Root canal treatment prevents the pain of an infected tooth. See your dentist near Auburn Hills
In a perfect world, we would have an easy time maintaining healthy teeth, gums, and bodies. Unfortunately, our health is susceptible to several factors. The good news is that advances in dentistry can help you preserve natural, healthy teeth for your lifetime. In addition, if problems like infection do occur, your dentist offers root canal treatment to end pain. In our office near Auburn Hills, we discuss the benefits of root canal therapy versus tooth extraction.
Though the technique, medication, and materials of root canal therapy have evolved, the perception of this treatment has not. For this reason, some wonder if tooth extraction would be an easier, less invasive treatment for root canal infection.
In dentistry, the preservation of natural tooth structure is a primary goal, even if that structure has been damaged. Extracting a damaged tooth is usually the last option because it is not healthy to remove a tooth and leave an empty space in the mouth. Teeth rely on one another in order to remain properly positioned. When there is a gap between teeth, leaning or shifting may occur. The implications to movement are both cosmetic and physical.
Comparing tooth extraction to root canal therapy, there are no fewer steps involved to restore full function and beauty to the smile. Root canal therapy preserves tooth structure and protects it with a crown. Extraction must be followed up with viable replacement with a dental bridge or implant.
Infection in a tooth is better treated early to save the tooth and prevent pain. At Metropolitan Dental Center, we provide gentle care to help you get your smile back. Contact us at for your visit.
Why people fear root canal treatment
Root canal treatment is probably one of the most misunderstood of all dental procedures. In the early days of dentistry, as well as medicine, options for anesthesia were limited. Training at the time, was also not what it is today. Without the benefits of full anesthesia, patients may not have been completely numb for dental treatments and, therefore, told their stories of pain. Disinfecting and sealing the root canal, due to limited understanding and lack of efficient materials, could also lead to re-infection after treatment, leading to the notion that root canal treatment was both painful and ineffective.Unwarranted fear
In the time since early root canal treatment, everything has changed. Today, dentists perform various restorative procedures with advanced anesthetics that have powerful numbing effect so nothing is felt during treatment. Using tiny instruments, dentists are able to remove damaged tissue from the tooth as well as in the tiny canal, ensuring that no bacteria remain. Immediately following treatment, patients who were in pain are once again comfortable and are protected from further infection thanks to modern, durable sealant.Though the technique, medication, and materials of root canal therapy have evolved, the perception of this treatment has not. For this reason, some wonder if tooth extraction would be an easier, less invasive treatment for root canal infection.
In dentistry, the preservation of natural tooth structure is a primary goal, even if that structure has been damaged. Extracting a damaged tooth is usually the last option because it is not healthy to remove a tooth and leave an empty space in the mouth. Teeth rely on one another in order to remain properly positioned. When there is a gap between teeth, leaning or shifting may occur. The implications to movement are both cosmetic and physical.
Comparing tooth extraction to root canal therapy, there are no fewer steps involved to restore full function and beauty to the smile. Root canal therapy preserves tooth structure and protects it with a crown. Extraction must be followed up with viable replacement with a dental bridge or implant.
Infection in a tooth is better treated early to save the tooth and prevent pain. At Metropolitan Dental Center, we provide gentle care to help you get your smile back. Contact us at for your visit.