Crowns....Not Just For Kings

Contrary to what you may think, a crown and a root canal are two separate procedures.  You don’t necessarily need a root canal if you need a crown but your dentist may recommend a crown on the tooth after it has had root canal treatment.  After a root canal is completed the dentist will generally place a temporary filling until the tooth can be restored.  Most dentists will recommend a crown for a molar. Teeth get brittle after root canal therapy because they no longer have a blood supply.  Teeth like this are more likely to break than others, especially in the molar region where there is more pressure from chewing.  To insure that the tooth doesn’t crack, the dentist may need to protect it with a crown.

There are many other reasons why a tooth may require a crown. The most common reasons include, cracks and severe decay. Sometimes a tooth that has an existing filling may have a problem and require a new restoration but there is too much filling material to refill the tooth. In a situations like these, the dentist may also recommend a crown.