Seoul Jung-gu Dental Treatment: Do Teeth That Have Had Root Canal Treatment Need a Crown?

Hello,

I’m Kim Taeyoung, the head doctor of Bareunyoung Dental Clinic in Seoul Jung-gu,

and I personally treat and introduce cases.

When a cavity develops in a tooth, it must be treated accordingly. When patients come in for a checkup after a long time and I explain which areas need cavity treatment, there are cases where the decay has progressed all the way to the dental pulp, and root canal treatment becomes unavoidable. Patients often ask whether it is really possible for decay to spread so far without any pain or noticeable symptoms.

Usually, pain from a cavity occurs when temperature stimulation reaches the outside of a tooth that has been broken by decay, or when inflammation develops in the nerve. However, when decay slowly develops from the inside, there are cases where no symptoms appear or the symptoms are so mild that they are not noticeable.

When decay has progressed to the pulp, root canal treatment, also known as endodontic treatment, is necessary. After treatment, prosthetic treatment is also carried out. For front teeth, depending on the case, some are finished aesthetically after root canal treatment without prosthetic treatment. This is done when the biting force is not strong or when the space for a prosthesis is not suitable.

In the case of molars, since they mainly handle chewing function, and the biting force is strong, prosthetic treatment is recommended if possible. The expression I often use when explaining this to patients is: when root canal treatment is performed, the nerve inside the tooth is removed and vitality is lost. Then the tooth becomes, like a dead tree, crumbly inside and unable to withstand external biting force. Teeth in the posterior area, where bite interference occurs repeatedly or where the biting force is strong, become more vulnerable to fracture.

My previously root canal-treated tooth broke

These are the initial X-rays and intraoral photos. This was a case that had previously completed root canal treatment and was finished only with resin, without prosthetic treatment. Over time, the tooth fractured, secondary decay progressed around it, and a fine crack line was also observed on the inside. There was no pain, but to prevent further fracture, the existing material was removed and restored again, followed by prosthetic treatment. Root canal treatment was also needed because of decay that had progressed on the opposite inner side.

From the outside, the inside looked slightly dark, but on the X-ray, the decay had already progressed to the pulp. This is a photo after the canal was cleaned and filled thoroughly according to standard procedure.

There are opinions that if you correct the bite perfectly and use the tooth well after root canal treatment, it is much better for the tooth than placing a crown. However, to perform root canal treatment, the tooth’s biting surface must be removed, so without a prosthesis it cannot properly function in chewing. Also, when looking at teeth after a long period of time, the majority of teeth that fracture are those cases.

If the decay is not deep, it is best not to perform root canal treatment and to preserve the tooth. However, if root canal treatment is unavoidable, prosthetic treatment should also be performed. I believe that this provides a more predictable treatment.

Bite adjustment after prosthetic treatment

These are photos after the prosthetic treatment was completed. After all treatment was finished, we checked the bite regularly at the beginning. As we moved farther back, the tooth space was shorter, and because the bite was tight, we eliminated bite interference and adjusted the bite in harmony with the other teeth.

The fact that an existing tooth fractured means that there was excessive contact with a specific tooth, so the bite should be checked regularly to help you go long-term without fracture.

Not every tooth with a fracture observed requires prosthetic treatment, but if appropriate treatment is provided for the necessary area depending on the symptoms and situation, you can preserve as much of your natural tooth as possible without extraction.

#SeoulJung-guDentalClinic #BareunyoungDentalClinic If you have similar symptoms or if you have any questions, I recommend visiting a nearby dental clinic for an examination.

I hope this helped clear up at least some of your questions, and I will come back next time with another case. Thank you^^

▼A related case worth reading together

I believe that proper treatment creates proper results. For everyone who visits worried, my goal is to create a trustworthy dental clinic where they can leave feeling reassured.

• Bareunyoung Dental Clinic

Directions

2nd Floor, JYJ Building, 179 Dongho-ro

Right in front of Exit 6 toward Yaksu Market, Yaksu Station

Village Bus No. 5 (Yaksu Station)

Village Bus No. 12 (Namsan Town, Yaksu Police Box)

Using the bus stops (Yaksu Heights, Sindang Social Welfare Center, Gaon Library, Geumho Tunnel Entrance) toward Geumho Station from YooYoo Pharmaceutical

This post was written directly by Bareunyoung Dental Clinic for the purpose of providing medical information and hospital advertising, in compliance with Article 56, Paragraph 1 of the Medical Service Act.

The photos in this post were taken of each patient, and results may vary depending on the individual after treatment/procedure, and side effects (prosthesis detachment, pain) may occur, so please make a sufficient consultation with the responsible medical staff before making a decision