How do you know if you need a root canal or just a crown?
If you have a dental problem, you may be wondering which dental procedure is right for you. For a severely decayed tooth, you can consider getting a root canal. For minor damages such as tooth chipping or discoloration, your dentist may suggest getting a dental crown.
There is a statistic that 5% to 7% of teeth that receive crown restorations end up needing root canal treatment. That means that 93% or more don't need root canal. The reason that this happens sometimes is that crowns in most cases are placed on teeth that are filled heavily in the first place.
In most cases, only a minimum of about 1/4 of the natural tooth structure needs to be present to place a dental crown. Obviously, the more natural, healthy tissue, the better, but dental crowns are designed to restore significantly damaged teeth.
A dental crown is a versatile restoration that can be used to address a wide range of dental issues like a cracked, chipped, decayed, deformed, or broken tooth. The crown covers up the part of the tooth that is visible above the gums, protecting it from further damage and acids made by oral bacteria.
Irrigating the tooth cavity with Ozone gas is another alternative to root canal therapy. Ozone penetrates the tubules of the tooth beyond the drilled areas and the lateral tubules to disinfect the tooth beneath the enamel.
You must undergo a root canal within a few weeks to fully eliminate the infection and save your tooth.
It's Always Better To Save Your Tooth With A Dental Crown
If your dentist recommends a dental crown and believes an extraction is unnecessary, you should listen to them. Whenever possible, it's better to save your natural tooth with a dental crown. It's cheaper, faster, and a better choice.
But if a patient delays in getting a crown in a reasonable amount of time, eventually the decay will reach the inner layer of a tooth where the pulp and nerve reside. Then a root canal is necessary to remove the infected nerve.
Crowns are used if the damaged area is larger and needs a different solution. Sometimes the pulp inside a tooth that had a crown installed will eventually become infected and a root canal will become necessary. This could be any length of time after the crown is installed, 5, 10, 20 years later.
Unfortunately, if there isn't enough tooth remaining or if a significant amount of a tooth's structure has been removed, your dentist can't place a crown. Instead, they may suggest other options to restore your smile.
Do they shave down your teeth for crowns?
Before installing permanent crowns, a dentist will prep their patient's teeth by shaving them down to ensure there is a properly shaped base to adhere the crown to. Once the teeth are shaved down, temporary crowns created from a mold of the patient's natural teeth will be placed.
Even though a dental crown is a long-lasting cosmetic restoration that will hold up to the daily wear and tear your teeth take, if not properly flossed or brushed daily, plaque and bacteria buildup can happen below the crown structure. Tooth decay under a crown causes it to fail, which can lead to other dental issues.
The price of a crown depends primarily on the material used to make it, which may be porcelain, ceramic, metal, or combination of materials. Prices average between $1,000 and $1,500, while topping out around $2,500. Dental insurance should cover the cost if you're getting a crown due to medical necessity.
Having dental crowns can restore the function of your teeth as well as improve your smile. If you have tooth pain, damaged teeth, or worn teeth, a crown could be the right treatment. These issues can make it difficult to chew effectively. A crown can stabilize and strengthen a tooth and prevent tooth loss altogether.
How long do crowns last? A typical, porcelain tooth crown should last between 6 to 14 years or more for most patients. This timescale may increase or decrease depending on the patient's oral hygiene routine. In simple terms, the better your oral hygiene, the longer your crown should last.
One Of The Signs You Need A Root Canal Is Persistent Pain
Your dentist will examine your aching tooth to see if your blood vessels or nerves have become inflamed due to infection. Antibiotics can fix these types of infections, so your dentist might choose to do a root canal to ease the pain.
In short, when you need a root canal, it may feel like throbbing pain due to infection inside of the root of your tooth. A visible fistula, swelling, or temperature sensitivity might be present.
A dentist can tap on the problem tooth to determine whether pain appears when adequate pressure is applied. The painful feeling can mean that a root canal is required.
When you get an x-ray, this will give definitive proof that you need to get a root canal. The x-ray gives the dentist a clear view of any infection in the tooth especially one at the root of the tooth.
Root canals are often recommended when the pain or swelling is due to an infection deep within a tooth. If left untreated, this type of infection can cause tooth abscess, pulp death, bone loss, and loss of the tooth itself.
What happens if I need a root canal and don't get it?
An untreated root canal can also lead to dental abscesses or a life-threatening heart attack, stroke, or sepsis. Not to mention the fact that if your infection progresses to this point, you will likely be in extreme pain.