How Serious is a Fractured Root?
Although we take care of our oral health, problems that are beyond our control can often occur. Accidents happen, it is inevitable, even if we take all the necessary measures and precautions. With that, you should be aware of when these emergencies occur, in order to know how to solve the problem in the best way.
A broken tooth at the root, for example, can have serious consequences for your health and quality of life, causing pain that can bother you considerably. In addition to the fracture being serious, some of the causes of the fractured tooth can be serious, if not treated. This is why it is important for a dentist to intervene.
What are the likely causes of a broken tooth at the root?
There are several situations that can generate a broken tooth at the root and that you should be aware of. See what they are below:
Direct trauma
Falls and blows directly on the teeth often lead to trauma to the dental roots which, in ideal situations, cause fractures on the crowns and roots. Fractures due to direct trauma are rarely found in posterior teeth, with anterior teeth having almost all the problems related to trauma. If a fractured root is damaged enough by trauma, the tooth may need to be extracted and replaced.
Bruxism
Bruxism, a parafunctional habit of clenching and grinding the teeth, is associated with cracks and root fractures. The problem is more frequent in posterior teeth that have metallic pins that support dental prostheses. However, broken or fractured roots in anterior teeth are found in increasing frequency. Patients with more intense bone loss – such as those that appear due to periodontal problems or inadequate orthodontic treatments – are the most affected by the problems of fracture roots due to bruxism.
Root canal treatment
Contrary to what most individuals believe, root canal treatment, in itself, does not weaken the tooth, making it more susceptible to fracture. Excessive removal of sound tooth structure during root canal treatment without compensatory reinforcement with fiber posts, dental restorations, or prosthetic crowns is the cause for the high association between root canal treated teeth and broken and fractured crowns and roots.
Metal prosthetic pin
To recover the destruction of the dental crown, dentists use the channels present in the dental roots to fix pins. This procedure, which can be performed with metal, fiberglass or carbon pins, aims to increase the anchorage of the dental prosthesis that goes over the tooth. The metal post, however, when subjected to chewing effort, can lead to fracture of dental roots due to the wedge effect, generated by the difference in elasticity between roots and post. The result is cracked roots which, in more severe cases, can split back teeth in half.
Cavities
Bacterial and carious infiltration beneath restorations or prostheses can invade the roots, weakening them. As you can see, some of them are preventable, such as taking care to avoid cavities and orthodontic treatments to realign teeth. However, others are unpredictable and can happen through accidents. So, be aware of what are the main symptoms that show such a problem.