Root Canals and Dental Crowns: What to Know, What to Expect

By Jay Maillet, DMD, MPH

If the soft tissue inside a tooth is infected or swollen, you will need a root canal. This treatment repairs and saves your tooth while eliminating pain and infection.

Usually, people need root canal therapy because they have deep tooth decay or have had repeated dental procedures on the tooth, according to the American Association of Endodontists. Other reasons include a faulty crown, a crack or chip, or a previous injury.

Tell your dentist if you have:

• a tooth that is sensitive to hot or cold
• sharp pain when biting or tapping the tooth
• a toothache that won’t go away

If your dentist recommends root canal, it’s best to do so as soon as you can. Treatment not only relieves pain, but also prevents re-infection.

What’s more, root canal therapy helps to keep damage from spreading to other teeth and the bone that anchors the infected tooth. If infection spreads, it may be impossible to save the tooth -- and it’s always better to save a tooth than to lose one!

What It's Like to Get Root Canal and Dental Crowns

When performing a root canal treatment, your dentist will numb the area before removing damaged tissue from inside the tooth. Depending on the amount of damage, the dentist may add permanent filling in the space left behind.

When a large amount of tooth structure is involved, the next step is receiving a temporary cap or a permanent one (crown) to restore the tooth. The dental office can sometimes create a crown the same day as your root canal. More often, the dentist will give you a temporary cap. Then a special laboratory will create your crown with material (usually porcelain or sometimes precious metal) that your dentist recommends based on function and looks.

During a follow-up appointment within two or three weeks, the dentist will put your permanent dental crown in place. Afterward, the area may be sensitive for a few days, says the American Dental Association (ADA). Ask your dentist about relieving potential discomfort, and avoid chewing hard foods with the temporary cap. Some patients may receive an antibiotic prescription. If you do, take the medicine as directed and follow up with your dentist if you have any issues with taking it.

Your restored tooth can last a lifetime with proper care, according to the ADA. After root canal therapy, be sure to brush twice every day and floss at least once daily. See your dentist every six months, because preventing decay is the best way to protect your teeth.

If you have crowns more than 10 years old, feel free ask your dentist if they are in good condition. But rest assured, crowns can last for many years.

DentaQuest's mission is to create a better, more equitable system that improves oral health — and overall health — for all.  For more insights from our experts, click here. 

Dr. Maillet serves as DentaQuest’s dental director for Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York. He earned his DMD degree from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and then went on to practice in both private practice and public health settings across New England. In addition to his clinical credentials, Dr. Maillet has also earned a Master’s of Public Health with a concentration in epidemiology from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health.