Creative Commons image by Lorenia (Flickr).
If you’ve had a root canal, it’s important to follow up to have the tooth restored. But what exactly does that mean? During a root canal treatment, your dentist or endodontist permanently cleans out and fills the root of the tooth (the part that is under the gumline). However, the crown portion of the tooth (the part that is above the gumline) now has a large hole drilled in it. While a temporary filling will be placed, you will need to return to have the tooth permanently restored, usually with a crown. Here are a few things you need to know about tooth restoration after a root canal.
Tooth Restoration Is Necessary
You’ve just spent time and money to have your root canal therapy completed. You might have had to see a specialist, and you’ve dealt with the mild discomfort, maybe even taken antibiotics. After putting in all that work to save your tooth, it’s extremely important to follow up with the restoration afterward.
Why? After having a root canal, your tooth will become more brittle. If you bite down on a popcorn kernel or a peanut you could crack the tooth in half, necessitating an extraction. It would be a shame to lose the tooth after the effort you’ve put into it!
It Should Happen Promptly, But Not Too Promptly
It’s important not to delay when having your tooth restored, but your dentist will likely recommend waiting a couple of weeks after your endodontic therapy has been completed. This is to ensure that, in the unlikely case there are any problems with the root canal, they can be fixed before a permanent crown is placed. Don’t worry: If you do end up having a problem after the crown is in, you can still have the root canal retreated. Talk to your dentist about the optimal amount of time to wait.
Keep Your Insurance Limitations in Mind
If your root canal was an emergency then this is less of a consideration, but if it’s something that needs to be done within a few months, be sure to consider your insurance benefits. If you are nearing the end of the calendar year, you may want to opt to have the root canal done this year, and the crown in the following year to maximize your benefits.
With that said, if you have a toothache in March it’s not at all wise to wait until the end of the year for the root canal or until next year for the crown. If you’re having trouble affording your follow-up care, talk to your dentist in advance to see if you can set up a payment plan or if a temporary crown might suffice for the short term.
Keep the lines of communication open with both your endodontist (if applicable) and your dentist to make sure that you understand when you need to have your tooth restored after a root canal. Call us if you have any questions!
