Sorry to keep asking questions, but I've never had this many problems with my teeth!! I went to the dentist yesterday and was told that I had a crack in one of my top molars. It only hurts when I bite down on food. I have a crown prep appt in July and I was told that a root canal was not needed. I'm getting conflicting answers from friends and family on this. Do you always need a root canal with a cracked tooth? Is it possible to just have a crown put on? Anyone out there have a crown without having had a root canal first? How is it doing now?
2007-06-05 03:40:45 · 5 answers · asked by Justinsmom 3 in Health ➔ Dental
Does the pain from the cracked tooth go away right after the temporary crown is put on? Or will it be better after the permanent crown is placed?
2007-06-05 03:55:38 · update #1
You've had some good answers here....better than your friends and family! A tooth needing a crown does not always need a root canal and a root canaled tooth does not always need a crown......it depends on the situation.
Addressing the pain situation is a little more tricky. If the crack is not too deep, then a crown will suffice [it will hold the tooth together]. On the other hand, if the crack is deeper than it appears, then, when the temporary is placed, you will still have pain and will need a root canal. Unfortunately, even after all of this trouble and expense, the tooth could still hurt and require extraction. There is NO way of knowing how bad the crack is without extracting the tooth and looking at it under a microscope. In my office, I tell the patient to imagine that the tooth is sitting on the top of a fence......one side is good and one side is bad. It's anyone's guess as to which side the tooth decides it wants to be on and we can only hope for the best. Most of the time the tooth behaves itself and stops hurting after the crown. Good luck!
2007-06-05 04:17:51 · answer #1 · answered by docgobbler 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have 12 crowns and have never had a root canal. They definitely are not always required. It depends how deep the crack is and the condition of the root.
Good Luck, Take your I pod or something to put on a headset to listen to music (or a book on tape). To pass the time.
First they take impressions, to have the shape for the new tooth.
They will prepare the molar (they grind it into a
peg)
They then make a temporary for you to wear, while the new crown is being made. The in a week or 10 days you go back and they remove the temporary, clean and dry the area, try on the new one and make sure it fits. Correct the bite surface and cement it on.
That's it. Many of mine have been on as long as 25 years and have never come lose.
2007-06-05 04:00:10 · answer #2 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is routine to cap or crown a broken/damaged tooth where the nerve was unaffected and is otherwise healthy. A root canal is only needed where there is additional damage to the nerve or increased risk of infection now or at a later date. Cost depends on the dentist but are generally around $400/crown, $600 root canal. At least here in Texas. Root canals are a last resort to save a tooth that has either become infected/abscessed or is causing pain due to damage or trauma.
2016-05-17 07:53:56 · answer #3 · answered by librada 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, you can have a crown put on your tooth without a root canal. I broke several teeth and have crowns on them for many many years. The dentist knows what he's doing. Don't listen to your friends. Trust the doctor or get a second opinion.
2007-06-05 03:44:32 · answer #4 · answered by Cherokee Billie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I've had 2 and they are just fine.
2007-06-05 03:48:26 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋