cracked tooth as possible extraction complication

[bordor]

I had a molar extracted in 2014.

The next time I saw a dentist he noted a crack on the remaining molar on that side. (A tooth which also has a couple of old amalgam fillings.) Unfortunately at that time I did not make a connection between this fracture and the extraction. I don't remember being informed damage to the neighboring tooth was possibility. So it never occurred to me to return to the surgeon who did the extraction to bring this up as an issue.

I have now and then noticed sensitivity in the tooth (from exposure to hot/cold) but it was never really bad, and only very intermittent. But earlier today I bit down on a piece of gum on that molar, and felt an extremely sharp pain which lingered afterward for awhile, even after I stopped chewing. No previous discomfort I experienced in this tooth was anything like this bad, and this just happened out of the blue. The night before I had been chewing gum as well, yet no pain whatsoever.

I am wondering if the surgeon who extracted my tooth in 2014 could have accidentally as a result of the force applied caused a crack in the neighboring tooth during the procedure? If so what is the best thing for me to do under the circumstances, given that now a few years have passed?

As a side question, is chewing gum a concern if you have a cracked tooth? can it make the crack worse?


Thanks for your feedback!

 

[MattKW]

Rather than the surgeon having inadvertently damaged your too0th, it is much more likely that:

• The remaining tooth is now taking a greater chewing load and is more prone to fracture;
• The remaining tooth has already been filled, and this always makes teeth more likely to fracture as time goes on. It is very rare for an unfilled tooth to fracture.

Don't chew gum if your teeth have existing fillings. Go see a dentist if the sensitivity continues.