications.

(See below for more details about these procedures.)

c) Thin, fragile roots – Comparatively longer, thinner roots will be more likely to break during a tooth’s extraction process. And this concern doesn’t just exist with small teeth. Some of the roots of multi-rooted teeth (molars, premolars) can be small, fragile and easily broken too.

Solutions for this situation.

In cases where a dentist fully expects that a tooth’s root(s) will break, a surgical extraction (bone removal, sectioning) may be indicated. That’s because at the time of surgery, broken root tip retrieval can be routine but isn’t always.

For example, the layer of bone that encases the tips of the roots of upper molars can be paper-thin. So in the case where a root does break, an attempt to retrieve the piece that remains may result in it being pushed through this fragile bone and into the nasal sinus. If this occurs, this is a major complication.

(See below for more details about these procedures.)

4) Impacted teeth.

Tooth “impaction” involves the situation where a tooth has not been able to come into its normal position in the mouth. And as a result, it still lies buried by gum tissue and possibly bone tissue too.

The type of tooth that’s most likely to be impacted is the 3rd molar (wisdom tooth).

[Use this link for a graphic illustrating the different impaction typesPictures / Diagrams discussed below.]

With impacted teeth, a surgical extraction will be required. It’s only a question of which added surgical steps will be needed.

a) Soft tissue impactions. – This is the case where the tooth is only buried by a layer of gum tissue.

Solutions for this situation.

The dentist will need to make an incision in the overlying gum tissue and then reflect it back as a flap.

Now that the tooth has been exposed it can be removed, possibly just using routine extraction techniques. The flap is then positioned back and tacked into place using stitches.

(See below for more information about tissue flaps.)

b) Partial-bony impactions. – This classification involves teeth whose upper portion is both buried underneath the gums and partially encased by bone.

Solutions for this situation.

Just as above, the gum tissue must be flapped back so the tooth is exposed. Whatever bone stands in the way of removing the tooth is trimmed. The tooth is then removed and the tissue flap repositioned and stitched into place.

(See below for more information about how these procedures are performed.)

c) Full-bony impactions. – With this situation, the impacted tooth is fully encased in the jawbone. (The most difficult types of wisdom teeth to remove are full-bony impactions.)

Solutions for this situation.

The same general steps taken with partial-bony impactions are performed here also, although much more bone tissue is trimmed away. And while any of the cases discussed above may, this one frequently involves the use of tooth sectioning technique to cut the tooth into smaller pieces that can then be removed individually.

(See below for more information about tooth sectioning.)

5) Dense, inelastic bone.

The underlying difficulty – Conditions may exist that have affected the bone that encases the roots of a tooth. This can include increased bone density (often a result of excessive tooth clenching and grinding) and age-related bone inelasticity.

Other patients may have added deposits of bone on their jaws (termed exostoses) whose presence complicates the extraction process.

Solutions for this situation.

With these cases, the use of bone removal or tooth sectioning techniques can help to reduce the level of force that’s needed for the extraction, thus making it a more controlled and predictable process.

(See below for more information about these procedures.)

Some bone removal may be needed to retrieve this root tip.

6) Root tip removal.

Over time, the broken piece may remain in its original location, or possibly migrate toward the jaw’s surface.Why they move. But either way, if at some point a decision is made to retrieve the root tip, a surgical extraction will likely be needed.

Solutions for this situation.

The type of procedure needed will simply depend on the tip’s current position.

• If it now lies close to the surface of the gums, a minor incision through the overlying tissue may create enough access to flick it out.
• If the broken tip still remains encased in bone, a tissue flap and bone removal will be required to retrieve it.

Surgical extractions – Procedure details.

There are 3 basic surgical techniques that might be utilized during a tooth’s extraction. They are:

• a)Raising a gum tissue flap.
• b)Trimming bone from around the tooth.
• c)Sectioning the tooth.

Creating a flap allows access to the jawbone surrounding the tooth.

a) Tissue flaps.

Use this page “Gum tissue flaps procedure”The steps. for information about how they’re designed and made, as well as information about types of, placing and removing stitches.

b) Trimming bone.

• Changing the nature of the extraction – By removing some of the bone that encases a tooth’s root, the dentist can change (reduce) the level of force that’s needed to loosen and remove it.

  This is a positive thing because it helps to make the extraction process more controlled and predictable. When excessive forces must be used, tooth or bone fracture or jaw joint aggravation may occur.

• Access –When extracting broken teeth, surrounding bone is often removed so more of the tooth is exposed. This makes it easier for the dentist to grasp and manipulate what’s left of the tooth, thus making the extraction process more like a conventional one.

  In the case of impacted teeth (like wisdom teeth), the purpose of removing bone may be as fundamental as being what’s needed to even access the tooth.

Whatever the purpose, as the dentist makes their plans one of their prime considerations will be how to keep the amount of bone they remove as limited as possible.

Trimming away bone – The process.

a) Removing bone immediately adjacent to and within the tooth’s socket.

In cases where much of the tooth is missing and what is left is its root portion in its socket, the dentist may already have the direct access they need to remove bone.

This type of situation might exist when pulling teeth that have already fractured, or those that during their extraction procedure have broken or been sectioned into pieces (see below).

What the dentist will do.

Since they already have the access they need, a dentist will often just go ahead and trim away bone tissue from around the tooth using their dental drill. Doing so can be a quick and simple way of exposing more of the tooth without making a big production out of the process.

Deeper within the socket, this same method might be used as a way of removing bone from in between individual roots, or simply creating whatever additional space is needed for better instrument access.

Issues.

One advantage of this method is that no secondary wound is created (like when a gum tissue flap is raised, see below). The trimming is primarily accomplished within the wound that would have generally existed anyway. This is favorable for the healing process.

What you’ll experience.

If your dentist does things this way, it won’t be much of an issue for you. You’ll hear the noise and feel the vibrations of the drill as it’s being used. Other than that, it should be a non-issue.

Trimming bone in this manner may take very little time. And as opposed to a separate step, it’s often just incorporated into the flow of the procedure.

Since they don’t want to remove more bone than is necessary, a dentist will frequently drill an initial amount, then try to remove the tooth. If it doesn’t come out as expected, and after evaluating why, they’ll make adjustments in their plan and trim some more.

b) Removing bone external to the tooth’s socket.

In situations where the bone that needs to be removed lies in an area covered by gum tissue, a flap will need to be raised.

This type of scenario would apply to cases such as removing impacted wisdom teeth (where a layer of bone lies over the tooth) or removing the bone alongside of a tooth (so to expose a portion of its roots, so it’s easier to remove).

What the dentist will do.

• The dentist will first need to plan and then make the incision(s) needed to create the gum tissue flap (see above). They’ll then reflect (peel) it back.
• Once exposed, the bone can then be removed (either via the use of a drill or hand instruments).
• Once the extraction has been completed, the flap is closed and tacked back into place with stitches.

3 Roots On Molars

Issues.

The fact that along with bone removal a gum tissue flap is raised too makes this a more involved procedure than that described above.

And because a flap is created, a higher level of surgical trauma is experienced than with routine extractions, and this will affect the duration of the healing process that follows.Extraction healing timeline.

In cases where choosing to perform this step is even remotely optional, what the dentist is trying to accomplish by doing so is to create trauma “surgically” (quickly, neatly, in a controlled manner) as opposed to via the blunt force typically created during a messy, blundered extraction (i.e. torn or bruised tissues, broken, bruised or otherwise traumatized bone and broken teeth.)

What you’ll experience.

You’ll feel pressure as the outline of the flap is scored with a scalpel and then peeled back.The procedure.

You’ll also hear the sounds and feel the vibrations and pressure created by the tools used to remove the bone (probably a drill, possibly hand chisels). But other than that, this whole process should be a non-event.

The addition of this step will mean that your extraction may take a little longer. With simple cases, just an extra 10 minutes or so. With impacted wisdom teeth, this step may be a major component of the extraction process.

After your procedure has been completed, it’s important for you to understand if you need to return to have your stitches removed or not.

Minimizing trauma to the bone.

Whichever of the above methods is used, first on your dentist’s mind will be making sure that the drill they use doesn’t overheat the bone tissue during their work. They’ll do this by flushing the site with water (or preferably saltwater) continuously throughout the trimming process.

This constant irrigation will also wash away spicules of loose bone that are created (they could interfere during healing). It also helps to keep the bone moist during the extraction process.

▲Section references – Fragiskos, Koerner, Wray

c) Sectioning teeth.

Tooth sectioning, or “controlled tooth division,” can help to lower an extraction’s level of difficulty. By splitting (sectioning) a tooth into parts, an otherwise difficult extraction can be transformed into a simpler one because now each part can be removed individually.

What sectioning accomplishes.

Tooth sectioning has various purposes. They include:

Each piece is easier to remove than the tooth as a whole.

• Reducing the level of force needed to remove the tooth. – By splitting a multi-rooted tooth into parts, each piece can be removed using less force than if the tooth were whole.

  This lessens the likelihood that tooth or root fracture will occur, or the jaw joint irritated.

• Simplifying a tooth’s configuration. – Multi-rooted teeth that have especially curved, hooked or crooked roots are frequently sectioned. That way each root’s path of withdrawal out of the socket can be managed individually.

  Without sectioning, these types of extractions are often difficult and result in root breakage.

• Allowing smaller access. – In the case where bone tissue must be removed to gain access to impacted teeth (like wisdom teeth), sectioning the tooth into smaller portions allows it to be removed through a smaller opening (see picture below).

  A smaller wound is favorable for the healing process and results in a smaller post-surgery defect (“dent”) in the jawbone.

How are teeth split up?

By sectioning the tooth into parts, less bone removal is needed.

• In the case of a two-rooted lower molar, a logical place to cut the tooth is in half, right between its roots (see picture above).
• With some impacted wisdom teeth, the tooth’s crown portion may need to be cut off and removed first. Then the root portion can be sectioned and removed.

How does a dentist section a tooth?

Nowadays, teeth are usually sectioned using a dental handpiece (drill). [In the past, teeth were broken into parts using a mallet and chisel.]

• During this process, the dentist will continuously flush the working area with water.

  This removes any chips or fragments that are created. It also helps to keep the amount of bone-traumatizing heat that’s generated during the process to a minimum.

• After the tooth has been sectioned, the individual pieces are teased out using conventional extraction instruments (forceps and elevators).
• The pieces may be interlocking, so sometimes it takes getting a first one out before the others follow more easily.

What you’ll experience.

Sectioning a tooth into pieces typically does involve cutting into its pulp chamber and nerve tissue. The good news is that since your tooth has already been numbed for its extraction, you won’t feel it as it does.

• You will hear the sound of the drill and feel the vibrations it creates as it works.
• In some cases, your dentist may cut your tooth most of the way through but not all. They’ll then split the two halves apart by wedging a tool in between them. If so, you’ll feel a little bit of pressure as it’s applied, and then a snap as the two parts separate.

Other details about surgical extractions.

Yours may be planned or unplanned.

As beneficial as the surgical steps we discuss on this page can be, no dentist will choose to include them in their patient’s extraction process unless they feel sure they are needed. As examples:

• During your pre-treatment examination, your dentist may discover reasons why they feel a surgical extraction should be planned right from the start. Examples of these reasons are given at the top of this page.
• Your dentist might observe clues that hint that surgical steps will be needed but they choose to hold off on them until they have further proof.

  For example, the pre-op x-ray that’s been taken of your toothYes, one will be needed. may suggest that the bone encasing its roots is quite dense. Finding the tooth very difficult to loosen during the initial stages of your extraction process would confirm this fact for your dentist. If so, they might immediately switch to the use of a surgical approach.

• As a last scenario, the nature of the routine extraction that your dentist expects might suddenly change. For example, the crown of your tooth might snap off at the gum line. If so, a switch to a surgical approach would be likely.

Don’t be frightened of the idea of having a surgical extraction.

As a patient, the last thing you want is for something unexpected to happen during your tooth extraction. Or for the process to be more difficult than it needs to be (including the healing process).

Implementing surgical steps with your procedure generally means that it will go more quickly and predictably, and likely result in less overall surgical trauma, than if the potential undesired events did occur.

Try to think of having a surgical extraction as a form of insurance, in the sense that it places your dentist in a position where they have more control. Thus helping to guarantee that your entire experience will be as pleasant and uneventful as it can be.

Details about: “Simple” (routine / “non-surgical”) tooth extractions.What they’re like. ▶

Page references sources:

Ahel V, et al. Forces that fracture teeth during extraction with mandibular premolar and maxillary incisor forceps.

Fragiskos FD. Oral Surgery (Chapter: Surgical Tooth Extraction)

Koerner KR. Manual of Minor Oral Surgery for the General Dentist. (Chapter: Surgical Extractions)

Wray D, et al. Textbook of General and Oral Surgery.

All reference sources for topic Tooth Extractions.

Comments.

This section contains comments submitted in previous years. Many have been edited so to limit their scope to subjects discussed on this page.

Comment –

Surgical broken tooth extraction.

I have a broken tooth that needs to come out. The tooth doesn’t hurt but the dentist says that what’s left is so decayed that a crown can’t be placed. My dentist says that a surgical extraction is needed and that I need to take sedation medication for it. I’m scared, this seems like a big process.

3 Roots Molar Formula

Kelly M

Reply –

Your situation seems to be one where tooth extraction seems to be the only option. If so, you should look at your dentist’s pre-treatment planning of your extraction as a surgical one a very positive thing.

A dentist with less clinical expertise might first attempt your extraction as a conventional (simple) one, only to fail.

Instead of that (which involves you sitting through the failed attempt, creating additional tissue trauma, extending the length of your procedure, etc…), your dentist has identified that surgical steps are needed. By doing that right off the bat, your procedure will be quicker and less eventful, both during your procedure and the healing process that follows. Those are all very positive things.

As far as the use of the medication for your procedure goes, it’s not uncommon that some type of sedation method is used with surgical extractions. And in your case you clearly state you are scared about the procedure, so that seems a reasonable thing to do. In general terms, using it helps you to be more relaxed, and gives your dentist a more compliant/cooperative patient. Once again, these things are all positive. Good luck.

Staff Dentist

Comment –

Difficult tooth extraction.

My wisdom tooth was extracted a week ago and lots of pain I have had for the last two days. It was a very stuff extraction process due to its location and I heard him complain of one root that was still in place after the extraction but later on lost its whereabouts. Am back to the hospital and AwAiting an x Ray to be done to rule out any remnant roots. Am worried about her competence.

Joseph O.

Reply –

Since we obvious know nothing about the circumstances involving your situation, it’s not possible for us to state anything specific. In our response, we’re making the assumption that the treatment was provided by a general dentist.

Any dentist will tell you that what it takes to actually complete a procedure (level of skill or expertise) may be different that what they initially thought would be required. With the question then becoming, was their level of expertise one where they should have suspected that the procedure would be difficult (like noticing telltale signs on an x-ray).

For anyone else reading in preparation of an extraction, about all you can do is ask the dentist bluntly: Is this a type of extraction you routinely perform? Is this the type of extraction that general dentists routinely refer to an oral surgeon? Is there anything about the tooth or situation that might indicate that referral would make a good choice?

Make it clear to them that the process and outcome of the procedure are as important to you as factors such as cost or convenience, and that you are open to the idea of being referred if that makes the more predictable procedural choice.

Joseph, we hope you have a quick recovery. While you don’t mention, we assume that your having a dry socket has been ruled out as the problem.

Staff Dentist

Comment –

Hollowed out tooth.

I was told 2 years ago when I went back to have a tooth removed I would have to see a specialist in case it broke. I was told roots were right at my sinus cavity. Does that sound right?

tt

Reply –

Your dentist seems to anticipate that the same paper thin layer of bone both encases your tooth’s roots and serves as the floor of your sinus. As such, this fragile bone may break off and stay attached to the tooth when the tooth is removed, thus necessitating some type of repair. Or if a root breaks off during the extraction process, when trying to to retrieve it it may get pushed through the thin bone and into the sinus, thus necessitating yet another procedure to retrieve it from there.

As bad as all of that sounds, what is difficult for a general dentist accomplish is often fairly routine for an oral surgeon to prevent and/or handle. Your dentist simply wants you in the most capable hands possible if complications arise. But they certainly don’t know for a fact that they will.

Per your question: Yes, sectioning the tooth, or removing bone from around the tooth as described above, may be an appropriate technique to use with your tooth to lower the risks associated with its extraction (either making tooth fracture or sinus floor fracture less likely). But only the person extracting the tooth can determine if that is needed.

Staff Dentist

Comment –

Surgical Tooth Extraction

Good day,

Can surgical tooth extraction be done with just dental shots only to numb the area, without any form of sedation? Thank You.

Elle

Reply –

Yes, and that’s probably the norm. The use of sedation has to do with helping the patient tolerate the procedure (fear, long procedures, and such). If those issues don’t apply, then it’s not needed.

Staff Dentist

Comment –

Fast Tooth Extraction – Hammered it loose

Had a tooth extracted yesterday. Upper right #12 or #5. It was 1/2 decayed, couldn’t be repaired, saved.

Without warning, my dentist used some kind of hammer, mallet, to loosen tooth from bone without breaking it into pieces. I was shocked & traumatized with the amount of pressure I felt….OMG…luckily, I was numbed up enough so I felt no pain.

I still can not believe that this dentist was hammering, 2-3-4, hard blows to my tooth. I don’t know how he did it. I had never even heard of such a procedure. I’m wondering, why isn’t this procedure described anywhere, & if it’s not common procedure, are there any side affects to my jaw, mouth, etc., that I should be watching for? I also hope that the teeth on each side did not get whacked with all that hammering force, pressure.

Geeeeezzzz….???

L.R.

Reply –

Historically it was common for dentists to use a mallet and chisel to section teeth (cut them into multiple pieces for easier removal).

When air turbine dental drills became widely used in dentistry (1960’s), they became the preferred choice for this task. [That’s not to say that using a (air driven) drill necessarily makes a better choice. But it does create a more pleasant patient experience.]

While we can imagine that oral surgeons still use a mallet and chisel for some purposes and situations, it’s not so common for a general dentist to do so.

We will mention that teeth #5 and #12 are sometimes two-rooted teeth. So possibly the dentist did have sectioning in mind. However, doing so for these teeth isn’t necessarily common practice.

You mention that the tooth was extensively decayed, implying that there was little tooth structure for extraction forceps to grasp. From that, we’re assuming your dentist drove their tool into the ligament space between the tooth and bone (like how a dental elevator is used, although usually just with hand pressure), thus the tooth came out.

Since we know so little about your procedure, we won’t second guess your dentist’s choices.

Generally a dentist will be concerned about the level of forces applied, for fear of breaking bone, pushing the tooth beyond it’s socket (like into the sinuses) or traumatizing adjacent teeth. No doubt your dentist had factored these issues in.

As far as what to watch for, we have a page that describes the expected healing process after extractions. If you notice anything that diverges from that, you should be in touch with your dentist for evaluation.

If there was any major bone breakage, we’re assuming your dentist would have identified that at the time of your procedure. Any small fractures might not be identified, but would also likely just heal uneventfully on their own (with no one ever knowing they really existed).

In general, the sharp edges of tooth fracture should be apparent now. Sensitivity issues associated with cracked teeth or traumatized tooth nerves would also be expected to be apparent this time frame.

Longer term, bone fracture issues will have shown themselves and/or healed. It’s possible that trauma to teeth during the extraction might lead to future problems (need for root canal, tooth breakage, the expansion of small cracks created during the extraction process) but all of those things would be essentially impossible to directly correlate to events during your procedure.

Staff Dentist

Comment –

Tooth cutting.

Went to dentist yesterday. Dentist told me that there is very small place to pull your tooth so I will have to grind other tooth to make space for extraction. Please advice, I am phobiatic to doctors and dentist is like a nightmare for me.

What can be done?

Hemant Bhave

Reply –

Without knowing a single thing about how your tooth is positioned, about all we can state is the following:

Here’s a quote from Hupps textbook of oral surgery:
“… crowded or otherwise malposed teeth may present difficulty in positioning the usually used forceps onto the tooth for extraction. When access is a problem, a different forceps may be needed or a surgical
approach may be indicated.”

Our point here is that no mention is made of making changes to the adjacent teeth. Trimming down the tooth being extracted would be a harmless option. Or removing the tooth via a surgical procedure, possibly involving sectioning it into pieces that are easier to withdrawal from the cramped confines, would be a common approach too.

With difficult cases, like yours seems to be, a referral to an oral surgeon might be indicated.

Staff Dentist

Comment –

Horizontally Impacted Wisdom teeth.

Hello, my dentist has diagnosed me as having lower horizontally impacted wisdom teeth. He has thus recommended a surgical procedure involving sectioning. He also mentioned that there is a risk of nerve damage in such procedures, but was quick to also mention that my risk is quite low as the nerves are adequately distant from the teeth. I am however curious; how much distance is adequate distance? Also, would taking nerve rehabilitating medication immediately after the procedure improve my safety chances? And professionally, would you remove one tooth at a time or both?

3 Roots Molar

PS: One of them though in the same impacted position, does not have an negative symptoms at the moment.

Isaac Simbwa

Reply –

We don’t really have any information to share about a specific distance that might be considered safe. The bone itself is compressible, so beyond just the absolute thickness of bone that exists, the way the tooth is handled during the extraction (amount pressure applied to the tooth while working it loose, what the tooth’s path of withdrawl is (which would be different for straight or curved roots) would be important too). Obviously your dentist is taking this into consideration by choosing to section the tooth. Doing so helps to reduce the level of concern associated with these issues.

We’ll also state that it’s only with 3D x-ray imaging that the distance could even be measured, which is a type of imaging that most general practitioners don’t usually have. So, if your dentist does, all the more reason that their opinion is quite informed about your situation.

You don’t really mention if the dentist you have consulted is an oral surgeon. One would anticipate that the skill and experience level of an oral surgeon would tend to reduce the chances of complications like paresthesia. If your dentist is a general dentist, you might bluntly ask if there are any reasons why they might feel that a referral to an oral surgeon is indicated for your case.

In regard to medications, we have little to share other than what is stated here. If you’ll notice, we only discuss the use of anti-inflammatory drugs. Commenting on the benefits of using other types of drugs lies beyond scope of our website.

As far as whether to remove 1 or both teeth (left and right lower 3rd molars). The extractions are essentially unrelated. If you can tolerate both procedures, and enough time is set aside to do both without constraints, and your dentist feels that doing so is appropriate, then you might follow their advice. The advantage of doing so is that you only go through one healing process, not two separate ones. Good luck with your procedure(s).

Staff Dentist

Comment –

Extra teeth growing in my mouth.

Good day,

I have experience allot of pain m,I have 4 extra teeth growing in the front bottom teeth on the curves , It has been extremely painful.

3 Roots Molar Vs

Could you please tell me what procedure they will have to do for that.

Tonia

Reply –

On YouTube, I see a video titled “surgical extraction of fully impacted supernumerary canine.” From your description, one would think your procedure would be similar to what’s shown.

For background information about extra teeth, here’s our page about supernumeraries.. Best of luck with your procedure.

Staff Dentist