URGENT HELP NEEDED :( TOOTH DAMAGED AFTER BRACES !!!

FINCIA

Hi everyone,

I got the braces on back in January this year and was really happy about getting them on. About 3 weeks ago, one of my teeth needed to be slightly turned to fit into the spot. My Orthodontist fitted a mental bracket and applied some “power-train” (her words, for the special criss-cross clear wire) to move the tooth. When she tightened this up, it hurt like hell! I started having hot & cold sensitivity on this tooth almost immediately, next day, I had no sensation in the tooth… I rang the practice to tell them and they said it was normal… but then the colour of my tooth changed. It became a light grey. Everyone thought it may just be the colour reflecting off the metal bracket, but I knew something was up…

My orthodontist took two x-rays last week and said that the tooth was alive! She had said all along up till that day that I would get them off the 2nd week in June, so why did she decide to remove the braces this week, three weeks earlier than expected, when she saw the damage! And if the tooth is alive, why is it grey?

Before they would fit the braces, I had to attend a private clinic to have an X-ray done. This was to make sure that I had healthy, un-damaged roots/teeth !!!

I am getting married in four weeks-time and I am really disappointed. What can I do? Is there a solution to getting this tooth back to normal? It’s so frustrating as I know it’s down to their negligence

Oral Surgeon

Sorry to hear that you are having trouble OP...

Sure enough excessive pressure may cause pulpal ischaemia (reduced blood supply to pulp of tooth), then sterile necrosis leading to greying..... I really couldn't say what sort of pressure and what time period is required to cause this problem- maybe some of the orthodontists here could comment???

Bottom line here is you need to look after this tooth;

Don't self diagnose and then head to a dentist demanding a root canal- if you do; you will get a root canal maybe unnecessarily.
Ask for a referral to an endodontist (specialist in root canal), ask him/her to assess the vitality of the tooth usually over a few visits.

Methods used include;
electric test
hot/cold test
assessment of blood flow in pulp
x-rays
colour
tenderness
swelling/ infection

A grey colour is not a major sign; the big ones are, a black tooth, if the tooth is really tender to bite or touch, a swelling or pus in the gum above the root...

It may not be clear if you need a root canal or not so see an endodontist to decide.

Good luck

FINCIA

Oral Surgeon wrote: »

Sorry to hear that you are having trouble OP...

Sure enough excessive pressure may cause pulpal ischaemia (reduced blood supply to pulp of tooth), then sterile necrosis leading to greying..... I really couldn't say what sort of pressure and what time period is required to cause this problem- maybe some of the orthodontists here could comment???

Bottom line here is you need to look after this tooth;

Don't self diagnose and then head to a dentist demanding a root canal- if you do; you will get a root canal maybe unnecessarily.
Ask for a referral to an endodontist (specialist in root canal), ask him/her to assess the vitality of the tooth usually over a few visits.

Methods used include;
electric test
hot/cold test
assessment of blood flow in pulp
x-rays
colour
tenderness
swelling/ infection

A grey colour is not a major sign; the big ones are, a black tooth, if the tooth is really tender to bite or touch, a swelling or pus in the gum above the root...

It may not be clear if you need a root canal or not so see an endodontist to decide.

Good luck

Hi Oral Surgeon,

Many thanks for your reply to your post! I took your advice and went to see an endodontist. He performed every test that you listed above and was most helpful, very informative & compassionate!

Unfortunately my tooth is dead, I am totally devastated. You pay big bucks to try & fix a smile & this is the result

It couldve been a lot worse though! Just killing me to have to pay more money out 4 weeks before our wedding

Anyways, I really trust this endodontist & know he'll do a proper job for me to have my smile back to normal! Thanks again for your advice, it helped a lot

day dreamer

Hi

sorry to hear about your troubles so close to the wedding. Orthodontists use elastics like you mentioned all the time to close space and move teeth. I am sure you can appreciate that without seeing you I cannot give a proper opinion but you have done the right thing and the endodontist will sort it out.

It is highly unlikley that this elastic on it's own would cause the problem, if it would happen to everyone getting braces. It might be related to an episode of trauma in the past or a large filling. There could have been a pre-existing condition or it might just have happened with no obvious cause.

I would not agree that it was negligence but you should discuss it with the orthodontist involved, I am sure they will be concerned. Finally it is not unusual for orthodontic treatment to take a few weeks or even months shorter or longer than was planned.