A 51-year-old male asked:
Root canal lasted 31 years. updated to a crown a year ago. now tooth under crown has decay. what are odds decay was resorption vs. bacteria introduced?
5 doctor answers • 12 doctors weighed in
Dr. Gary Sandleranswered
Dentistry 56 years experience
Odds?: These types of questions are best answered by a dentist who can personally examine you, going over both clinical records and radiographs over the entire course of treatment.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Arnold Malermananswered
Orthodontics 55 years experience
How lucky: A root canal treated tooth lasting 31 years is remarkable. Not being able to examine you, or review the x-rays taken over those 31 years, the decay is in all probability bacterial in origin.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Felicia Mataanswered
Cosmetic Dentistry 27 years experience
See your dentist: Your crown is only a year old. If the new decay ( where we always blame bacteria but poor diet and hygiene are also contributory factors) is incipient, your dentist can just fill it without anaesthetic . If the decay is beyond the gumline, the laser can remove a part of the tissue to expose the affected area so it can be restorable. See your dentist regularly.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A Verified Doctoranswered
Endodontics 46 years experience
Low: resorption is not common! Decay is.
When crowns are replaced, existing fillings under the crown should be removed, area underneath examined for decay and removed,buildup performed, and THEN new crown replaced!
Examination by an Endodontist will give you a definitive answer of decay( probable) vs Resorption
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Jeffrey Bassmananswered
Dentistry 47 years experience
Hard to say: Get more than one opinion if in doubt. The crown may have been leaking for a long time without evidence, since x-rays normally cannot penetrate the crown area if there is metal in the crown.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Sep 29, 2016
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