Did you undergo a root canal treatment recently? Did your dentist advise you to go for crown placement soon after that? Well, if the answer is yes you might have ended up with another, quite common, doubt – “Is a crown necessary after a root canal?”
After the completion of root canal treatment your tooth does not remain the same. The pulp or the innermost soft tissue within a tooth is the one that provides nourishment to the tooth. During the root canal treatment, pulp is removed and then the tooth starts behaving as a non-living object. Apart from that, root canal procedure involves the cleaning of the root canals that requires rubbing against the inner wall of the root canals. This process results in widening of the root canals thereby causing the reduction in the thickness of the tooth. This means that the tooth becomes more prone to end up in fractures under normal chewing forces.
The need for a dental crown also depends on the position of the teeth. The back teeth like molars or premolars are subjected to more chewing forces than the front teeth.
The placement of a dental crown is the solution to all such problems. Listed below are the benefits of placing dental crowns after root canal treatment-
1. Provides structure– In almost every case, the tooth undergoing root canal is decayed grossly and has lost most of the tooth structure to dental decay. The lost part of the tooth is recreated through a dental crown.
2. Esthetic enhancement– As the crowns give shape and structure to the tooth, it adds to the esthetic appeal as the crowns can be selected according to the shade matching to the neighboring teeth.
3. Fortifies the tooth– The tooth weakens from within after undergoing root canal procedure. A dental crown fortifies the tooth and protects it from undue stresses.
4. Increases life – Your tooth will serve you a lifetime if it is protected under a strong casing like a dental crown. They can be called as permanent restorations as they last for more than about fifteen years, if they are taken well care of.
Well, placing a dental crown does not make your teeth immune to the attack of decay-causing bacteria. Hence, maintenance of oral hygiene and cleanliness is an important step for the longevity of the restoration. This means brushing of teeth twice daily along with flossing should be followed diligently. Routine dental checkups is another important step in your oral health maintenance regime.
Remember that your dentist is the best person to suggest you the most suitable kind of treatment procedure for a healthy mouth!