How Does a Cavity Form Under a Crown?
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Crown
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Severe tooth decay
A crown that has been improperly fit will not sit well below the gum line of the tooth it covers. Food particles become trapped in this area, allowing the tooth to become the target of bacteria and decay, since it is difficult to brush or keep this area clean. This will result in a cavity forming on the tooth, having a root canal' to remove the nerve endings of the tooth and adding a new crown.
Cavity
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Cavity gets larger
A cavity starts as a pin hole in a tooth and is caused by bacteria developing on the exterior of the tooth, resulting in decay. When the cavity is ignored, it gets larger and causes what was once a small spot of decay to get larger. When the cavity is not cleaned out by the dentist, the decay eventually reaches the nerve and cause a toothache. At this point, the nerve will need to be removed during a root canal and the tooth replaced with a crown.
Root Canal
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Root Canal Process
Removing the roots of a badly decayed tooth eliminates the pain and swelling within the tooth. This is is known as having a root canal and is done by a dentist who specializes in this procedure. The roots of the tooth are completely removed, and the top of the tooth is prepared for further care by the dentist.
Post and Core
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Post and Core
When the root canal is fully healed, the dentist grinds down the size of the tooth, adds a post and core into the tooth area where the root has been removed and places the crown on top of what is now a stub of a tooth.
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- Photo Credit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Cementedpost.jpg, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Toothdecay.png, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Root_Canal_Illustration_Molar.svg,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:29_PFM_on_Die.JPG, http://upload.wikimedia.org/
