Root Canal Therapy
When the pulp of a tooth becomes infected or dies, root canal therapy is necessary to save the tooth. It is a generally comfortable treatment that can save your tooth to keep your mouth healthy.
When the pulp of a tooth becomes infected or dies, root canal therapy is necessary to save the tooth. It is a generally comfortable treatment that can save your tooth to keep your mouth healthy.
Symptoms of infection
You may realize that you have an infected tooth when:
- the tooth is sensitive to hot or cold
- the tooth hurts with biting or pressure
- there is throbbing, severe tooth discomfort
- the area is swollen
- you have a bad taste in your mouth
You may also be unaware of the problem as it is possible there are no symptoms at all.
Causes Of Infection
The pulp becomes infected when bacteria invade the inner layers of the tooth. The tooth pulp is a soft tissue made up of nerves and blood vessels. It is contained in the pulp chamber that extends from the middle of the tooth down through the tooth roots.
Infections occur most commonly through a deep cavity that allows bacteria through the enamel and dentin layers and into the pulp. Sometimes the pulp simply dies due to a fracture or a trauma to the tooth.
Diagnosis and treatment
To determine if your tooth has an infected pulp, we do a thorough examination. The exam often includes x-rays and sometimes includes checking the health of the pulp with a pulp tester. We may also apply heat or cold, tap lightly on the tooth to see if it is sensitive, look for changes in the tooth’s color, or press gently on the gums next to the tooth to check for discomfort.
If we determine that you have an infected tooth, we talk with you about root canal therapy to remove the infection and save the tooth. It is important to treat an infected tooth in order to prevent the infection from traveling through the root tips and causing a painful abscess in the jawbone.
How does root canal therapy affect a tooth?
Root canal therapy leaves a tooth brittle and weak. The inner pulp layer of a tooth contains its nerves and blood vessels, so the tooth loses much of its blood supply when the infected pulp is removed and the tooth’s root canals are cleaned out. The tooth is now weaker, also because only the sides of the tooth are left for support when the center of the tooth is gone.
These factors make it much easier for a tooth to break when you bite down on food. Biting and chewing place a tremendous amount of force on teeth, and weak, brittle teeth are especially vulnerable.
After Root Canal Therapy we usually recommend a crown to protect your tooth. The crown will help protect it from breaking or fracturing.
