Is it possible to have a root canal on a molar that has a gold crown and what are the possible complications? Should I use my regular dentist or a Endodontist? Thanks

Yes, you can have a root canal on a molar with a gold crown. The gold crown gets removed. Please call your dentist and find out if he does the work. If he doesn't, he will refer you to someone who does.

My former dentist sent me to a specialist to have just that done. I think the plan was to drill down through what was actually one end of a bridge into the root canal. I had some doubts about my dentist before that. After the specialist decided I didn't need a root canal, I found a new regular dentist. I didn't like the country music in his office either. It has been 10 years, and I still haven't had to have the root canal.

If you need a root canal, it has to be done somehow. Remove or drill through may depend on the tooth, or maybe the technology has changed in the last 10 years. You dentist may be the best judge of regular or specialist. Mine was a wisdom tooth which is harder.

You shouldn't have to remove the crown, unless there is decay under it that spread to the nerve, in which case the crown will have to be remade. If the reason for the root canal is just the nerve dying, then the dentist will go right through the top of the crown and then fill the hole in with some composite filling material. He will either do it himself or refer you to an endodontist, at my office , my boss only does anterior or front teeth, he refers all back teeth to a specialist.

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Originally Posted by fwerth

Is it possible to have a root canal on a molar that has a gold crown and what are the possible complications? Should I use my regular dentist or a Endodontist? Thanks

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I would an recommend an Endodontist because they a trained and specialized in Root Canal. What ever you do keep the gold crown because it last longer , it is also stronger and more durable. You can also go the cheaper route and let you regular Dentist do it... the results might not be the same.