Tooth decay – the dental infection that causes cavities – is often caught and treated while still in the main structure of the tooth (the dentin). When decay reaches the pulp (the hollow chamber at the center of the dentin), it will infect the nerves and tissues, causing severe tooth pain and possibly leading to tooth loss.
Root canal therapy describes accessing the tooth’s interior to remove the infected pulp, then sanitizing the root canal connected to it. The restorative procedure stops the infection from spreading through the root canal, which extends under your gum and into your jawbone.
Advantages of Root Canal Therapy
If you catch a cavity early enough, you may be able to treat it with a tooth-colored filling before root canal therapy becomes necessary. If you do require root canal treatment, however, then we advise scheduling the procedure as soon as possible.
Cleaning and sealing an infected root canal will benefit your oral health in a number of ways, including:
- It alleviates the severe discomfort of internal tooth infection.
- It will help preserve the healthy tooth structure that remains, rather than having to extract the tooth.
- The procedure is typically as non-invasive as receiving a tooth filling.
- You can opt for an appropriate dental sedation method if you feel apprehensive about the treatment.
- If a previous root canal treatment has failed, we may be able to retreat the tooth and prevent the need for extracting it.
If your tooth is severely infected, alleviate the pain with root canal treatment. Find out if it’s the right procedure for you by calling 281-320-2000 to schedule a consultation at a Spring, TX, dentist’s office near you!
