Is a Crown Necessary After Root Canal Treatment at Gangnam Station?

Hello, today at Ceramic Dental Clinic, I’d like to explain crowns, which many people are especially curious about after root canal treatment at Gangnam Station.

“Now that the pain is gone, do I really have to get a crown? Can’t I just fill it in?”

We hear questions like this very often. In fact, one of the most common questions we get in the clinic is, “If the pain is gone, doesn’t that mean the treatment is finished?” Today, I’ll honestly explain, from a dentist’s point of view, why a crown is needed after root canal treatment and what actually happens if you do not get one.

What is root canal treatment? – A treatment that removes the tooth’s internal “lifeline”

Simply put, root canal treatment removes the nerve and blood vessel tissue inside the tooth when it has been infected by bacteria, then disinfects the area and carefully seals the inside.

If you think of a tooth as a tree, root canal treatment is like digging out the rotten interior of the tree.

Even if the outside looks fine, the passage that supplied nutrients from the inside is completely gone. During root canal treatment, a significant portion of the upper structure of the tooth has to be removed to eliminate decay and access the inside. In addition, a tooth from which the nerve and blood vessels have been removed

becomes increasingly brittle over time as the supply of moisture and nutrients is cut off.

A fresh tree branch bends without breaking easily,

but a dry branch snaps with just a little force.

A tooth after root canal treatment is in exactly that state.

For molars, the biting force can reach about 60 to 70 kg. If you think about a structurally weakened tooth having to endure that force every day, it is only natural to be concerned.

That is why a crown is needed – a “helmet” that covers the weakened tooth

The role of a crown is simple. It surrounds the remaining tooth after root canal treatment from 360 degrees and protects it.

Think of a helmet. When the head (the tooth) is injured, after treating the wound (root canal treatment), a helmet (crown) is placed over it to protect it so it won’t break if it gets hit again.

Only a crown covers the tooth all the way around

Restorations such as resin or inlays fill empty spaces, but they do not reinforce the tooth itself. A crown, however, wraps around the entire tooth, so the level of protection is fundamentally different.

Correcting the most common misconception – “Isn’t filling it enough?”

“Isn’t filling it with resin enough?”

In some cases, it may be possible in areas like the front teeth, where chewing force is lower. But molars are a different story. Because they are directly exposed to strong force every day, the risk of fracture is very high if resin alone is used.

If you leave it without getting a crown, it can go through the following sequence.

• Use the tooth without a crown, then the tooth fractures

• The fracture line progresses to the root

• Extraction eventually becomes unavoidable

• Implant becomes necessary (cost 3 to 5 times higher, treatment period extended by several months)

If you do not get a crown after root canal treatment on a molar

the likelihood of the tooth splitting increases dramatically

In fact, quite a few patients come in with a tooth that has split vertically (vertical fracture) because they did not get a crown after root canal treatment. In such cases, extraction is the only option.

For reference, the cases where a crown is definitely needed are as follows.

• When the decay is extensive and little natural tooth remains

• Teeth with microcracks

• Teeth that have undergone root canal treatment

At Ceramic Dental Clinic, after root canal treatment is completed, we comprehensively evaluate the remaining tooth structure, the bite, and the patient’s lifestyle habits to recommend the most suitable crown material and method.

A tooth that has been treated with effort should be used for a long time

Root canal treatment is the treatment that saves the tooth, and a crown is the final step that allows that tooth to be used for a long time. They are not separate; they are one treatment process. The cost of a crown now is the wisest choice to save on implant costs later. There is no need to make a rash decision, and no need to postpone it endlessly either. Just remember that leaving a tooth without a crown for a long time after root canal treatment is risky.^^

We promise treatment that does not stop at saving the tooth, but goes all the way to helping you use the saved tooth for a long time — responsible care until the end.

This has been Ceramic Dental Clinic.