A triple play in the ninth inning

The year was 1975. The pat ient was a handsome, grey-haired architect who was anxious to retain his teeth. The culprit was the upper right second molar which had cracked under masticatory pressure. Examina t ion disclosed a hairl ine crack which penetrated into the pulp chamber and partially separated the l ingual root from the two buccal roots. The tooth was aching and sensitive to percussion. The pat ient was referred to an endodont is t for root canal therapy. Root canal treatment was started on all three canals, and a temporary crown was placed. All symptoms subsided. U p o n completion of the root canal t reatments, the tooth was protected with a gold crown. The first radiograph shows the tooth before treatment in August 1975; the second radiograph shows the same tooth after root canal t reatment a nd a cemented gold crown; and the third radiograph was taken in August 1979. Complete ly asymptomat ic after four years, the treated tooth has funct ioned well and has not been sensitive to percussion. There was no apparen t bone loss, and no periodontal involvement. It would appear that in selected cases such teeth, which might have been considered hopeless, may on occasion be preserved by the above indicated t reatment .