Do teeth with crowns also need root canal treatments?

February 5, 2010 – 11:35 am

Do people who need a crown aslo need a root canal procedure? What are the differences in dental condition that result in a placement of a crown as distinct from root canal, post and crown. Thank you.
Hilda from Massachusetts

Hilda,
Root canal treatment and dental crowns are both treatments for extensive tooth decay or large old fillings. But they don’t always go together.

If the decay goes deep, then you need a root canal.

If it goes wide, then you need a crown.

With deep decay, bacteria get into the pulp of the tooth, which is the living inside tissue. This pulp tissue gets infected. Because this tissue can’t swell to accommodate antibodies and white blood cells that would come in to fight the infection, that means that the tooth can’t defend itself. A root canal treatment removes this tissue and replaces it with an inert material that also seals the tooth from bacteria getting back into the tooth.

With wide decay, the visible part of the tooth becomes vulnerable to breaking off. A crown covers the entire chewing surface of the tooth and also the sides of the tooth, which strengthens it and prevents it from breaking.

A tooth often needs a crown without needing a root canal treatment. But most teeth with root canal treatments also need crowns, especially if they are back teeth. A tooth with a root canal treatment is usually weak and brittle, but a crown will prevent it from a fatal fracture.

Related links on Dr. McKay’s website:
Read more about porcelain crowns.
Read about Seattle dental implants.