“Can I get a bridge without a root canal?”
I will get a bridge. Can I get a bridge without a root canal?
7 Answers
These are two different treatment. A bridge is to replace missing tooth; and root canal in to treat infected nerve within the tooth. A tooth after root canal treatment could be a supporting tooth of of a bridge.
Hansjorg Lammers
Dentist
Of course. I hate root canals, because they often make Silent Inflammation.
In some cases, it absolutely can be. If the patient is able to understand the possibility of needing root canal treatment down the line and is fine with it then the dentist can try to avoid one at the time of crown preparation through conservative tooth preparation.
Yes.
Yes. Root canals are done to clean the infection out of the innermost layer of teeth where the nerve and blood vessels live. Bridges are done to help replace missing teeth when there are other teeth nearby that can be used as anchors. Like a "bridge" over a river that is anchored to land on both sides. Some teeth that are used as anchors may already have or need root canal treatment, but it is not required if not needed.
Yes, but you may wish to have an endodontist test/evaluate the teeth first. If the teeth are "clean", then a bridge is fine. With deep fillings, decayed old crowns, not many teeth, close to the nerves, (nerves test dead or weak or exposed or infection visible on x-ray or pus draining through gums from the tooth) you can evaluate and treat the root canal before the bridge is done. The root canal can be done after the bridge, but then you have a hole in a new bridge.
It is possible to get a bridge without a root canal if the nerve inside the anchor teeth are healthy.
