Curious to see what most people end up with after a root canal. My dentist gave me the whole “you really should get a crown” talk, but my friend just had a filling and says it’s holding up fine. I’m not super jazzed about spending a ton more unless it’s really necessary, you know? I’ve heard some folks say a filling is enough for certain teeth, especially if it’s not a molar, but others swear by crowns for the long haul.
Quick poll:
1. Crown right after root canal
2. Filling only
3. Something else (temporary, onlay, etc.)
If you want to share—how long ago was your root canal, and is your tooth still doing okay? Any regrets or would you do it the same way again? I’m kinda torn because I don’t want to cheap out and regret it, but also, my wallet’s already hurting from the root canal itself. And does insurance actually help with crowns, or is that wishful thinking?
Would love to hear what you picked and how it’s working out. Did anyone’s filling crack or need a crown later on? Or maybe you skipped both and things are still fine?
I went with the crown after my root canal on a molar about three years ago. Not gonna lie, my wallet cried a little, but I haven’t had any issues since—no cracks, no pain, just business as usual. My dentist was pretty firm that back teeth especially need the extra protection since they do all the heavy chewing.
I did have a front tooth root canal ages ago and only got a filling. That one’s still hanging in there, but it’s not under as much pressure as the molar. If it ever goes, I guess I’ll deal with it then, but so far, so good.
Insurance covered a chunk of my crown, but it still wasn’t cheap. I remember thinking, “Is this thing made of gold?” Still, I’d probably do it again just for the peace of mind. Dental roulette isn’t really my thing these days.
I hear you on the sticker shock with crowns—mine felt like buying a used car, honestly. But I’m with you, I’d rather pay up front than gamble with another cracked molar. I had to get a crown on my lower back tooth after a root canal about five years ago. The dentist didn’t give me much choice, said it was the best way to avoid more breakage, and I haven’t had to think about it since. That peace of mind is worth a lot.
Front teeth are a whole different story, though. I’ve got a root canal on one of my top front teeth with just a filling, too. It’s holding up, but I try not to bite into apples with it—paranoid, maybe, but I’d rather not tempt fate. My insurance barely made a dent in the cost, but at least it helped a bit.
It’s wild how much chewing force those back teeth take. I used to think dentists were just upselling, but after seeing a friend lose a molar to a fracture post-root canal, I get it. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet... or, well, not bite too hard.
I’m in the same boat, honestly. Got a root canal on a back molar and my dentist keeps pushing for a crown, but the price tag is making me sweat. I just have a big filling on it right now and every time I chew something crunchy, I get nervous. Part of me wonders if dentists overdo it with the crowns, but then again, I’d hate to lose the tooth. Feels like a gamble either way...
I totally get the anxiety around this—crowns are expensive, and it’s hard to know if it’s really needed. I had a root canal on a premolar about three years ago and just went with a composite filling. It’s still holding up (knock on wood), but I do baby that tooth, especially with anything super chewy or hard. My dentist did mention crowns are more important for molars since they take more pressure, so maybe that’s why your dentist is pushing for it? Insurance helped a little with mine, but not as much as I’d hoped… dental coverage feels like a joke sometimes. No regrets so far, but I’m always half-waiting for something to go wrong.
