When you experience pain biting down or chewing food, then something is definitely wrong. Trying to ignore the problem will only allow it to grow worse and eventually threaten the loss of one or more of your teeth. In order to address pain in your smile, your Brighton, MA, dentists may prescribe a safe and comfortable endodontic treatment known as root canal therapy.
The Causes of Your Discomfort
A dental infection means harmful bacteria has reached your inner pulp, a group of living tissues sitting at the center of your tooth. The pulp is essential for keeping your tooth alive and healthy. However, advanced decay or a crack or chip in the tooth’s enamel could expose the inner structure to bacteria. The resulting decay could grow more severe with time and eventually reach the pulp. People then experience tooth sensitivity, toothaches, pain when eating or biting down, swelling near the aching tooth, or even a bad tasting discharge from the tooth itself.
The Benefits of Root Canal Treatment
If you begin to experience the painful symptoms we’ve discussed above, then please see us right away. Root canal therapy halts the pain and prevents the infection from growing worse or spreading to surrounding teeth, which also prevents the loss of your tooth and helps preserve your smile. The procedure can often be completed in one to two visits, and many people find it comparable to receiving a simple dental filling.
What to Expect
To start, we will administer a local anesthetic to the area around the tooth to help prevent discomfort during treatment. If you have dental anxiety, then don’t let your fears stand between you and a healthier, more comfortable smile, talk to us about possible sedation options.
Next, we will open the tooth in order to access and remove the infected tissue from within. We then clean the inside of the tooth thoroughly and add a restorative material we refer to as gutta percha. After we cure this material, the last step is to place a crown. The restoration is custom-made for your smile and provides protection against further injury or decay/infection. We can use materials that allows the crown to blend with your smile and look natural. We can then discuss changes to your daily oral hygiene routine to help prevent further decay or infection. If you have any questions about this procedure, or if you have an aching tooth, then let us know right away. We can help treat the issue before the holidays or the New Year.
Do You Have Questions About Toothaches?
If you have serious pain in your smile, especially when you eat, then you should see us right away. To learn more about our restorative treatments, schedule a consultation by calling Brighton Family Dental Group in Brighton, MA, today at (617) 562-5210. We proudly welcome patients from Brookline, Newton, and all surrounding communities.
