How Do You Know if You Need a Root Canal Treatment?

How Do You Know if You Need a Root Canal Treatment?

June 1, 2022

Root canal treatment is safe and effective in preventing the spread of bacteria inside the tooth’s pulp. That’s why millions of people opt for canal treatment every year to treat their infected teeth and relieve dental pain. However, since most of you don’t know how to identify dental problems requiring root canal treatment, this article will provide symptoms for which you should be on the lookout.  

What Is a Root Canal Treatment?

Root canal treatment is a procedure meant to eliminate bacteria inside an infected root canal. This procedure is vital as it helps protect your tooth from infection, which can cause tooth loss.

Procedure Involved in Root Canal Treatment

Inside the tooth, there is a hollow section that contains blood vessels, nerve tissues, and a pulp. The pulp is vital in the growth of teeth as it provides them with moisture and nourishment. In addition, nerves located inside the pulp are responsible for sensing pain and hot or cold temperatures. Below are some of the steps you can expect your dentist in Fort Lee to take when performing a root canal procedure.

Cleaning the Root Canal

Your dentist will start the cleaning process by extracting everything inside the root canal.

After putting you under anesthesia, your dentist will make an incision on the tooth’s surface and remove dead tissue from the tooth’s pulp.

After that, we will further clean the area and decontaminate it using tiny files and a special solution.

Filling the Root Canal

We will fill the tooth with a rubbery material and cement the area with adhesive to completely seal the canal. After this process, the chances of reinfection will be drastically reduced.

Furthermore, since we had removed all infected nerve tissues, patients don’t need to worry about experiencing dental pain from that area.

Adding a Filling or Crown

After canal treatment, the tooth will become weaker than before. The lack of a pulp to nourish the tooth means that it will have to rely on ligaments connecting it to the jawbone. Even though this will provide the tooth with an adequate supply of nutrients, the tooth will become more brittle with time. To ensure that your tooth is well protected, we will fit you with dental crowns or fillings.

How Long Is Canal Treatment?

Canal treatment can be completed within one dental visit. However, if your canals are curved, multi-layered, or highly infected, you might be required to go for multiple dental visits.

When to Undergo a Root Canal Treatment

If Your Tooth Is Infected

Infection can spread to the pulp and cause damage. When this happens, the bone will weaken, and ligaments surrounding the tooth will start swelling, causing the tooth to loosen. Without immediate canal treatment, the infection will spread further and loosen the teeth to the point that they will need to be extracted.

When Your Pulp Is Injured

If you get involved in an incident that causes injury to your tooth’s pulp, see a dentist immediately. When a pulp is severely injured, it cannot repair itself, and its tissue can slowly start to die. In addition, a damaged pulp may cause increased tooth sensitivity which can cause prolonged dental pain and headaches.

Severe Cavities and Loose Fillings Inside the Tooth

cracking, severe tooth decay, and loose fillings can all contribute to the spread of bacteria inside the tooth’s pulp. If any of the above scenarios occur, bacteria can destroy the pulp, penetrate root openings and infect the jawbone.

If you delay treatment and the tooth gets too damaged to be restored, we will have to extract it to mitigate the spread of bacteria and relieve dental pain. So visit a dental clinic for a root canal near you and prevent future dental emergencies.

Benefits of Root Canal Treatment

Saves your adjacent teeth from infection by removing the infected pulp that serves as a breeding ground for bacteria

Improves the appearance of damaged teeth through dental fillings

Crown and filling restoration can restore your tooth’s functionality

Unlike tooth extraction, canal treatment leaves the tooth intact therefore preserving jawbone tissue

Removing the infected pulp reduces dental pain and tooth sensitivity

Conclusion

A root canal treatment is essential in preventing the spread of infection and cavities and preserving the jawbone. If done early, canal therapy can also save your teeth from severe damage that may require tooth removal. Visit So Good Dental today for the best root canal treatment in Fort Lee. We offer customized treatment and provide a flexible payment plan so that all patients can access quality dental care.