Why are root canals sometimes done with tooth crowns?
If the tooth is so decayed that even its interior, the pulp, is damaged, that means the root is damaged. The root is that part of the tooth below the gumline and in the bone. If decay has entered the interior of the tooth, then the tooth’s nerve has been damaged and may even have died. The nerve and blood vessels enter the tooth from its tip in the jawbone, and run up inside the root canal to the pulp cavity. When this whole area is infected and swollen from decay or an injury, it must all be cleaned out and filled with a root canal filling material, to seal out bacteria. After this is done, the tooth crown can be placed over the visible part of the tooth and will now have a strong foundation.
