When Does a Root Canal Require a Crown?

If you need to get a root canal in Oviedo, FL, you might be wondering if that automatically means getting a dental crown as well.

Well, the short answer is this: maybe. 

Sometimes, root canals do require crowns to effectively restore the damaged tooth, though other times it can also be restored with a regular filling.

Keep reading to learn more.
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What Is a Root Canal and How Does It Work?

A root canal is a procedure used to treat a large cavity or a badly infected tooth.

Here are the basic steps required to perform a root canal:

• Oral exam: First, a dentist will x-ray the tooth and assess the damage to see if a root canal is appropriate. If the damage isn’t severe, you may only need a simple cavity cleaning and filling. For severe damage, the tooth could even need an extraction.

• Anesthesia: Then, you’ll get a local anesthetic to numb the tooth and ensure you’re not in any pain. Dental sedation could also be available if you need help relaxing and remaining calm during your treatment.

• Cleaning the tooth: The dentist drills the tooth to reveal all the bacteria and begins to remove it. They will take out all impacted tissue from inside, including the nerves and tissue in the narrow chambers of the tooth’s canals.

• Disinfecting: Once all visible infected tissue is gone, the dentist disinfects the tooth to make sure bacteria doesn’t continue to multiply after the procedure is done.

• Sealing and restoring: Then, the canals are sealed and the dentist begins to reconstruct the tooth. This is when the filling vs. dental crown decision is made.
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When Do You Need a Crown After a Root Canal?

It depends on how large the infection is. Once your dentist removes all the infected tissue, they will get a better sense of how the tooth can be reconstructed.

Bacteria literally eat away at the tooth, so once it’s removed, it leaves a large hole. Tooth tissue doesn’t grow back, so the dentist will need to use other measures to restore your smile.

For small cavities or infections, a dental filling is often enough to effectively restore the tooth. The material is strong enough to support your daily chewing needs as long as there’s enough natural tooth tissue.

But if there is little tooth tissue left, then your dentist will recommend a dental crown. They are custom-made to suit your tooth’s specific color, shape, and size and will provide an effective and natura-looking tooth restoration.
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Need a Root Canal? We Can Help

If one of your teeth is infected or dealing with a large cavity, Dr. Leidy Riano Galeano can help restore it through a professional root canal.

‍Schedule an appointment at Mint32 Dental online, or call our office at (407) 519-0634 to learn more about how we can help.