When Is A Root Canal Necessary?
When a tooth develops an infection, often the result of an untreated cavity or possibly a damaged tooth, this means treatment is crucial to avoid missing teeth. In today’s blog, your Cleveland, TX, dentist will talk about when a root canal procedure is necessary, and how we provide this safe and gentle procedure.
The Need for Treating Infection
An infection means that bacteria has made contact with the inner pulp. The nerve center of your tooth that controls the flow of blood and nutrients to and from the tooth. Which means without treatment, the tooth could die and require extraction to prevent infection from reaching other parts of the smile. However, with a root canal procedure we treat the issue and preserve the tooth, keeping your smile whole and free of spreading infection. As we mentioned above, causes could be linked to teeth grinding or injury damaging a tooth, or from poor oral hygiene weakening the enamel and allowing a cavity to form. Warning signs include pain when you bite down or chew, tooth sensitivity and toothaches, swelling, or even a discharge from the tooth itself. Don’t ignore these symptoms, let us know right away!
The Root Canal Procedure
How do we treat this concern? To begin, we will administer a local numbing agent to ensure you remain calm and comfortable through the process. If you have anxiety, talk to us about sedation options! We then open the tooth so we can reach and remove the infected tissues from within. Once we do this, clean the interior and add a special restorative material to the tooth. Finally, we cap the tooth with a custom-made crown, which not only looks natural and blends with your smile, but safeguards the tooth against further decay or infection. The process could take as little as one visit to complete in some cases!
Steps to Avoid Infected Teeth
You can also take measures to prevent these oral health concerns from developing. These are often as simple as a healthier diet to avoid major plaque buildup, and daily brushing and flossing to remove food and drink particles before they feed bacteria and weaken the outer enamel. You should also see our team for a checkup and cleaning as well, so we can keep an eye on your smile for the earliest signs of trouble, and also remove plaque and tartar completely.
Does Your Smile Need Restorative Dental Care?
Our team wants to help you enjoy relief and lifelike treatment. If you have any questions about treating an infected tooth, or if you would like to schedule a consultation today, please contact Cleveland Family Dentistry in Cleveland, TX, at (281) 592-1234. You can also find our practice at 205 E. Houston St. Cleveland, TX 77327.