Root canal is one of the advanced
and revolutionary treatments in dentistry to save infected and badly decayed natural
tooth. The term “root canal” comes from cleaning of the canals inside the tooth’s
root after the removal of infected pulp and followed by disinfecting and filling
tooth roots. Once the dentist has an access to the tooth’s roots, the infected
dental pulp is removed and the roots are treated with antibiotics.
Why crowns are
advised
To
better understand the need for dental crowns, it’s necessary to understand why
root canal therapy results in large tissue loss
Similar
to a cavity filling procedure, tissue is removed from the tooth. This requires
the removal of any diseased tissue within and around the cavity. Once a cavity
has reached the roots of a tooth, it has usually compromised a relatively large
portion of the tooth.
As
there is no blood supply, over the time this causes tooth to become brittle and
likely to fracture. Permanent fillings after root canals protect the treated
teeth from bacteria and to strengthen them in the process but, without the
extra protection, which crown provides, there are chances of tooth fracture. Another
advantage of crowns is that they restore the natural appearance of your teeth.
Benefits of
dental crown
Dental fillings are effective
ways of replacing lost tooth tissue. However, they can only fill gaps in a
tooth that is otherwise healthy and relatively strong. Root canal therapy tends
to weaken a tooth to the point where it shouldn’t be just filled, but also
protected on the exterior. More importantly, the dental pulp has been removed,
which is responsible for generating new, healthy tissues within a tooth. Consequently,
dental crowns are needed for superior restoration.
o Structural support: Crowns
simultaneously fill lost tissue while serving as the tooth’s outer layer. In
this way, crowns restore strength to a tooth that would be too weak to function
on its own.
o Protection: By
capping the natural crown of a tooth, dental crowns protect a tooth from
injury, stress, and abrasion.
o Preservation: Without
a crown, the alternative for many teeth would be extraction and replacement. A
crown allows patients to preserve a natural tooth, rather than replace it with
a dental implant or bridge.
o Durability: By
using porcelain, dental crowns can easily last 15 years or longer without wear
or damage. With the right care, porcelain
crowns are effective permanent restorations.
o Realistic appearance: Porcelain
is the most effective dental material for mimicking the shape and color of
natural teeth. And because it’s stain resistant, your porcelain crown will
continue to shine for years.
What
are the repercussions of waiting?
o Nothing
will happen.
o The
tooth could chip- simple repair. Or it could crack and would need a crown.
o In
rare cases waiting could cause a RE- root canal to be needed.
o The
tooth could split, which could require crown lengthening or extraction.
o These
are things that your dentist should be prepared to talk over with you.
What
are the options?
In some cases, while a crown is one option,
there can be others. You might opt for a filling instead. Keep in mind, however,
that a filling does not prevent you from needing a crown later on.
Also, if a substantial portion of your tooth needs filling, a better solution
is usually the crown because fillings do not give you the same kind of
protection as crowns do. Also, if the filling is extremely large, it
can cause the tooth to break, making it irreparable.
