Causes of root canal treatment on the molar tooth

The main cause is an untreated caries. Through daily food intake a plaque forms on our teeth, the so-called plaque. If it is not removed sufficiently, bacteria like Streptococcus mutans can multiply.

These bacteria metabolize the sugar from food and form lactic acid, which attacks the tooth and destroys the tooth structure. If the caries remains untreated, it continues to work its way through the tooth until it reaches the interior and root of the tooth. The tooth root consists of at least one root canal, which is filled with tooth pulp, as well as the tooth nerve and small blood vessels for supply.

A tooth must be supplied with nutrients to stay vital. Inflammation occurs when the bacteria have reached the inside of the tooth. In the course of the inflammation process, the vessels expand, which presses on the tooth nerve and causes pain.

If the pain is ignored, the bacteria can migrate even further and attack the bone until an abscess develops. However, bacteria do not always have to be the reason for a root canal treatment. Traumatic damage, such as after an accident or a fall, can also result in root canal treatment if the pulp has been opened and bacteria have penetrated.

Another possible reason for pulp inflammation is the so-called grinding trauma that occurs during a crown or bridge treatment. In order for a crown to fit onto a tooth, it must be ground under water cooling. Depending on how much damage the tooth has already suffered in its lifetime, the more resistant or sensitive it is to external influences.It is possible that the irritation of grinding leads to an inflammation of the pulp and thus makes a root canal treatment necessary.

Do I need a crown after a root canal treatment on the molar tooth?

Whether a molar tooth should be crowned after a root canal treatment cannot be said in general. The decisive factor here is the loss of hard tooth substance. That means it depends on how much of the tooth is left after the treatment.

In most cases, deep caries means that the tooth needs root canal treatment. So the dentist must first remove the caries. Then he can start to drill the access to the canals and thus the tooth loses more and more substance and thus also stability.

If it is weakened to a considerable extent, it is advisable to crown the molar tooth now. Molars in particular are exposed to a high chewing load and are at risk of breaking if the restoration is inadequate. If a tooth breaks, it is usually not salvageable.

But not all teeth need a crown. If there is still enough hard substance available, it is alternatively possible to build up the tooth with a plastic-based build-up material. However, this is only sufficiently stable if a maximum of two outer surfaces of the tooth are missing.

If more than these two are missing, a so-called “root post” must be placed in addition to the build-up filling. These are small pins made of metal, ceramic or plastic that are inserted into the root and then anchor the build-up filling in the tooth. This means that they connect the root and crown part of the tooth.