What Determines the Longevity of Teeth after Root Canal?

Root canal treatment or endodontic treatment is carried out on damaged tooth to save it from further damage and microbial invasion. It thus helps to increase the life of the tooth. Here are several factors that contribute to the longevity of teeth which are treated by root canal.

1. How Early Treatment Helps?

Many dentists and most studies show that teeth that are operated in early stages with endodontic treatment contribute to higher success and longevity of teeth. Root canal prevents the infection to spread into the bone if the treatment is started earlier.

So, it is advisable to call for immediate endodontic treatment if you need it! Another was the quality of the endodontic treatment itself. If a root canal therapy is carried out quickly and effectively the longevity of tooth increases. Precise and early root canal treatment results in quick repairing after treatment is completed. Later an important factor that contributes to longer life is to restore a tooth with a permanent filling or crown. This is usually done in the second visit or follow-up visit to the dental clinic.

2. Why Crowns are Mandatory?

The front teeth have single roots (and canals and receive less biting force than the back teeth). This makes them easier to access and treat. On the contrary, the back teeth have two or three roots and more root canals. Hence they are more complicated to treat and access. Keeping this in mind a front tooth may or may not need a crown after root canal treatment. But it’s obligatory to put a dental crown for back tooth. Having a crown imparts strength and improves longevity.

“Root canal treatment is highly successful; the procedure has more than a 95% success rate. Many teeth fixed with a root canal can last a lifetime. Also, because the final step of the root canal procedure is application of a restoration such as a crown or a filling, it will not be obvious to onlookers that a root canal was performed.”Webmd

3. What are the Changes over Time?

Studies have shown that there is a significant correlation between age and the resistance of tooth to fracture (whether it has had an endodontic treatment or not). Teeth can become brittle and are more prone to fracture over a period if time. The back molar teeth are especially undergoing these as they receive the most biting force.

Hence, it becomes mandatory to place crowns on root canal treated teeth. This helps them to cover and protect them from undue stress, increasing their longevity.

Especially in case of extensively damaged tooth, a post is placed inside a treated root canal to support and reinforce a crown. However, certain posts may increase the possibility of root fractures over time.

4. Preserving Nature’s Gifts

Many studies reveal that root canal therapy helps to give a longer-lasting solution than tooth extraction and using dental implants. The option of keeping a root canal treated tooth or getting a dental implant is quite unclear, however, it involves other considerations besides longevity like - more treatment time and costs.

“Saving the natural tooth is usually the best option, so root canal treatment is generally the treatment of choice. The only alternative to having a root canal is a tooth extraction and having it replaced with an implant, bridge, or denture. These procedures are more expensive than a root canal and often require more time and additional procedures to treat the surrounding teeth and tissues.”. medicinenet

Hence, it is quite obvious that endodontic treatments help to preserve your natural tooth for many years down the line, if not a lifetime.