How Long Does A Root Canal Last Without A Crown? – [Dental Guide]

One of the most common questions that we get from people is, “How long does a root canal last without a crown?” The answer depends on various factors, which include the time of the treatment, restoration quality, location of the tooth, and age of the patient, as well as other factors as well.

Root Canals: Why Are They Necessary?

A root canal is a dental treatment done by a dentist or an endodontist. When the pulp of a tooth gets infected or injured, it causes pain in the teeth that are sometimes unbearable for the suffering person. The pulp is the soft area inside the tooth, which includes nerves, tissues, as well as blood vessels.

The dentist, in such cases, drills a hole in the top of the tooth to get limited access to the pulp that is infected or damaged. If the pulp on the tooth is removed, the tooth no longer remains alive. If it is cleaned, removed, or shaped, a space in the tooth remains. The dentist uses gutta-percha which is a natural rubber-like material that is used for restoration to seal the root canal. This material basically acts as a filling to close the canal hole that is created to remove the pulp.

Is Root Canal Very Effective?

The rate of successful completion of root canal treatment is more than 95 percent. Another factor that makes root canal quite common is because of the fact that it is not very painful for the patient and is easy to perform for the dentist. 

On the other hand, a root canal helps a lot in eliminating the pain that is coming from the pulp of the tooth. Although the root canal is not enough to restore the tooth to its previous state of strength before the infection, it still preserves the tooth for quite a long period of time.

Read More: 15 Useful Home Remedies for Toothache

Root Canal Factors: How Long Does A Root Canal Last Without A Crown?

A crown after a root canal typically helps in restoring the teeth after the dentist’s treatment with a root canal is done. However, using a crown after the root canal is not fully necessary. But the biggest question that you need to know in this case is how long does a root canal lasts without a crown. 

To know how long do root canals last, you will need to consider a lot of factors that affect root canal treatment. These factors are explained below:

1. Right Treatment At Right Time

Whether it is a root canal or any other treatment of the human body, timely treatment is necessary and can prevent early prevention of damage. Timely treatment of the infected/ damaged tooth with a root canal helps in getting better results than late treatment. Here, you can prevent the infection from spreading further and make it worse for yourself. 

2. Restoration Quality And Timing

After root canal therapy is done, you will need a permanent filling on the hole of your tooth. This dental filling is also known as the crown. This restoration should be done carefully as its quality ensures how long will your root canal last. Apart from that, the timing of the restoration is also essential in this case. If you wait for more than the recommended period of restoration by the dentist, it will get more complicated for your tooth.

3. Location Of Tooth For The Root Canal

The root canal is easier for the teeth at the front. This is because a front tooth has only one root. While on the other hand, the teeth at the back have two or three roots. Hence, they are more complicated to perform a root canal on. Furthermore, these back teeth withstand more force while you bite your food in the mouth. This is the reason why these teeth are more vulnerable to problems, and restoring them is more difficult for a dentist.

4. Age Of The Patient

Your age is also a significant factor in determining how long will your root canal last without a crown on your tooth. As you get older, your teeth become weaker and brittle and get more vulnerable to damage and infections. In such cases, the crowns on the tooth provide protection to it from stress factors.

Do You Need A Crown After A Root Canal?

The presence of a crown after the root canal is provided as the finishing touch. This is done to protect the teeth for years against further damage and infection. However, in many cases, the crown is not deemed necessary by many endodontists or dentists. 

In those exceptional cases, they will let you know the things that are considered best for your tooth. In other cases, the dentist will let you know and explore whether you want a root canal for your tooth or not. 

Why Do You Need Crown After Root Canal?

A root canal without a crown is possible, but the crown is important after the filling of the root canal because of the following reasons:

• It helps in providing strength to the fragile tooth, which, if left alone, can be very risky.
• If the root canal is done and the teeth are left alone, it can lead to further infections. Hence the crown is necessary.
• Root canals make your tooth sensitive, while the crown over it decreases the sensitivity.
• Even without the pulp, your tooth will look normal if your dentist places a crown filling over your tooth. 

Root Canal Treatment: How Long Does A Root Canal Last Without A Crown?

So, you have understood from the aforementioned points that it is hard to know whether a root canal will last long without a crown. Hence, we recommend you place a crown over the tooth with the root canal. This will ensure the longevity of your tooth and will also make it appear better.

Read More: Does A Root Canal Hurt? Is It Painful Or Not?

Final Thought

If you have a tooth that is decayed or infected, performing a root canal is the right option for you. Instead of removing your decayed or infected tooth, you can consider saving your tooth with the help of a root canal. A root canal and crown can be a great option, even in cases when your pulp gets infected.

Read Also:

• Battling Tooth Cavity and Decay – What Are the Effective Options?
• How Long Does A Root Canal Take? – Diagnosis And Aftercare Of Root Canal!
• What Are The Signs Of Infection After Root Canal? – Causes, Symptoms, Treatment