Dentist Left Tooth Root After Extraction

I need to get braces and had to have four teeth removed. One of them is a premolar and the dentist did the extraction but left the root. He said it would fall out on its own. That doesn’t sound right to me. But, if it is, what will happen if it falls out in my sleep? Will I choke?

Mary

Dear Mary,

Blonde woman with a beautiful smile

I am concerned about what I’m hearing. It sounds like you are talking about a pretty sizeable chunk of a tooth root. Despite what your dentist said this will not fall out on its own. In fact, the bone will grow around it trapping it there and causing it to get in the way of your teeth being moved to their proper position.

In your place, I’d get a second opinion from another dentist. The good news is some dentists will give free second opinions so it won’t cost you any extra. My guess is, he or she will tell you to have it extracted.

I think you would be better served by finding a different dentist to work with. This one seems to take the easy way out for himself without consideration to his patients.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.