San Antonio Final Restoration for a Root Canal Tooth

When your root canal treatment is complete, Dr. Janse, Dr. Bates, Dr. Rayyan, or Dr. Thompson generally close the tooth with a temporary filling. While this may vary depending on the instructions we get from your referring dentist, we will generally refer you back to your referring dentist for the final restoration of the root canal tooth.

Temporary Fillings

Temporary fillings are designed to seal the tooth from oral fluids until a final restoration can be placed. They need to be quick to place and easy to remove. We will place a small cotton pellet inside the tooth chamber and then seal over it with a filling material called Cavit. It the presence of moisture, Cavit will set to a moderately hard substance that will last anywhere from a few days to a month or so.

It’s important that a final restoration be placed before this temporary filling breaks down. Otherwise, saliva will enter the chamber of the tooth and begin to weaken the seal of the root canal filling. If neglected, you’ll end up needing root canal re-treatment. While you can chew normally on a temporary filling, it won’t last very long, so it’s important to not delay the final restoration of the root canal tooth.

Final Restoration for a Root Canal Tooth: The Crown

After root canal treatment, a tooth becomes brittle. Posterior teeth can be under quite a bit of stress during normal chewing, and a tooth that has a root canal will tend to split under chewing forces. A custom-made crown is the standard of care to preserve it. If a tooth is too weak on its own to support a crown, a small metal, fiberglass, or carbon fiber rod called a post can give it strength. The post can be inserted anytime before the crown is bonded in place.

Types of Crowns

There are many types of crowns suited to different dental circumstances. For crowns in the front of the mouth, aesthetics are paramount. For back teeth, strength is most important. If you grind your teeth, you need a crown that resists damage from bruxism. The cost of a crown varies by its material and the skill of the dentist.

Porcelain crowns are the most natural-looking and beautiful. They best mimic the subtle color variation and sparkle of healthy teeth. Newer types of porcelain developed over the last 20 years are strong enough for back teeth.

Some dentists use computer-assisted design and 3D printing to create same-day ceramic crowns. Cosmetic dentists may enhance these crowns with porcelain layering.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns offer some of the aesthetic benefits of porcelain plus the strength of a metal core. Though they aren’t as lifelike as all-porcelain crowns, they can be a good compromise.

Crowns can also be made from a gold alloy. For some dentists, this is still the material of choice for back teeth. Gold boasts excellent durability and a seamless fit, and it never corrodes.

The quality of the final restoration of a root canal tooth depends on the dentist’s skill. The finished crown should reproduce the size and shape of your natural tooth and should feel completely comfortable.

If you’d like to make an appointment with Dr. Janse, Dr. Bates, Dr. Thompson, or Dr. Rayyan for endodontic treatment, please call our office at 210-342-2444. If you’d like us to call you, simply fill out our appointment request form here.