What Causes a Root Canal Treatment To Be Needed?

A root canal is a dental procedure that is intended to restore the healthy condition of your tooth after a bacteria attack. This procedure is required to save your badly infected tooth by removing the bacteria or dead tissue from it. Some people think that root canal is a painful procedure judging by what they have heard or read, but your dentist is very much concerned about your comfort and won’t put you through an unpleasant procedure. You don’t have to be worried if your dentist prescribes a root canal treatment because millions of teeth are saved through this method every year.

Over the recent years, technology has been helping dentistry to evolve into a profession that can now be practiced comfortably and effectively. Modern techniques have made it possible for patients to receive complete dental treatments with a single visit to their dentists and root canal procedure is no exception. There are many things you need to know about this dental treatment and how it is done to relieve pain and make your teeth healthy again. And more importantly, you need to know why and when to see your dentist for treatment.

How Root Canal is Infected

The infection occurs when the natural cavity inside the tooth which consists of the soft part called pulp and the nerve that lies not far from it get damaged or decayed. Green Tree Dental talk about where a root canal infection can start, “When the nerve tissue or pulp of your tooth becomes weakened or damaged, it starts to attract bacteria and will be seriously infected within a short period of time causing an abscess – a term used to describe a tooth that is filled with pus formed at the end of its root.

When an abscess occurs in a tooth, it spreads all across the root ends of some other teeth causing lots of discomfort and pain. You may also experience certain conditions such as swelling of the face, head or neck, loss of bone at the end of the root and having a hole formed through the tooth to the gums.

When You Need a Root Canal Therapy

A damaged or badly decayed tooth can be repaired or saved by a root canal treatment. The procedure involves removing the nerve and pulp after which your dentist will clean the inside of the infected tooth. However, there are many things responding to the damage of the nerve or pulp of your tooth. The most common symptom of a root canal is having a painful sensation of the tooth which requires immediate treatment. Sometimes, you may not notice any symptoms or pain but your dentist could detect a problem after normal checkup routine. You’ll need a root canal treatment immediately you notice the following signs;

Pain

Whenever you feel a severe toothache which is the most common symptom for a root canal to be needed, get in contact with your dentist who will arrange for a procedure. The important sign to observe is when your tooth becomes highly sensitive to hot or cold drinks or foods even when it appears to be in a good health condition. Moreover, you will need root canal treatment if your tooth develops heat sensitivity rather than cold, hurts suddenly in the middle of the night or when you do not eat with the affected tooth.

Abscess

An abscessed tooth requires a root canal treatment to remove the infection completely from it. Abscess infection occurs when the tooth pulp is dead and forming a pus-filled pocket within the end of the root. You may also notice a small bump that is visible outside your gums formed by abscess infection which often leaves a bad taste in the mouth. When this infection is not treated promptly, it will continue to grow and passing the disease to the bone and tissues located at the root of the tooth.

Tooth decay

Your dentist may prescribe a root canal treatment if you suffer oral cavity, especially when it stretches deep into the pulp which will eventually get infected. You can either feel a painful sensation or not when this condition occurs, or sometimes comes with inflammation, as well as decayed tissue. Your dentist will be in the best position to remove tooth decay and infected nerve through root canal therapy.

Trauma

A severe emotional shock caused by an accident in which your tooth is hit with an extreme force can damage the nerve located in the root. This condition can cause the nerve tissue to die and it happens almost immediately or sometimes many years after experiencing the trauma.

Fracture

You will need a root canal treatment if you have a fractured tooth that reaches deeply into the pulp. Your dentist will also need to perform this treatment if the tooth does not have enough structure left to support and retain a dental restoration.

Resorption

This is a condition when the structure of a tooth has been worn out due to injury, re-plantation of tooth and trauma. If the pulp, nerve or bloodstream is affected by resorption, it requires root canal treatment as quickly as possible so as not to affect or damage more structure of the tooth.

Stress on a tooth

Lastly, a repeated dental treatment such a drilling can have a negative effect on the pulp and nerve. Your dentist will examine the level of inflammation of the pulp to decide whether you need a root canal treatment or not.

You’ll definitely need to work closely with your dentist to ascertain the importance of having a root canal treatment to restore the health condition of your tooth. He will take the X-ray of the root of your tooth, the vitality test of the pulp, as well as testing other teeth for a healthy reaction. Most times, therapy for root canal can be completed during one appointment with your dentist, but this can be extended to two visits if needed.

Root canals have recorded massive success over the recent years while endodontists and regular dentists are not relenting in their efforts to continue providing high-quality services. One of their main priorities is to make your root canal last for many years and to support restoration perfectly, as well as to maintain its healthy condition.