When you have an infection, this is a serious problem that occurs deep in the interior of your tooth. You need more than a filling, you need an endodontic treatment to save your tooth from being lost! In today’s blog, your Leawood, KS, dentist talks about how we protect smile stability with root canal therapy.
The Risks of an Infected Tooth
A dental infection means that the pulp in the middle of your tooth has come into contact with bacteria, which could occur due to an untreated cavity or an injury to the tooth. The pulp keeps your tooth functional and healthy, and the infection could eventually lead to the tooth’s death and the spread of infection to other parts of the smile, as well as an increased risk of tooth loss. Which is why at the first sign of trouble, we want to offer restorative treatment to prevent the loss of your tooth and to stop discomfort.
Warning signs could include tooth sensitivity when you eat or drink, a toothache that doesn’t subside after a day or two, or pain when you bite down or chew. You could also experience pain in your face or jaw, or even a discharge from the tooth or swelling.
The Root Canal Procedure
When you experience one or more of the symptoms we’ve discussed above, then you need to see our team for treatment. A root canal procedure can save the tooth and protect the stability of your smile and put a stop to your discomfort. We start by taking digital x-rays to pinpoint the position and assess the severity of the infection. We then numb your tooth so you’re comfortable as we open it and remove the tissues from within. If you have anxiety about the procedure, we can also discuss sedation.
Once we remove the tissues, we will clean the interior of the tooth and the root canals, and then add a special restorative dental filling known as gutta percha. Finally, we cap the tooth with a crown that protects your smile and keeps it whole. The crown looks natural and protects the tooth from further decay or injury.
Prevention
To help lower the risk of decay or infection, be sure you brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste, and floss every evening before you brush that second time. Try to cut back on the sugar and starch in your diet and of course, see our team for a checkup and cleaning every six months.
Do You Need to Schedule an Endodontic Treatment?
With endodontic treatments, we can address serious issues in the interior of your tooth to avoid pain and tooth loss. Call Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS by calling (913)681-5500 to learn more about our restorative treatment options.
