Root canal therapy is required when the nerve of a tooth is affected by decay or infection. In order to save the tooth, the pulp, bacteria, and any decay present in it are removed, and the ensuing space is filled with specially medicated materials, which restore the tooth to its full function. The best option to save an infected tooth is a root canal treatment; if left untreated, the tooth would die and finally will need an extraction. Most patients believe that removing a tooth that has complications is the solution. But what is not understood is that pulling out a tooth will ultimately be more costly and cause substantial damage to the adjacent teeth. Root canal treatment is highly effective and usually lasts a lifetime.
What are the indications that you need a Root Canal Treatment?
- Chipped or Cracked Tooth:When a tooth gets cracked or chipped, it can expose the nerves beneath the tooth's surface and cause an infection. The infection in a tooth's root can enter the bloodstream and spread. An infected tooth requires a root canal to prevent further infection and pain.
- Sensitivity to Heat or Cold:If your tooth pains when you drink hot drinks such as coffee or tea, it is a cause for worry. What begins as a dull, throbbing pain can progress into a sharp, intense pain, and this resultant pain can be due to an infected tooth. When you consume ice, and you have to avoid biting on one side of your mouth to prevent a painful tooth, its damaged blood vessels and nerve endings are to be blamed. In such instances, a root canal is needed to fix the problem with your sensitive tooth.
- Gum Area has swollen:Swollen gums are an indication of problems beneath the gum surface. An infection could be the cause of painful, swollen, and inflamed gums. In such cases, a root canal is needed to treat inflamed gums if they don't improve with medicines.
- Dark Discoloration of The Tooth: A tooth's discoloration could be an outcome of poor hygiene, consuming foods and drinks that stain tooth enamel, or nerve damage beneath the tooth's surface. When there is damage to the nerve and blood vessel, your dentist will have to carry out a root canal to extract the damaged root.
- Prolonged Sensitivity:If a tooth hurts when you put pressure on it and that sensitivity lasts for a long duration without improvement, a root canal might be the solution. Persistent tooth sensitivity is typically the result of a damaged root, and these won't heal on their own.
- Deep Decay: Once decay has accumulated deeply at the tooth's base, no amount of brushing, flossing, or rinsing with mouthwash will set the problem right. If a cavity has been ignored for too long, it will spread down into the nerve and the root of the tooth. In such a situation, a root canal is likely the only option for repair before the patient is fitted with a crown.
Is Root Canal Therapy painful?
As the procedure is conducted under local anesthesia, you will not feel any pain. After the process is completed, there will be some minor discomfort and pain, which will go away in a few days with the help of medication.
Call Elan Dental Center at (919)-556-6761 or schedule an online appointment to know more about Root Canal Treatment.
