Interesting—my experience was kind of the opposite. I had an onlay after my root canal and it’s actually held up better than the crown I got a few years later on a different tooth. Makes me wonder if it’s more about the dentist’s technique or maybe just luck? Did your dentist give you a choice, or was it pretty much “you need a crown” from the start? I get being nervous about the onlay cracking, but sometimes I worry that crowns are just overkill when there’s still some healthy tooth left...
That’s really interesting to hear, because I’ve been second-guessing whether I should’ve pushed for an onlay instead of just nodding along when my dentist said crown. The idea of shaving down more tooth than necessary kind of bugs me, honestly. Your experience makes me think it’s not so black and white—maybe the right dentist or even the right material makes all the difference. I totally get what you mean about crowns sometimes feeling like overkill, especially if there’s still a decent chunk of tooth left...
Yeah, I totally get where you’re coming from. I remember sitting in the chair, sweaty palms and all, while my dentist started talking about crowns like it was a no-brainer. Meanwhile, I’m just thinking… are we sure we need to go full Game of Thrones on my tooth? The idea of grinding down perfectly good bits freaked me out too. My cousin got an onlay once and swears by it, but my dentist barely mentioned it—maybe they just love crowns? Honestly, wish I’d asked more questions instead of just nodding like a bobblehead.
Meanwhile, I’m just thinking… are we sure we need to go full Game of Thrones on my tooth? The idea of grinding down perfectly good bits freaked me out too.
I get the hesitation about crowns—especially when it’s your kid in the chair. My daughter needed work after a root canal on her molar, and I did a ton of reading (probably too much, if you ask my partner). Crowns seem to be the default answer for a lot of dentists, but when you really look into it, they’re not always the only option. I pushed back a bit and asked about onlays or partial coverage restorations. The dentist kind of brushed it off at first, but after some back and forth, admitted that onlays could work if there’s enough healthy tooth left.
What bugs me is how quickly they jump to crowns. I know crowns are sturdy and all, but they do require shaving down a lot of natural tooth—sometimes more than necessary. For a younger patient, that’s a big deal. If you can preserve more structure now, it might mean fewer problems down the road if something fails or needs to be redone. Maybe it’s just habit or insurance reimbursement stuff driving the crown-first mentality? Not sure.
My daughter ended up getting an onlay instead (after some stubborn questioning on my part), and she’s had zero issues so far—plus way less anxiety about the whole “grinding down” thing. It wasn’t cheap, but honestly, neither is a crown these days.
I’m not saying crowns are never needed—they definitely have their place—but I wish dentists would lay out all the options without steering patients toward one by default. Especially for kids or teens who hopefully have decades ahead with those teeth. Sometimes being that “annoying parent” pays off... even if you feel like you’re interrogating the poor dentist.
I’m right there with you on the “crown by default” thing. When I had a root canal on one of my back teeth, my dentist barely paused before suggesting a crown. I remember thinking, wait, is that really the only way? It just felt extreme to grind away so much tooth—especially since mine wasn’t completely trashed.
I did some digging and ended up asking about onlays too. My dentist said they’re less common but possible if the tooth isn’t too far gone, kind of echoing what you heard. We talked through it step by step: how much healthy tooth was left, what the long-term risks were, even how insurance might react (spoiler: not great). In the end, I went with an onlay and haven’t had any trouble.
One thing I still wonder about is whether dentists get enough training or incentive to recommend these more conservative options. Is it just easier (or more profitable) to do crowns? Or maybe most people don’t ask, so they stick with what’s familiar? Curious if anyone’s run into a dentist who actually prefers onlays or partials over crowns by default...
