Restoration after Root Canal Therapy

Many of us know about the root canal therapy. It is the procedure that is aimed at removing infected tissues and nerves from the inner chamber of an infected tooth in order to prevent infection from spreading further. While this procedure itself is quite important to maintain integrity of the tooth, the importance of restoration after the procedure cannot be overlooked.

Infection usually starts with a cavity. An injury to the tooth can also serve as a precursor to the infections that can make the condition of any tooth quite miserable. While there is always a non-invasive way to deal with the infection before it reaches the tooth pulp, there is no option left for a dentist other than root canal when the infection reaches the tooth pulp.

A root canal treatment typically involves drilling of a hole from the chewing surface of the tooth. This hole makes a tunnel which reaches the infected area of the tooth pulp. The main purpose of this tunnel is to make the removal of infected pulp possible. The infected pulp is removed and the emptied chamber is filled with a medicated material in order to avoid further infection.

Above mentioned is the major part of root canal procedure but it is not complete yet. There is an effective restoration needed for the tooth to remain strong, functional and aesthetically normal. Normal root canal involves drilling of a hole to remove the tooth pulp. If this drilling of hole is the only structural damage done to the tooth, the only restoration needed is the filling of the tooth.

However, the root canal procedure can get complicated when there is major structural damage to the tooth already done due to cavity or tooth decay. In this scenario, filling is not going to restore the tooth. Crowning seems to be the most suitable option in order to ensure proper restoration of the tooth. Prior to crowning, the dentist may choose to build up a base for the crown to sit well. This buildup can also be referred to as core. To hold the core in place, a metal or ceramic post may be used.

A post can be pre-made in order to use with the core. Or the core and the post can be custom-made in case the patient has specific requirements. The second scenario, in which custom-made objects are used, is considered when there is sufficient damage done to the tooth and only extensive measures can save it. This entire work is done after taking proper measurements. When the tooth is fixed with the help of core and post, a custom-made crown is attached to finalize the treatment.