But yeah… once a molar cracks down the middle, options get limited fast.
That part really hits home for me. I tried to save money by just getting a big filling after a root canal on one of my lower molars. My dentist warned me it was risky, but at the time, I just couldn’t justify the extra cost of a crown. Fast forward about a year and a half—crack city. I bit down on something not even that hard, and suddenly I had half a tooth left. Ended up needing an extraction and now I’m stuck with a gap (still debating if I want to spend even more on an implant).
I get that crowns aren’t cheap, but honestly, skipping it on a back tooth is a gamble. I’ve heard some folks get by for years with just a filling, but in my case, it backfired. The brittleness is real after a root canal—my tooth felt kind of hollow, if that makes sense.
On the flip side, I had a root canal on a front tooth (incisor) about five years ago. Dentist said no crown needed unless it started to discolor or chip. Still looks and feels fine, so I guess that’s the exception.
I do think there’s some truth to dentists being a bit “crown happy” sometimes, especially if insurance covers it. But when it comes to molars, I’d say the risk of a catastrophic crack is just too high. If you’re worried about cost, maybe ask about onlays or those reinforced fillings, but keep in mind they’re not always a permanent fix.
Anyway, just my two cents as someone who learned the hard way. If I could go back, I’d probably suck it up and get the crown right away for any tooth that does the heavy lifting.
