She saw Cathleen Perrin, who performed a thorough examination and discussed all treatment options with Mrs T, and the timescales involved.
Cathleen determined that as the root was intact, the best short-term option would be to make a small temporary denture with a single tooth that fits over the existing root. This would be made to match the colour and appearance of the adjacent teeth, and would mean Mrs T would have a tooth in place for her holiday.
For the long-term, the retained root was very narrow and would require root canal treatment, a post and core filling and then a new crown. Cathleen showed the x-rays to our specialist in endodontics, Somayeh Moddarres Simmons, who agreed the root could fracture and not last.
As Mrs T did not want a removable denture in the long term, she wanted to explore her dental implant options. She saw Hugh Cowley for a dental implant consultation, who determined he could remove the broken root and place an immediate implant at the same time. This saved Mrs T three months' healing and time, and resulted in lower costs and reduced surgical procedures. A dental implant is essentially a ‘bionic root’, where a small titanium screw is placed into the jawbone, integrating in a process called osseointegration and actively preventing bone loss.
After a healing period of several months, Cathleen could then take impressions to have a crown made to match the colour, shape and lustre of the adjacent teeth. An implant post was then securely fitted and the crown temporarily secured to ensure Mrs T was happy with the fit, feel and appearance.
Mrs T is so delighted with her smile, she sent Cathleen this email:
“Cathleen - I am so pleased with my replacement tooth (finally !) and just wanted to thank you for all the care you gave it. You strived for a really good outcome, not just an acceptable one, and that meant everything, and the result is all I could have hoped for and more.
I would never have believed that, at 83, such a comparative detail would mean so much. But when there is so much age-related stuff that is irredeemable, it’s so good to be able to overcome something and get it fixed. So thank you. I’ve been smiling a lot today” Mrs T.
Click here to see our treatments at Elmsleigh House.