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Root canal crowns and implant crowns are the two most common crown types at Dazzle Dental Clinic. They share the same fabrication process — digital scan, CAD design, in-house milling, sintering, and cementation — but they serve different clinical purposes and sit on different foundations.
Root Canal Crowns: Why the Crown Is Not Optional for Posterior Teeth
A root canal treated tooth has had its pulp removed. The pulp is not just nerve tissue — it also supplies moisture and nutrients to the dentinal tubules. Without pulp, the dentine becomes progressively more brittle over months to years. A root canal treated posterior tooth — molar or premolar — sustains biting forces of several hundred Newtons per chewing cycle. Brittle dentine under these forces fractures, often catastrophically (vertical root fracture), which results in extraction.
A crown placed over the root canal treated tooth protects the remaining tooth structure by distributing occlusal forces across the full crown surface rather than concentrating them on the remaining tooth walls. Published data shows posterior root canal treated teeth without crowns have significantly lower long-term survival than those with crowns. At Dazzle, a crown is planned as part of the root canal treatment plan, not added afterward. For material options, see our zirconia crowns guide.
For anterior root canal treated teeth: the need for a crown depends on how much natural tooth structure remains. If the tooth has a large access cavity but otherwise intact walls, a tooth-coloured composite buildup may suffice. If the tooth is significantly broken down, a crown is required.
Implant Crowns: What They Are Attached To and Why It Matters
An implant crown does not attach to a tooth — it attaches to a titanium abutment that screws into the implant body in the bone. The crown — typically zirconia for posterior implants, E.max for anterior — is either cemented to the abutment or screwed directly through it (screw-retained). At Dazzle, screw-retained implant crowns are preferred for posterior single implants because they can be removed for maintenance without damaging the crown.
The abutment design is custom-milled from the intraoral scan — the emergence profile (the transition from implant neck to crown margin at the gum level) is shaped to support the soft tissue around the implant and prevent food trapping. Stock abutments do not achieve this in all cases; custom abutments do. For the full comparison, see our abutment selection guide.
The In-House Fabrication Timeline for Both Crown Types
For both root canal crowns and implant crowns at Dazzle: the preparation or abutment is scanned with the TRIOS intraoral scanner; the crown is designed in CAD software; the design is reviewed by the prosthodontist before milling; the crown is milled in the Amann Girrbach unit; sintered in the Ivoclar Programat furnace; shade-characterised by the technician; and delivered. Total timeline: posterior zirconia crown: same-day for straightforward cases. Anterior E.max crown: next-day in most cases. Custom implant abutment + crown: 1–2 working days.
FAQs
Q1: How long after root canal treatment should I get the crown?
As soon as possible — ideally within 2–4 weeks of the final root canal appointment. The temporary filling placed at the root canal appointment is not designed for long-term function. Until the permanent crown is placed, the tooth is at higher fracture risk, particularly in the posterior.
Q2: How long does an implant crown last?
The implant fixture, if well-maintained, can last a lifetime. The crown typically lasts 15–20 years before replacement is needed due to wear. Screw-retained crowns can be removed, repaired, or replaced without disturbing the implant.
Q3: Can I get a crown on the same day as my root canal treatment?
In most cases, no. The root canal treatment completes the endodontic work; the crown is a separate restorative appointment. Same-day root canal + crown is occasionally feasible for single-rooted anterior teeth with minimal tooth loss, but is not standard for multi-rooted posterior teeth.
Q4: What material is the crown made from for my implant?
Posterior implant crowns at Dazzle: monolithic zirconia (1000–1200 MPa). Anterior implant crowns: IPS e.max lithium disilicate (400 MPa) for maximum translucency. For full-arch implant bridges (All-on-4): monolithic zirconia is the standard final prosthesis material.
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