About a year ago, I bit into a hard roll and immediately felt a change in one of my lower teeth, along with a sensation of pain. A week later I was still in pain, so I called my dentist and told her what had happened. When I got to her office, she took X-rays, which clearly showed that the tooth now had a vertical crack in it.
She reviewed the X-rays with me, saying that because the crack ran below the gum line and because this was an artificial tooth, she could not repair it. Also, this tooth was now loose, and there were signs that an infection had set in. She recommended that I see an endodontist for treatment.
When I saw the endodontist, he examined and X-rayed the tooth and then said that the problem was beyond his expertise. He said that I would lose this tooth and probably several more, and that I needed to see an oral surgeon. He described the procedure I needed, and from his description I could tell it was going to be time-consuming, expensive, and painful. At this point, I decided to handle the situation through prayer. I thanked the endodontist and left his office.
