Case Study Number 368745
Patient was told seven years ago to remove lower right premolar and replace this tooth by an implant supported crown. Lack of periradicular tissues implied a guided tissue regeneration which, in turn implied a bone curetage close to the mental foramen. Estimated health risk: A possible permanent nerve paresthesia caused by a curetage or by an implant surgery close to the mental foramen on a patient with a narrow crestal mandibular bone. A possible failure of guided tissue regeneration which in turn, would impair implant osseointegration (or simply make the implant surgery impossible). Clinical examination revealed a mobility level of 2 and a sinus tract. Our findings on radiographic appearance: a large but a localized bony defect and a tooth that needed a root canal re-treatment. Our suggestion to the patient: To put aside the implant surgery and to invest in a root canal re-treatment with a few Ca(OH)2 replacements. The patient had to be patient (and faithful) for a few months in order to monitor progressive periradicular tissue healing.
Results: Per and post operative control X ray films show a progressive, then complete healing of periradicular bone tissue. In this case, root canal retreatment proved to be a safe predictable way of saving that tooth at half the cost of an agressive implant surgery.
Now, 7 years later, the tooth has it’s own casted post, a PFM crown and it’s mobility level came back to zero. And above all, patient is now completely safe from any paresthesia risk.
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