How do you feel when you hear the words “root canal”? For many of our patients, they report feeling anxious or nervous. Unfortunately, inaccurate information has given this safe and comfortable procedure an undeserved reputation. In reality, endodontic treatment is often crucial for protecting your smile from tooth loss due to extraction. Why do we need root canals? In order to protect the health and stability of our smiles.
The Warning Signs of an Infected Tooth
We often recommend this procedure in order to address a tooth that has become infected or abscessed. An infection occurs when bacteria reach the inner pulp. The pulp is located at the center of your tooth, overseeing the flow of blood and nutrients to and from the tooth. Whether due to injury or advance decay, once bacteria reaches the pulp an infection or abscess may begin. Warning signs include:
- Tooth sensitivity
- Toothaches
- Swelling around the aching tooth
- Fever
- Pain when biting down or chewing
- A bad tasting discharge
Avoiding Tooth Loss
If any of the above symptoms sound familiar, then you should schedule a consultation right away. Otherwise, the pulp can die. At this stage, an extraction is necessary to prevent the spread of infection to surrounding teeth or to the jawbone itself. To avoid this eventuality, you need to remove the affected tissue with root canal therapy.
The Root Canal Procedure
After administering an local anesthetic, the doctor will open the tooth and remove the infected tissue from the tooth and root canals. At this stage, we will fill the tooth with a special restorative material. The procedure ends with the dentist capping the tooth with a custom-made dental crown. Once complete, your tooth will look natural and function normally. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our office today.
ABOUT YOUR BRIGHTON DENTISTS:
Located in Brighton, MA, Brighton Family Dental Group features experienced dentists and an excellent range of in-office treatments for every member of your family who needs dental care. If you’d like to learn more, you can schedule an appointment or consultation with Dr. Thomas Villani or Dr. Richard Kondrat by calling our office at (617) 562-5210.
