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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What are the treatment options for an infected tooth with a metal post?

    Related Topics
    Dentistry Orthodontics
    I have a metal post in a front tooth which I'm told is infected, what are my treatment choices please?
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  • Dr Daniel James

    Dentist

    Hi Vale,

    Normally, when a tooth is infected, there are two basic treatment options. The first, which would be the most desireable for a front tooth, is root canal treatment, where the dead and infected nerve tissue is removed from inside the tooth, the space disinfected, and then sealed and filled. The other option would be extraction of the affected tooth.

    Having a metal post in the tooth does complicate the situation. I would assume that if the tooth already has a post in it, then it has also already had a root canal treatment at some point in the past. Re-doing a previous root canal treatment is possible, but when there is a post in the tooth it can make it very difficult if not impossible to retreat. Another option may be what is called an 'apicoectomy' which is a small surgical procedure where the infection around the tip of the root is cleaned up, and the root tip sealed. Not all general dentists perform this procedure so you may need to be referred to a specialist.

    If it cant be retreated in any way, then you may have to consider extraction and replacement. The basic replacement options would include a denture, a bridge, or an implant. All three options have their advanatges and disadvanatges, and not all are appropriate in some cases.

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