Why Are Crowns A Must After Root Canals?
Posted on: 24 January 2022
If you're currently scheduled to get a root canal on one of your teeth or know that you need one, chances are your dentist is going to tell you that you need to have a crown following your procedure. Dental crowns are designed to help cover and protect your teeth. But if you have already had your root canal and your tooth repaired, why is a crown a necessity? Here's the answer to your question.
Weakened Structure
The main reason why teeth that undergo root canals need crowns is to protect them following the procedure. When a root canal is performed, the interior of the tooth is completely removed and hollowed out. While the dental enamel on the outside of your tooth is the strongest part of the tooth, it's not intended to carry the brunt of the force from you biting down with your teeth. It'd be like keeping the external walls of a house in place, but removing all the interior supports.
This weakened structure can potentially lead to major problems for your teeth, like breakage.
Risk of Break
Any tooth can experience breakage or cracking, but teeth that have undergone root canals and aren't covered with a crown are at a high risk of it. While healthy teeth that are broken or chipped can typically be repaired, it's not always so easy with a root canal tooth.
When an intact healthy tooth experiences a break or crack, the interior tissues and surfaces are still there, and will help to hold the tooth together until you can get help from a dentist. However, without your own natural tissues inside the tooth, a break can potentially lead the tooth to snap off above the surface. This means having to go in to have the tooth completely extracted, which is time-consuming and can be expensive.
Protection
The good news is that a dental crown is likely the only thing you need to keep your tooth intact and healthy from now on. Dental crowns are designed to absorb the majority of the pressure put on a tooth, acting like a shell. This will keep the dental cement used in your tooth from being damaged and broken down from pressure, and will allow the tooth to remain intact for the years to come. Dental crowns can easily be replaced, as well, so if anything ever happens to your crown, you can easily get a new one.
For more information on your options, such as ceramic crowns, contact your dentist.
Share