Before a dental crown can be placed over a tooth, the dentist first needs to prepare the tooth. This ensures that the crown fits well, and that there is no chance of food debris or bacteria finding its way under the crown. When preparing a tooth for crown placement, a dentist will shape the tooth, removing as little of it as possible so as not to disturb the nerve.
However, if, for example, a patient is not satisfied with the way their crown looks or feels, they may wish to have the crown remade. The more a dentist removes from a tooth, the greater the chance of that tooth requiring a root canal. Thus, if you are not satisfied with a dental crown, you should keep the following tips in mind before opting to have the crown redone.
Give Yourself Time to Adjust to New Crowns
Permanent crowns do take a week or so to begin to feel and look natural in your mouth. Therefore, you should give yourself time to adjust before opting to have a new crown redone.
If your new crown still doesn't seem right in a week or two, speak to your dentist about having it redone.
Take the History of Your Teeth Into Account
Some patients have had multiple fillings and crowns on their teeth, yet have never had a root canal. The teeth of these people have more robust nerves that can withstand a substantial amount of irritation. However, some people have had only minor dental work done, such as small fillings, but still required root canals as the nerves as their teeth are easily irritated.
Why this is the case is a mystery, but if you have had several root canals in the past for seemingly minor issues, then replacing your crown could call for another root canal.
Check the Condition of Your Current Crown
If the crown to be replaced is in good condition, it is likely that very little tooth structure will need to be removed before putting the new crown in place. If there is no decay under or around the crown and the tooth supporting the crown is fully intact, having it redone should be simple.
Under normal circumstances, redoing a crown should not result in the need for a root canal. More tooth structure will need to be removed, of course, but if done by a skilled dentist, this removal should not automatically result in the need for a root canal.
