How to Prevent Decay On a Tooth That Has Already Had a Root Canal
By Ronan Freyne | Published on December 22, 2010 | 0 Comments
Just because a root canal has already been performed on a particular tooth does not make that tooth immune from decay, explains Dr. Ronan Freyne. A dentist in Chevy Chase, MD, Dr. Freyne says that subsequent decay is one the biggest and most common problems that patients face after having root canals done. Although decay can develop on both the back teeth or the front teeth, Dr. Freyne says patients who have had root canals done on their back teeth tend to have more problems keeping those teeth clean afterward.
At its core, a root canal procedure is one where a dentist goes in and takes out the nerve of a tooth that has experienced a great deal of decay. Once the root is taken out, the tooth is hollow. Dr. Freyne explains that after he does a root canal on a back tooth, he needs to put a crown on it. To do this, he needs to build up the tooth – including the hollow center – and put a cap made of ceramic material over the top of it. Problems with excessive decay, however, tend to come up when patients have root canals without getting crowns put on.
Once a root canal has been done and the initial pain and discomfort from the procedure has subsided, Dr. Freyne says that patients tend to stop taking as good of care of their teeth. This is especially true for those who had root canals done on teeth very far back in the mouth. In these cases, a lack of hygiene can lead to decay. Dr. Freyne explains that without its nerve, a tooth has no way of sending pain signals to the brain when a cavity sets in. So even though a patient has decay or a cavity forming on the tooth, he is not feeling any pain and has no way of knowing that he needs to see the dentist to have the problem treated.
Of course, the danger in this is that it could cause the tooth to reach a state where the only treatment option is extraction. In these cases, all the work, expense, and time that went into the root canal will have been for nothing.
With that in mind, Dr. Freyne says that a crown should always be placed on top of a back tooth after a root canal procedure. On front teeth, however, a crown may not be necessary, and a patient may be able to get away with having just a small filling made from plastic resin.
Of course, Dr. Freyne prefers to go the extra mile to avoid complications after root canal procedures. To him, it is actually disheartening to see a person go through all the work and discomfort associated with a root canal, only to end up needing the tooth extracted simply because it was not protected properly with a ceramic crown.
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.