Hi – Last month, I was a passenger in a car that was involved in an accident. The air bag did not go off. My entire face hit the dashboard very hard. My teeth were hurting, but I couldn’t see any damage. My dentist x-rayed my teeth and didn’t see any damage. She referred me to an endodontist who also did an x-ray. The endodontist said I need a root canal for two teeth that are cracked. I am wondering if I need to get a third opinion and another x-ray. Should a crack in a tooth show up in an x-ray? – Jennifer from Somerville
Jennifer- A crack in a tooth will show up only if the x-ray is taken at the correct angle—the exact angle of the crack. So, it is difficult to see from an x-ray that a tooth is cracked.
The endodontist may not have seen the crack on the x-ray. He likely saw evidence in your tooth that it is cracked.
You may seek another opinion, but it is unlikely that another x-ray will reveal the problem with your teeth.
This blog post is sponsored by New Jersey cosmetic dentists Dr. Allyson Hurley.