You sometimes hear your loved one who just had a root canal procedure say that the dentist informed him that crown was not necessary. You had always wondered that crown is absolutely necessary after the procedure no matter what. So does that mean a crown is an option? Not really. Let us find out.

What happens to the tooth during the actual procedure

• The root canal procedure has been done by completely removing the infected pulp region of the tooth. To remove the pulp a healthy portion of the tooth is flipped open and hence the tooth per se becomes weakened.
• For some people, the entire structure becomes weaker because the dental cavity is bigger and hence after th procedure, the tooth becomes so weak that it can fracture in the future. Since the pulp is removed and the fillings are placed in its place, the tooth is no more living and hence it is prone to weakness and subsequent fracture in the future. The dentist would apply permanent fillings to make the tooth stronger.
• Though permanent fillings are done by the dentist, the tooth has to be stronger and intact to escape fracture. Hence a crown is placed. The crown additionally provides a natural look and feel.

So Is the Crown then Necessary After Root Canal Procedure?

• Mostly the crowns are necessary for molar and premolar because they are the teeth that physically help in grinding as they undergo more stress. Hence the chances they would develop a crack and eventually fracture is very high.
• Rarely these teeth may not be all that compromised in its structure. If such is the case, then a crown may not be required. However, the final decision rests with the dentist.
• If the procedure is done for any frontal tooth, they at times need no crown if as they are not involved in any hard grinding job. But again if the structure of the tooth has been compromised then your dentist would recommend a crown. Mostly the dentist would recommend placing a crown just to ward off a future fracture.

Conclusion – Dr. Sravanthi, a dentist in Chennai, who has done many root canal procedures is of the opinion that the decision to place a crown depends on the tooth structure after the procedure is performed. Whether or not crowns are placed, Dr Sravanthi strongly bats for proper oral hygiene to keep away tooth decay.