A root canal is an endodontic treatment used to restore the health of an infected tooth. When you suffer from dental trauma or extensive tooth decay, if the inside layer of the tooth (the dental pulp) becomes inflamed, this can lead to infection.
A tooth infection is very serious because it can spread to other teeth, result in the loss of a tooth, and if left untreated, can spread through your bloodstream and lead to life-threatening illnesses like sepsis. Read on to find out how root canal treatment can help.
A root canal treats a tooth infection to save the tooth from extraction. Since tooth infections can’t simply be cured with antibiotics, we need to remove the source of the infection, which is the inflamed pulp on the inside of the tooth.
After drilling into the tooth, we can scrape out the infected pulp, thoroughly clean the tooth’s canals, and fill the tooth with a material called gutta-percha. If it’s a molar, then the tooth should be protected with a dental crown.
Tooth infections can be very painful because the infected pulp becomes inflamed and the pulp of a tooth is connected to nerves, connective tissue, and blood vessels which are responsible for sensation.
While pain can be a sign of multiple things, it’s never a sign of a healthy tooth. Keep in mind that if your tooth’s nerves have already died, you may not feel pain, but this doesn’t mean you no longer have an infection.
Even if the nerve isn’t exposed, it can still cause internal damage to the tooth’s pulp and cause infection. If you suffered from a severe dental injury or your tooth has been damaged, you should go to the dentist to ensure the damage hasn’t reached the center of your tooth.
If your tooth feels loose, this can also be a sign of infection. If the nerves in your teeth have died, this can lead to underlying bone damage, which loosens the tooth. If left untreated, you can lose the tooth.
If you are experiencing some of these symptoms, there is a good chance that you have a tooth infection and need to get treated immediately.
Because a tooth infection requires urgent treatment to avoid complications, worsening symptoms, and the spread of the infection, it’s considered a dental emergency. Contact us at SOLA Dental to schedule an emergency appointment with Dr. Jacob Deniakos today.