Treating Fractured Root
There are a variety of causes for dental fractures, and, when a tooth root fractures, the preferred treatment will depend on the severity of the damage to the tooth. If the root fracture is mild and located close to the gum line, it may be possible to stabilize the damage by repositioning and splinting the fractured root. For more significant fractures, when the damage extends into the vital pulp at the center of the tooth, root canal treatment is recommended. In some cases, if the damage to the tooth is catastrophic, the tooth cannot be saved and must be extracted. The primary goal of treatment for a fractured root is to preserve as much of the natural tooth as possible, so extraction is considered a last resort ideally reserved for the most significant cases of root fracture.
Root canal treatment is one of the most common types of emergency dental therapies, with several million procedures performed in the US annually. Experienced endodontists trained in current dental technologies perform relatively painless root canals, eliminating infection and preventing additional, painful damage. When a tooth is badly damaged, the vital pulp inside the tooth can become inflamed and infected. This pulp contains blood vessels and nerve tissue that keep the tooth alive; when the pulp tissues become infected, the pain is intense, and infection can spread into the jaw, forming an abscess and threatening to spread systemically and dangerously. Removing infected tissue eliminates pain and halts infection in its place, and restoring the structure of the tooth prevents additional infection and allows the dentition to function as it should.
The nerves in dental pulp serve the sole function of providing sensation, and removing nerve tissue during a root canal doesn’t affect the mechanics of the tooth; it just decreases the presence of pain. When the blood vessels in dental pulp become infected, they present the risk of introducing infection to the bloodstream. Tissues adjacent to infected tooth roots also face a risk of inflammation, as the body’s defense mechanisms sense danger in the area and rush to the rescue, swelling with white blood cells. In the root canal procedure, an endodontist extracts damaged, infected pulp tissue and cleans out the canals inside the tooth, disinfecting and smoothing their surfaces to eliminate bacteria. After the inside of the tooth is prepared, the dentist fills the tooth with dental compound before sealing the structure of the tooth in place with a dental crown. After a brief recovery period, the restored tooth will look and function just like a healthy, pain-free tooth.
If the root fracture is so severe that the tooth cannot be salvaged, the endodontist may have no choice but to extract the tooth. Extraction is necessary to eliminate the often-excruciating pain of root fracture and to remove the risk of infection, helping preserve the health of nearby teeth and oral tissues by removing the source of pain and vulnerability. If you do need to have a tooth extracted, you and your dentist can discuss the various options for restoring the appearance and function of your teeth with a dental prosthetic.