After receiving a root canal, many of our patients inquire if placing a crown (cap) on the tooth is truly necessary. In Dr. Shane Snider’s opinion, the answer is yes.
In case of root canal treatment, it’s important to remember that only the interior of the tooth is treated. The infected pulp, commonly referred to as the nerve, is removed. This leaves your tooth relying exclusively on the walls of the tooth for support, thus making it weak and brittle. To increase the strength of a tooth, a dental crown is advised. A root canal treated tooth with a “filling” and no dental crown placement is simply more prone to fracture or breakage in comparison to a normal tooth. This could mean re-treatment in the future, additional costs and even the loss of the tooth. 99% of the time, crown placement is truly the final step of root canal treatment.