After a root canal treatment, the structural integrity of your tooth has been weakened. This is why it’s necessary, especially for your back teeth, to have a dental crown placed on the treated tooth.
It is important to remember that a root canal treated tooth is essentially a dead tooth. So, over time, the tooth will lose some of its strength and have an increased chance of fracturing.
Scientific research illustrates that a root canal treated back tooth is 6 times more likely to crack than an untreated tooth. Therefore, it is generally recommended all root canal treated back teeth be crowned to provide long-term protection for the underlying tooth.
What is a dental crown?
A dental crown is a prosthesis placed over a root canal treated tooth to protect it and enable you to eat hard foods. While root canal treated front teeth do not necessarily require a crown, back teeth certainly do.
The pressure of your bite is why back teeth should always be crowned after a root canal. The sheer force of your bite can easily crack a root canal treated tooth. Should the tooth not be crowned, there is a risk that the tooth may crack and may require extraction and a single tooth implant.
Types of dental crowns
Broadly there are 2 types of crowns:
Metal based ( Cast metal, full gold and porcelain fused metal-PFM)
Non metal based ( Zirconia crowns)
Each has their specific advantages and disadvantages. Consult with your dental surgeon today to know which kind of crown suits your needs.
