Do I Really Need a Root Canal Through a Crown?

Venincasa Dental, Dallas dentist, Plano dentist, Carrollton dentist, Richardson dentist, Addison dentist

root canal through crown, Venincasa Dental, Dallas dentistThere certainly are times when a root canal procedure needs to be done through an existing crown. I would say that this exact procedure is done in Dallas tens of times a day. It is indeed a common need. So why is that?
Let’s first consider why a tooth needed a crown in the first place. Very commonly a crown may have been necessary to strengthen a tooth that was severely weakened by extensive decay. Just as common is that an existing filling may have begun to fail. The existing filling may then crack, may partially fall out, or may allow decay to form and grow adjacent to it. In these cases a crown is commonly needed to protect the tooth. Other common reasons for the crown are tooth breakage or a deeper crack within the tooth which causes pain upon biting. So in all these instances the tooth had quite a bit of trauma and damage. To some degree, this trauma and damage may adversely effect the nerve within the tooth.
As a result of the trauma and damage, the nerve may seem fine at the time of the crown procedure. However, after a period of time, even after 20 years, the tooth may all of a sudden “turn south”. The tooth may start to cause severe pain all by itself, the severe pain may be provoked by biting or by a temperature change, or an abscess may form. With the history of trauma to the tooth, and with these signs and symptoms, the tooth may very well need a root canal procedure for treatment.
There are times when some patients may be enticed to have a root canal procedure done prior to crown preparation. I would urge some prudence here. Certainly there are times when a root canal procedure needs to be done even years after a crown is done. However, THAT IS NOT A REASON TO HAVE THE ROOT CANAL DONE PRIOR TO THE CROWN.
Moreover, there are times when the root canal procedure most certainly is recommended to be done prior to the crown. Certain conditions must be present in these cases. These conditions may include a dental abscess, at times a deeply cracked tooth that has pain upon biting, moderate to severe damage to the tooth due to breakage, fillings, or decay, and may include a tooth which requires the root canal procedure in order to be best salvaged and restored. It is the dentist who makes this decision. Naturally a reputable dentist is best able to make these decisions for the patient’s benefit. Please do make an assessment with your dentist to make sure this root canal procedure is necessary.
So yes, there are times when you may really need a root canal through a crown. If you are interested in an honest opinion on a situation like this, we invite you to contact us at (972) 250-2580, or by contacting us in any other method you may see available within this web page.

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