Many people don't know that a root canal is a two-part process. The first part is the actual root canal while the second part consists of placing a crown on the tooth that received a root canal.
The root canal portion cleans the tooth and removes infected pulp underneath the tooth. The pulp of the tooth is removed because it has become infected and will cause tooth decay if uncorrected.
After the root canal is completed, we will place a crown on your tooth. A crown can be made of many different materials. In older times, crowns were almost always made of a metal alloy, but with advances in technology, crowns can be made of resin and porcelain to give the tooth a more natural appearance. Crowns are used to protect the tooth from further decay and make sure the gum underneath the tooth does not become infected again.
HOW CROWNS ARE INSTALLED
The process of installing a crown is relatively simple. First, the tooth is cleaned during the root canal. Then, a very thin layer of the outer tooth is shaved down to make a receiving end for the crown. Once the tooth is shaved down, we will make an impression of the receiving end and the surrounding teeth so that your crown will be a comfortable fit. Afterwards, the crown will be made over the course of a couple of weeks. Once the crown arrives back to our office, we will install it where it needs to go by using a special adhesive so the crown will last a long time.
If you are considering getting a crown, give us a call at our office. We'll be happy to schedule you a consultation at your earliest convenience. Please feel free to ask any question you may have as well. We would be happy to give you more information.