Did you get a dental crown on a tooth, and now you’re feeling pain in that tooth? At Knight Dental Care, we perform thorough dental exams and take X-rays that can detect problems in a tooth, even one with a crown. A tooth with a crown can rot if you don’t floss properly. Plaque and bacteria can build up and affect the tooth, causing it to need a root canal and crown. Dr. Edward Knight can explain why you need a root canal and about dental crowns in Midland, MI.
How does a dental crown work?
Dental crowns are caps that fit over an existing tooth. Crowns are used to:
- Protect a tooth with severe tooth decay
- Keep the remaining portion of the tooth protected from further damage
- Help keep bite intact
- Support large fillings
- Protect weak teeth
- Restore broken teeth
During a visit to Knight Dental Care in Midland, MI, we can determine if you need a root canal on one of your crowned teeth. With regular dental exams, we can detect tooth decay early on, which helps reduce the chances of infection.
Why does tooth decay occur on a crowned tooth?
Not maintaining proper oral hygiene allows plaque and bacteria to accumulate beneath a crown. This is why tooth decay develops on a crowned tooth, causing it to fail. The decay affects the edge of the crown, which meets the gumline. While the crown itself is resistant to decay, the tooth isn’t and will absorb any plaque or bacteria accumulation. This causes tooth decay to spread rapidly below the crown. When decay is significant, it can begin to destroy the pulp of the tooth, leading to the need for a root canal.
How is a root canal performed on a tooth with a crown?
At Knight Dental Care, Dr. Knight can either remove the crown before drilling into the tooth to create an access hole or drill this access hole through the crown. If this happens, then the crown will need to be replaced as it will be weakened. If the old crown is used, the root canal can become reinfected again.
How do we place a new crown on an affected tooth?
Dr. Knight must place a new crown on a tooth that already had a crown on it because the edges will need to be deeper to cover the area where decay is removed. This can be a complicated process and is best handled by our professional dental team who specializes in root canal treatment.
Schedule an appointment to learn more about root canals and crowns
Do you have tooth pain on a tooth that is crowned? If so, it’s important to schedule an appointment at Knight Dental Care for a dental exam. Dr. Edward Knight can assess your teeth and perform X-rays to see inside the tooth. Next, he will give his expert opinion on whether a root canal is necessary for your crowned tooth. To schedule this important appointment at our Midland, MI dental office, call us today! We offer a variety of cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry procedures for patients of all ages.