I think I need a crown on a tooth now. The need for a crown does not mean there is a need for a root canal. A crown replaces only the part of the tooth structure above the gum line and actually sits on the remainder of the natural tooth where the nerve is. A root canal is not needed if that nerve has remained healthy. Everybody is talking about implants.
Implants are really root replacements which use titanium screws.
These can then be used to secure different types of replacement teeth which include crowns, bridges, full or partial dentures. They allows us to make something moveable become non-moveable by anchoring them to the bone. This anchoring provides for more functional teeth and a healthier mouth. Implants were originally used exclusively in the elderly. Today anyone who loses a tooth can have it replaced with an implant and a crown.