Don’t fear root canal treatment; restorative therapy comes to Tyrone dental patients’ rescue

When the inner part of your tooth is infected or badly damaged, you’ll know it. Dental root canal treatment at Tyrone Family Dentistry resolves pain and other symptoms of infection, and may be the only way to save a tooth and prevent extraction. Ironically, root canal therapy has an undeserved reputation of being painful due to the pain that’s associated with the condition it treats. To understand root canal treatment benefits is to get to know why you may need restorative therapy in the first place.

Anatomy of an infected tooth

Teeth contain nerves, vessels, and soft pulp tissue, which reside in the canals that run through the roots. You may need therapy to restore oral health and function if these canals become infected.

The American Dental Association reports most tooth decay or cracks cause infections. These conditions allow bacteria to penetrate protective enamel. When untreated, bacteria make their way through the tooth to the pulp. Harmful microorganisms and decaying material further complicate matters, progressing to a serious infection. When a foul-tasting fluid builds up at the root tip in your jaw, a pus-filled pocket called an abscess may form. Abscesses don’t go away without intervention, and require immediate dental treatment or even emergency care. Ultimately, untreated infections can cause pulp death, and spread to the jawbone and surrounding tissues. The longer you go without treatment, the greater the risk of the infection spreading and requiring the need for extensive oral surgery.

Since decay doesn’t occur overnight, there are many opportunities to catch these problems before they become complicated infections. Prevention starts with making and keeping recall appointments with Dr. Khieu and the team at Tyrone Family Dentistry. Your dental professionals have specialized instruments that remove hardened plaque in a way a toothbrush or floss can’t. Diagnostics allow them to see damage at its earliest stages, when the effects are reversible, and conditions are most treatable.

There is nothing to fear but the condition that root canal therapy treats, and NOT the root canal treatment itself. Anyone who has ever had a toothache or has seen a loved one struggle with that aching pain knows what we’re talking about. Below, are some of the symptoms that root canal treatment resolves, listed in order from earlier-stage signs to indicators of later-stage conditions such as infections and abscesses:

• Localized soreness
• Throbbing tooth pain
• Discomfort that radiates to the jaw or neck
• Redness
• A foul taste
• Persistent bad breath
• Facial swelling
• Increased sensitivity to heat, cold, or sweet substances
• Pain that accompanies pressure, such as when biting down to chew
• Fever
• Swollen lymph nodes

Even if you experience some pain relief after an abscess ruptures, this is even more reason to seek prompt care. One of the symptoms of a serious infection is pain that subsides after these pus-filled pockets break apart. The only true pain relief comes from restorative care. While not every tooth can be saved with root canal therapy, many patients are able to keep their natural teeth due to this well-established approach. Advances in technologies and products used before, during, and after treatment have resulted in a procedure that is similar to a simple filling.

Root canal therapy to the rescue!

For patients who are good candidates for root canal treatment, this procedure has a more than 95 percent success rate. The idea is to remove the infected or diseased tissue, clean and sterilize the root canal, and then fill and seal the tooth to prevent reinfection. Usually, a lab-made crown is placed over the treated site to restore the tooth, but that depends on the extent of damage to your natural tooth structure.

The tooth is thoroughly numbed so you don’t feel anything, and Dr. Khieu offers both nitrous oxide and moderate oral conscious sedation to calm patients who may be apprehensive about dental procedures. In addition, Tyrone Family Dentistry uses advanced technologies like lasers to gently aid in treatment and to promote healthy healing.

You’re searching for information on root canals for a reason! Let’s get you feeling better in no time. Call  (678) 245-4757 now.