Can a Root Canal Be Done Through a Crown?

If you have a large cavity or a badly infected tooth, root canal therapy is one of the best ways to treat it and avoid permanent extraction.

Patients often have many questions about how root canals in Jackson work and may be surprised to learn that it’s a fairly straightforward procedure. Of course, some factors can complicate it.

And yes, one of those factors could be having a dental crown over the natural tooth. Here’s how root canals are done when the patient has such a prosthetic.

How Do Root Canals Work?

Root canals are usually done in the following steps:

• Assessment: First, a dentist will inspect the tooth and take an x-ray to determine the size of the infection and whether a root canal is possible;
• Cleaning: If a root canal is needed, the dentist will open the tooth to reveal the infected tissue. Using special tools, they slowly remove all the pulp, nerves, and bacteria, even from the narrow chamber called the canals.
• Disinfecting: After the tissue is removed, the dentist will use a disinfectant to remove all other traces of bacteria.
• Reconstruction: The final stage will either involve a filling to restore the size and shape of the tooth or a dental crown if the infection was very severe and too much tissue was lost.

Some severe cases of tooth infection may also require antibiotic therapies, and patients could need multiple appointments to heal them.

How Root Canals Are Done Through a Dental Crown

If you have a dental crown over the infected tooth, a dentist may try to perform a regular root canal and drill the crown to expose the infection.

However, this doesn’t always work.

In some cases, drilling the crown could damage it. The material can chip so much that using resin won’t be enough to fix it. In this case, you will need to get the crown replaced.

Plus, drilling the crown may not expose the entire infection, which usually happens with patients dealing with a severe case of an infected tooth. The crown will be removed so that the tooth can be properly treated.

If the crown is damaged or needs to be removed, you will be fitted for a replacement and get a temporary crown to protect the tooth until your permanent crown is made in a lab facility.

Dealing with a Tooth Infection? We Can Help

If you have a tooth with a dental crown on and suspect it might be infected, you can see Dr. Ben Heffter or Dr. Pako Major to access the right treatment.

You can access both professional root canal therapy and dental crown services at Jackson Family Dentistry to get your oral health and smile appearance restored.

Schedule a consultation online and stop by to discover your next steps.

Can’t wait for a regular appointment? Call us at (262) 677-3003 for emergency dental care.