Root Canal Crowns: Pros and Cons You Should Know

Why a Crown After a Root Canal Makes Sense

Imagine the crown as a cover that goes over the tooth that has been prepared. It takes most of the pressure that would otherwise be on the tooth itself.

This is very important for teeth. Molars have a lot of pressure from chewing every day so not protecting them properly is a risk I would not take unless the dentist has a reason to say otherwise.

The Benefits

• protection against cracks. A crown that fits well gives the tooth a stronger outer layer, which is important when chewing something harder than expected.

• It feels normal after a while. Once you adjust you usually stop thinking about the crown. Just continue eating.

• A crown can bring back the shape. Look of the tooth especially if the original tooth was very damaged or has changed color after treatment.

The Drawbacks Are Real

Crowns are not a solution. The dentist has to take some of the tooth to make space for the crown and the process often takes more than one visit. There is also a cost, which can be a problem if the root canal has already cost a lot.

For a time the tooth can feel sensitive or strange when you bite. This usually goes away. If the bite still feels wrong after the adjustment period tell the dentist of hoping it will go away on its own.

Some Things People Don’t Expect

More dental work. You will have the root canal then the preparation for the crown, the final fitting. It is not hard for people but it does take time.

• Crowns can fail. A poor fit heavy grinding, decay near the edge or a crack in the tooth can cause problems later so brushing well and seeing the dentist regularly is still important.

• The tooth is not completely safe. A crown protects what is left. It cannot fix damage below the gum or replace healthy tooth that was already gone.

So Should You Get One?

Usually yes especially if the root canal was on a molar or a premolar. A crown is usually worth the trouble because losing a treated tooth later is much worse than spending a more time protecting it now.

There are exceptions. Some front teeth don’t have the pressure as back teeth so the dentist may suggest a different way to fix the tooth depending on how much healthy tooth is left.

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