Do Front Teeth Ever Undergo Root Canal Surgery?
Yes. Root Canal Surgery can be performed on any tooth. All your teeth have roots. However, your front teeth are a little different.
Here are a few things you should know about having root canal surgery on your front teeth.
Do you need a crown?
The most distinctive difference between having a root canal done on a molar and a root canal done on your front teeth; you may not need a crown.
Getting a dental crown is usually considered part of the root canal process. However, the procedure on a front tooth causes very little damage to the enamel. Dr. Penney and your dentist will determine their recommendation on whether your tooth will need a crown or not based on your situation and how extensive the damage was.
Why get a crown? If you are on the fence. Here are a few things to consider.
- How strong is your tooth? Consider how the endodontically treated tooth was infected in the first place. The infection that called for endodontic treatment may indicate that your tooth needs a crown to be at peak performance.
- Will you be able to chew? We don’t often chew with our front teeth. However, we should still take chewing into consideration when deciding to get a crown. You don’t want to have to remember your sensitive front tooth every time you stop for a snack.
- How does the tooth look? The root canal should not alter the physical appearance of your front tooth. However, there are exceptions. Our goal is to get your smile back to full capacity.
- Will a crown prevent further damage? If you have the option to protect your front tooth from potential damage, you should take it.
How are front-tooth root canal treatments different?
Usually, the opening for the root canal surgery is done on the chewing surface of the tooth. For the front teeth, the opening is made from the back of the tooth. The back of the tooth is the most effective way to reach the infected root.
Front teeth are also different from molars because they only have one main canal as a root.