From: dom@vpnet.chi.il.us (Dominick Gatto)
Subject: Re: Broken Reemer in Tooth
Organization: Vpnet Public Access
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 18:10:34 GMT

In article <1993Jan21.224812.2728@trl.oz.au> phil@trl.oz.au writes:
>
>I have had a root cannel job done on the bottom jaw, half
>way from the eye tooth to the wisdom tooth. During this
>procedure the reamer broke off in the tooth. The dentist
>that done this to me said he did not know how to get the
>broken reamer out. He finished the job off with a temporary
>filling the suggested that I see a specialist. The specialist
>said he could not guarantee that he could get the reamer out
>but would give me an account for trying too. I declined
>his services. The reamer is still in my tooth.
>
>My question is, will this reamer give me trouble in the future?
>and
>Do I have any redress against the dentist? (I live in Australia)
>and
>Who should pay for the reamer extaction, if required?
>
>
>With Thanks,
>Philip Bouchier

First of all Phil, I want to say that I have very deep sympathy
for the anguish that this problem must be causing you. 

I have just gone through an extraction of my first mollar on
the lowwer left side after a second root canal failed to stop a
bacterial infection which had re-erupted 17 years after the
first root canal was performed. 

When a root canal is done, the root must be completely sealed
at the lowwer portion of the tooth in order to prevent bacteria
from incubating inside the tooth and draining out into the
tooth socket and rotting the tooth and socket area. Sometimes
the anatomy of a tooth is such that there is more than one
canal per root. Like a river has tributaries, so can a root.
And sometimes it is impossible to treat the entire root area
from the upper tooth surface.

The reamer may have broken off in your tooth because the root
took a sharp bend which the reamer went into and stuck. When
your endodontist applied more pressure to get it out, it broke.
The sharp bend could be a lateral root.

The reamer is actually a very small file, and is not a very
good sealant. My prediction from a patient's perspective, who
has had several opinions, is that a bacterial infection will
progess in your tooth.

The only possibe method of treatment that I am familiar with is
a procedure called an apioectomy and retrofill. This involves
cutting the gum away from the area on the sides of the root.
Drilling through the jaw bone to expose the root socket. Then
amputating the lowwer portion of the 
roots and filling them from the bottom. But
I don't know if this is even feasible with a reamer in the
affected area.

And, of course, the last resort is to exrtact the tooth.

As for damages, I think that you would have to prove that your
dentist is liable for your present condition. Which may be the
case, or maybe it was an unavoidable accident given your
particular anatomy. Xrays and second opinions are probably a
good place to start this investigation. I would recommend that
you seek your own second opinions and not those recommended by
the original dentist.

From someone who has had root canal work that has failed,
I will pray that God helps you through this.

Sincerely,

Dominick Gatto
-- 
Dominick Gatto
usenet: dom@vpnet.chi.il.us