I have had a root canal treatment. Do I need a crown?
The short answer to this common question is yes. Teeth requiring root canal treatment have commonly been ravaged by previous dental disease and have often had a history of extensive previous treatment. They are characterised by very big cavities or big fillings. A tooth with a big filling is structurally weaker that a tooth with no fillings. Root canal treatment removes more tooth structure and increases the flexibility of the tooth. This makes root treated teeth particularly at risk of tooth/root fracture. Serious fractures will often lead to extraction and loss of the tooth.
To reduce the risk of tooth fracture and therefore tooth loss, teeth with root canal fillings will need to be rebuilt and then protected by a crown.
The crown act like a reinforcing ring that reduces the bending that occurs in a tooth when biting force is applied. Failure to rebuild the tooth correctly may predispose this tooth to uncontrolled fracture. Extraction and therefore tooth loss is usually the outcome.
This tooth is hollow following root canal treatment.
You can see the the dark space above the two white root fillings
and the large very white filling. This tooth is at risk of failure and will need to be
rebuilt, filled and then crowned.
