There are many reasons why you may need endodontic treatment. Commonly called a root canal, it is the process where the dentist removes any infected, dead or injured pulp from a tooth. The space inside the hard layers of your teeth is called the root canal system, which is the reason for the common name.
When the pulp or nerve tissue is damaged, it deteriorates and bacteria from the food you eat enter the pulp chamber and start to multiply. This causes an infection that creates an abscessed tooth.
The abscess is a pocket-like area at the end of the roots that becomes filled with pus. This infection can spread past the roots and even affect the jawbone if it is not treated.
Other symptoms of an abscessed tooth are swelling in the face head or neck, bone loss if the infection spreads to the jawbone and drainage of pus into the gums or through the cheek into the skin. When this happens, you may be swallowing pus that could cause infections in other parts of your body.
Root canal therapy usually takes a sequence of treatments to eliminate all of the infection in the tooth and protect the remaining tooth from future infection. The main reason for endodontic treatment is to save the natural tooth.
Inner-tooth damage may be caused by bacterial infection, fractures or chips, injury where the tooth has become dislodged or even knocked completely out.
For endodontic treatment, you can expect more than one visit, but usually not more than three. First, we may take complete x-rays of your teeth before any treatment begins.
For a few days after endodontic treatment, your tooth may feel slightly sensitive because of tissue inflammation, which may be worse if the tooth was very inflamed before the procedure.
This discomfort can easily be controlled by over-the-counter painkillers. Most people can return to work or other activities the day after the procedure.
Schedule an Appointment
It is best to have regular checkups at the dentist, so you can avoid serious dental problems. However, if you have pain in any tooth, it is wise to have it checked as soon as possible.
It may appear small, but it could become serious very fast. When it comes to your teeth, prevention is your best defense against endodontic treatments.
Contact Implant and Comprehensive Dentistry today to schedule your appointment and learn if endodontic treatment is right for you.
