What should the dentist do after a root canal on a crowned tooth?
Monday, January 9th, 2012 at
4:13 pm
My mom had a crown placed on a molar and soon after had to have a root canal done on the tooth because she had been experiencing pain and discomfort especially when eating. She has an appointment soon were the dentist is apparently going to use a regular filling to basically cover up the hole left from the root canal. Is that the normal procedure or should a new crown be placed? Or is it something else?
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After a Crown you shouldn’t feel any discomfort or sensitivity after a crown is placed. However, if your tooth has not had a root canal it will still contain the nerve. You may therefore have some temporary sensitivity to heat and cold. If you notice pain or sensitivity when you bite down, contact your dentist. Usually this means that the crown is too high. This can be adjusted easily.
You may notice a thin, dark line next to the gumline on your crowned tooth if you look very closely in the mirror, particularly if you have a PFM crown. This dark line is the metal of the crown showing through and is normal.
A crowned tooth is protected from decay, except for the gum line. Your dentist may prescribe a high-fluoride gel for you to use every night to protect against decay. A crown does not protect against gum disease. You should continue practicing good oral hygiene.
Crowns, especially all-porcelain ones, can chip. This can sometimes be repaired in the mouth. Your dentist will etch the porcelain with acid and bond a composite resin to it to fix the chip. Porcelain repairs often don’t last long. If there’s a lot of chipping, you may need a replacement crown.
It’s also possible that the cement could wash out from under the crown, but the crown does not fall out. Under these conditions, bacteria can leak in and cause decay. If your crown seems loose when you chew, or if you have an unusual odor around the tooth, discuss this with your dentist. Your dentist will check your crowns at your regular visits.
Crowns sometimes fall out. This can be caused by a lack of cement or an improper fit. If this happens, place the crown in a secure, zip-top plastic bag. Then bring it to your dentist to have it cemented back in place. If you are in no discomfort and your appearance is not affected, don’t try to put the crown back in place yourself.
If you do need to put it back in your mouth, clean it well on the inside. Use a toothpick to loosen and remove any cement or debris that is stuck to the crown. A wet cotton swab can finish the cleaning. You can replace the crown temporarily using denture adhesive or temporary cement. This is sold in many pharmacies. Contact your dental office immediately and try to schedule a visit for the next day.
If you are away from home, seek a dentist in the area who can evaluate the problem. You may need a new crown or it may be possible to cement the old one back on the tooth.