Many people recognize what root canal treatment is, and the fact that it’s typically recommended for addressing a severe, internal case of tooth decay. However, the specific ways in which a tooth’s interior chambers can become compromised and the need for root canal treatment arises can vary from patient to patient. In some cases, you may not realize that root canal treatment is the right answer until your dentist explains the situation to you. Today, we explain a few times when root canal treatment might be the unexpected best option for saving your tooth.
When your tooth filling fails
When tooth decay first develops, its early, mild, and moderate stages generally involve the formation of a cavity in your tooth’s main structure (known as the dentin). The cavity, or hole, and the discomfort that it causes is often worrisome enough to prompt most people to seek treatment for it as soon as possible. This means most people treat their tooth decay early, often with a conservative tooth filling. After filling a cavity, you might expect to never have to deal with the cavity again. Yet, if the filling fails, then the tooth can become infected once again, and becomes severe enough to require root canal treatment much faster.
When your tooth’s root canal is exposed
The progression of tooth decay is the most common reason for needing root canal treatment. However, it isn’t the only one. The main point of the treatment process is to protect a tooth from internal infection, whether the infection has already developed or the tooth is at a high risk of it. For example, during tooth decay’s progression, the infection can gradually reach the tooth’s pulp chamber and root canal to infect the tissues inside of them. Yet, if the tooth becomes structurally fractured or broken severely enough to expose the pulp chamber, then severe tooth decay can become a risk even if the tooth wasn’t previously infected.
When your previous root canal failed
Once you’ve had root canal treatment performed on a tooth, it’s natural to expect your problem to be resolved for good. This is only true if you take proper care of your teeth, restoration, and oral health on a consistent basis moving forward. Otherwise, the root canal treatment may fail, meaning the material placed inside of the root canal and pulp chamber has fallen out, or become dislodged, or the tooth structure has become further compromised. If this occurs, then seeking treatment promptly will be essential to saving the tooth and possibly avoiding the need to have it extracted.
Find out if root canal treatment is a good idea
There are some instances when root canal treatment might be a good idea, even if you don’t expect it to be. To learn more, schedule an appointment with us by calling Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS, today at 913-681-5500. We also serve patients who live in Overland Park and all surrounding communities.
