How You Might Avoid Root Canal Treatment
Once you learn that your tooth needs root canal treatment, the treatment itself may be unavoidable. At that point, waiting much longer could lead to even more severe damage to your tooth structure and, in severe cases, the need to extract and replace the tooth. However, the good news is that it’s possible to avoid the need for root canal treatment, even if your tooth has already become decayed.
What the decay in your tooth means
Tooth decay is a progressive condition, and as we discussed in our previous blog, it can typically be treated with a conservative, tooth-colored filling. However, the ability to treat tooth decay with a filling depends on how severe the infection in your tooth has become, and time can allow it to continue to grow worse. If you have tooth decay, then treating it with a tooth filling as soon as possible is the best way to avoid the need for root canal treatment or the potential need for tooth extraction. Otherwise, the decay in your tooth’s main structure will have time to progress into the more vulnerable pulp chamber at its center.
What you should do as soon as possible
To improve your chances of avoiding the need for root canal treatment, it’s best to seek treatment for your tooth decay as soon as possible. This not only stops the tooth decay from growing more severe, but also helps you preserve a maximum amount of your healthy, natural tooth structure before it becomes decayed, as well. However, if your tooth decay is severe enough that root canal treatment is already necessary, then undergoing the treatment as soon as possible can help improve your chances of avoiding losing the tooth.
If root canal treatment is already necessary
Sometimes, tooth decay can progress and become more serious before you realize it, which is another reason why prompt treatment is necessary if prevention fails. An internal infection in your tooth is the more severe form of tooth decay, and it means that your tooth is in much more trouble than previously. Just as treating a cavity with a tooth filling is time sensitive before it becomes too severe, so is saving the tooth with root canal treatment once the decay becomes severe.
Learn if you can avoid root canal treatment
Root canal treatment may be necessary if your tooth becomes severely infected, which means preventing this infection is key to avoiding the need for the treatment. To learn more, call our Cleveland Family Dentistry office in Cleveland, TX, today at (281) 592-1234. We also serve the residents of Kingwood, Conroe, Livingston, and all surrounding communities.