Many people are aware that a root canal treatment is followed by a dental crown. A root canal is done when there is more trouble with the tooth (more infection) caused by decay. Your dentist will most likely use this procedure in order to avoid extracting your natural tooth.
Once a root canal is done, your tooth should be infection free and a dental crown will be put outside the tooth in order to close it.
Root canal steps
Unlike many other dental procedures, a root canal is not something you can do during one visit. It might require multiple visits because the dentist will first need to assess the severity of the problem, you might need to take antibiotics to clear off the infection and so on.
During the procedure, your dentist will administer you a local anesthetic to numb the area. Generally, a root canal involves the following steps:
- X-rays of you tooth in order to better understand the condition your tooth is in
- Local anesthetic administered in order to lessen the pain during the procedure
- Drilling a tiny hole on the tooth so the dentist can have access to the infected part
- Cleaning the infected tissue and nerves – commonly known as cleaning the pulp (this might require more than one visit)
- Another set of X-rays to make sure the tooth is properly cleaned
- Filling and sealing of the tooth
Once the procedure is done, your dentist will allow you several days to heal before putting a dental crown on the tooth.
Why is a dental crown necessary?
During the root canal, the dentist will drill a hole on top of your tooth which means that your tooth will be weaker at some point (since there is no tooth enamel). In order to further protect your tooth from external damage and to make chewing normally possible, it’s necessary to place a dental crown on that tooth. But aside from that, there are other good reasons why a dental crown is necessary after a root canal:
Lower level of sensitivity
Once the dentist completes the root canal, there is a chance of slight hypersensitivity in the tooth, especially when you eat/drink hot, cold or sweet foods/drinks. The dental crown placed on top of your tooth will help minimize this.
Protection from damage after root canal
After the procedure, your tooth might become more weaker and can be damaged more easily. Exposing your tooth to regular chewing and drinking might even cause more damage, leading to tooth chips or cracks. A dental crown will strengthen the top layer of the tooth, making it more resilient to damage.
Better appearance
It’s not uncommon that the color of your tooth changes after a root canal. After all, your dentist did drill down your tooth and cleaned out the infected tissue. So to preserve the aesthetics, the dental crown which is created from ceramics, can be custom made to match the color of your teeth and you won’t be able to tell the difference. It would look like your natural tooth.
Protection against infections
After a root canal, there are chances of developing infections if the area isn’t properly sealed. But once a dental crown is placed, your tooth will be thoroughly closed and sealed so there’s little to no chance of developing further infections.
Added security
In some cases, after this procedure, there is a risk of developing dental cavities in the tooth. After dental fillings there’s an added security to the tooth so it won’t develop new cavities.
Should you do a root canal or tooth extraction?
Every dentist will recommend that you avoid tooth extraction whenever possible. Even though dental techniques and materials have come a long way, there’s still nothing as good as your natural teeth. So it’s best to preserve them for as long as possible.
With a root canal there are no gaps between teeth that need to be filled with dental implants, you get to keep your natural tooth and you won’t have any problems with eating.
