Is A Dental Crown Required After a Root Canal?
A patient requires a dental crown after receiving root canal treatment in almost all instances. The dental crown is to restore stability and function to the tooth that’s received the endodontic treatment. Dentists will remove a large portion of the tooth’s pulp during the root canal procedure, leaving it vulnerable to future tooth decay, sensitivity, and breakage.
Also, if a root canal procedure repeats on a tooth that has already received treatment, chances are further increased that you will require a dental crown to restore strength and bite force to the tooth.
And last, even if your root canal was on a front tooth that does not require the same bite force as a molar, the front tooth can become discolored pots procedure and require a crown to restore its appearance.
When you visit a dental clinic for your root canal consultation, most dentists will include a dental crown as a part of the procedure. If you are wondering whether you may be a rare exception to this combination treatment, we invite you to book an appointment with our dentists near you at Rifle Dental Care for a customized treatment plan.
What Are Symptoms of Needing a Root Canal?
Although the symptoms that indicate the need for a root canal will vary slightly by the patient, the most universally reported symptom is severe pain that worsens with time. Patients will sometimes misidentify early pain as nothing more than tooth sensitivity, but when the pain elevates to absolute discomfort, that’s a sign of infection. If left unattended, this infection may drain from the tooth and create an unpleasant smell. In the most severe cases of pulpal infection, patients will notice facial swelling and discoloration of the tooth.
Although the most universally reported symptom of the need for a root canal is severe pain, it’s also possible that you may not experience any pain. That does not mean that the infection is not present. It just means that it is brewing. When you visit our dentists for your annual comprehensive exams, one of the things they will be on the lookout for in x-rays is early signs of tooth infection. When caught in its early stages, the infected tooth may be able to get a root canal procedure without any pre-procedure antibiotics. If you visit a dentist in extreme pain, you will most often need to undergo a short course of antibiotic treatment before the root canal procedure can begin. The good news is that antibiotic treatment works quickly to reduce pain and infection. Most patients report that their pain minimizes within 24 – 48 hours of beginning antibiotic treatment.
Does Root Canal Therapy Hurt?
You may have heard from friends and co-workers that root canal therapy is painful when the pain from the infection is causing discomfort. As mentioned above, pain from the infected pulp can be reduced significantly or erased through pre-procedure antibiotic treatment. Suppose you are concerned about pain or discomfort during a root canal or any other procedure we perform at Rifle Dental Care. In that case, we offer several anesthesia options to guarantee a pain-free and relaxed experience. Also known as sedation dentistry or conscious sedation, patients can complete a procedure without experiencing any pain or discomfort while being alert enough to communicate with the dentist and team.
How Many Appointments Will I Need for My Root Canal Therapy?
Root canals occur over two appointments. The first appointment is to remove the diseased pulp from the patient’s tooth. The second appointment is to ensure that the infection has been completely eradicated and either fill the area with a dental filling or cap it with a dental crown. We provide custom treatment plans for all patients requiring general or cosmetic dentistry, so you will know how many appointments you will require in advance of your procedure.
Why Should I Choose Rifle Dental Care?
Our doctors and their dental care teams have provided comprehensive dental care to patients of all ages in Garfield County for over 20 years. We make it easy and convenient for anyone with a dental concern to receive the gentle, precise dental care they need and deserve.