Despite its reputation, a root canal isn’t the most traumatic or painful dental procedure on the planet. In fact, the process itself is surprisingly similar to having a cavity filled.
Restoring and protecting your oral health is our top priority at Arden Dental Group. Our team of dentists offers a range of cosmetic and general dentistry services at our office, serving the greater Asheville, North Carolina, area.
When a tooth becomes infected and the pulp tissue inside the tooth is exposed to bacteria, the damaged tissue needs to be removed to protect and preserve the tooth.
After we remove the infected tissue, we clean and seal the tooth. Depending on where the tooth is located and how much healthy tooth surface is left, a dental restoration like a crown or bonding is necessary to stabilize and protect the tooth.
Every case is different, and the type of restoration you need after your root canal depends on a couple of factors. In general, back teeth like molars and premolars usually benefit from a crown after a root canal, while front teeth may be fine with cosmetic bonding or a porcelain veneer.
If the tooth was significantly damaged or already fragile from previous treatments or trauma, a crown is the best option to strengthen and protect what’s left of the healthy tooth surface. A crown can also protect your tooth from another infection and can save what’s left of the tooth from potential extraction or fracture.
We may recommend a crown for purely cosmetic considerations, especially if the damage is the result of trauma. When you chip, crack, or break a tooth, bacteria can furrow its way into the tooth and infect the pulp tissue.
After the root canal is complete, a crown might be your best option to make the tooth look whole again. Trauma to the dentin layer can also cause stains that we can’t remove with standard teeth whitening treatments. When that’s the case, crowns and veneers are sometimes the better option to whiten your teeth.
A dental crown is just a cover that protects the tooth from future damage, and makes your smile look whole again after an accident or infection. The root canal procedure treats the damage done to the nerve tissue under the surface of your tooth.
The crown may save your smile, but the root canal saves your tooth.
For more information about root canal therapy and the dental restorations we offer at Arden Dental Group, contact us today to schedule an appointment.