Too often, many people forego important dental treatment out of fear and misinformation. A root canal is a form of endodontic treatment —endo being Greek for inside and odont being Greek for a tooth. Root canal therapy has a horrible reputation, but one that is outdated and harmful.
Suppose you have a serious tooth infection and have received a recommendation from a dentist near you to undergo root canal therapy in Dearborn. In that case, you must have the most accurate and up-to-date information about the treatment.
First things. You’ve heard that a root canal is a painful procedure. That is outdated and, frankly, false information. The truth is that thanks to continuing advances in dental procedures and technology, root canal therapy in Dearborn is a painless procedure that doesn’t cause pain but eliminates pain almost immediately.
What Is Inside A Tooth?
Underneath your enamel is a hard layer called dentin. Beneath the enamel and dentin is an area of softer tissue called the pulp. That pulp contains blood vessels, connective tissue, and nerves. The pulp area of a tooth lies from just inside the crown’s surface to the tip of the tooth’s root. The pulp is essential to a tooth’s growth and development, but once the tooth has reached maturity, the pulp is no longer required. An adult tooth isn’t fed by the pulp but by the tissues around the tooth.
What Does A Root Canal Do?
Root canal therapy in Dearborn is necessary when the pulp inside the tooth’s canal gets inflamed or infected due to severely neglected oral hygiene, deeply penetrating tooth decay, repeated dental work, or a cracked or chipped tooth. An infection that proceeds unchecked can produce severe pain and abscesses that can fill with pus that can leak into your mouth and the interior of your jaw. Unless such a severely infected tooth is effectively treated, the infection can enter your bloodstream and affect your general health. A tooth extraction will be necessary if a patient who needs root canal therapy does not get it on time.
During root canal treatment, a dentist near you will remove the infected pulp from inside your tooth before cleaning the interior carefully, then filling the void and sealing the tooth against future infection. Once you’ve fully recovered from the root canal procedure, your dentist will place a customized crown over the treated tooth to provide structural support and restore full dental function.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Tooth Infection Requiring A Root Canal?
There is a cluster of half a dozen symptoms that may indicate you have a serious tooth infection that may justify root canal therapy. While none of these symptoms indicate that you require a root canal, they do indicate serious issues with the health of a tooth that may include a serious and advancing tooth infection. If you have any combination of these symptoms, contact a dentist near you for advice about how to deal with the condition of your tooth:
- Severe tooth pain when you chew or bite
- The appearance of pimples on your gums near the painful tooth
- Tooth sensitivity in response to hot or cold temperatures that continues even after the hot or cold substance has been removed
- Gums that appear swollen or tender
- Darkening of your gums
- Changes to the color of the affected tooth (but not neighboring teeth)
- The appearance that the affected tooth is taller than neighboring teeth
- A foul-tasting discharge into your mouth
Even a severely infected tooth can be saved if you get root canal therapy in Dearborn in time. Successful root canal therapy will eliminate the infection and prevent it from spreading elsewhere in your mouth, jaw, and body.
If you’re experiencing any combination of these symptoms, contact a dentist near you as quickly as possible to get advice about protecting your health — while saving your tooth.