Greetings...

I am looking for some advise/understanding before I go see a
professional about the situation I am in.

Background:
Front Left tooth (#9) had a root canal done after falling on ice (1981
- age 16) then in 1984 I fell and broke the tooth below the gum line
(don't know exactly how far below) and had a post and crown put on
while serving in the Army.

Just an FYI #8 tooth has a crown (tooth chipped badly) no root canal
done in 2002. All other teeth are in good shape although I am a grinder
and I am getting fitted for a bite guard in a couple of weeks. Once
insurance is approved.

Yesterday I was having a checkup with a new dentist and I had a
sensitive tooth (#7) x-rayed and by chance the dentist saw that the
tooth (#9) and the crown on that tooth have a gap between them. So
today I went to my old dentists to get x-rays and neither of them had
an x-ray of my front teeth. We were looking to see how the gap has
progressed over the years. Unfortunately we don't have any x-rays to
compare the gap over time.

So my questions are.

1) Does this sound like I am going to be looking at a tooth implant?
Until yesterday I thought my front tooth (#9) was my best tooth. No
pain, still solid, etc.

2) Is it common to not x-ray the front teeth unless there is a problem,
my other dentist didn't do it and this new dentist wouldn't have done
it unless I had the sensitive tooth near by.

3) I'm not opposed to getting the tooth implant (I have a couple of
things going on in my life right now but within 6 months to a year I
could get this done) but I can't help but think that if my tooth (#9)
isn't hurting, isn't loose and hasn't fallen out I should be good to
go? Am I doing damage waiting to get this fixed?

Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks,

-Joe
Atlanta, GA