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Here are some common questions we hear from our patients. If you don't find your answer here, call, text or email our office as we are always happy to help.
Dental Crowns (Caps)
Needing a crown does not necessarily mean you need a root canal, and in fact a minority of teeth that need a crown will need a root canal. Teeth need crowns when cracked or when they have a large cavity or filling. When we have a tooth like this, there is always a possibility of needing a root canal due to infection or nerve damage inside the tooth. However, we will not recommend a root canal unless a tooth truly requires one.
Some teeth will require root canals after the crown has been prepped and completed. This can be due to a nerve that was already damaged, a crack going deeper than expected, bacteria penetrating deeper into the tooth, or other unknown causes.
Due to time, wear and trauma, our teeth can become weak or discolored. When a tooth is weakened it can be at high risk for breaking or experiencing further damage. In these cases, a crown is recommended to help protect the tooth from fracture and prevent tooth loss.
Common situations resulting in a tooth being a candidate for a crown are:
- Teeth with large cavities or large, older, fillings that are breaking down
- Broken or cracked teeth, or teeth that have experienced trauma
- Heavily worn teeth due to grinding or malocclusions (bad bites)
- Teeth that are malformed or discolored
- Teeth that have undergone root canal therapy
- Those teeth experiencing cracked tooth syndrome
- Patients with cosmetic concerns