A dental crown is a popular way to restore a damaged tooth, but in some cases, it may be necessary to have a root canal before or after the crown is placed. While the crown itself is resistant to decay, the tooth is not and can absorb plaque and bacteria, leading to decay that can spread rapidly below the crown. When tooth decay is significant, it can begin to destroy the pulp of the tooth, leading to the need for endodontic therapy. If you have a severely damaged tooth, your dentist may recommend that you have a root canal before placing a dental crown.
This will help the dental crown last much longer and prevent you from feeling pain in the future. A root canal is a procedure in which the nerve and pulp of the tooth are removed. After removing the nerve and pulp, the tooth is sealed to prevent infection. Once the tooth has been treated with a root canal, the dentist can place a dental crown over the top of the tooth to restore its function and appearance.
The endodontic treatment performed can become infected again if the old crown is used, so it is suggested to always remove the crown if possible to protect its integrity and allow the endodontic procedure to be performed. After a relatively short recovery period, the root canal works just like a natural tooth. Tooth decay, in addition to the removal of a large amount of dental tissue during endodontics, weakens the tooth. The procedure for endodontics remains the same and the only difference lies in the crown, which would protect the tooth to the edge of the gumline, from where tooth decay would have re-infected it, so another endodontic treatment would be needed.
In such cases, simply having a new crown will not repair the tooth and, therefore, root canal treatment along with a new crown will be necessary if the existing dental structure can be saved during the procedure. However, there are exceptions and sometimes a root canal cannot be performed through an existing crown. The crown will be placed over the tooth to protect it from fractures and damage if it has already been weakened by an injury, fracture, or root canal. In addition, if the tooth is structurally healthy and has little or no decay, endodontics may not be necessary either. Despite their unpleasant popularity, there are many misconceptions about root canals abound. In combination with tooth decay and endodontics, your tooth can be put at risk of crumbling when you put it under pressure from chewing and grinding.
The procedure is complicated and it's best to have it handled by an experienced dentist who provides endodontic treatment in Gilbert. If decay has already affected your root canal, your options are limited to re-performing endodontic treatment on your crowned tooth. The seriousness of any tear or decay caused by your root canal in the first place is an important factor to consider when placing a dental crown.
