When you have a cavity, a dental filling can bring relief and save the tooth. But what happens when a tooth has severe decay, or an infected tooth? In these situations, your Irving, TX, dentist could offer an endodontic treatment known as a root canal to treat the issue and preserve your smile’s stability.
Infection and Tooth Loss
How does a tooth become infected? At the center of each tooth is a collection of tissues known as the pulp, which keeps your tooth healthy and functioning. An infection means that bacteria has made contact with the pulp, possibly through a serious injury to it or from poor oral hygiene, which coats the teeth in plaque and weakens and erodes enamel to cause tooth decay. The cavity then subsequently spreads throughout the tooth. Without treatment, the infection will grow in severity until the tooth requires extraction or is lost, and the infection then reaches other parts of the smile. Common warning signs of an infection tooth include headaches, jaw pain, facial aches, tooth sensitivity, toothaches, and swelling near the tooth. If you encounter these symptoms, you may need a root canal!
Ensuring Your Comfort During Treatment
We want to ensure our patients enjoy a comfortable treatment experience, which is why prior to the root canal procedure, our team will administer a local anesthetic to the teeth being treated. For anxious patients, we can also offer dental sedation. This could be in the form of nitrous oxide, oral sedation, or IV sedation, and helps you enter a deep state of calm with little to no memory of the procedure afterward.
Root Canal Therapy
Our team will plan the procedure by gathering detailed digital x-rays of your smile, so we can plan the treatment in detail. We then administer a local numbing agent and sedation so you’re calm and relaxed as we open the tooth and remove the tissues from within. We clean the inside of the tooth and a special restorative filling material known as gutta percha is then added to the interior. Finally, we cap the tooth with a custom-made dental crown, one that not only protects the tooth but also offers a lifelike appearance as well.
By treating your infection with a root canal, we help you avoid the risk of worsening pain and tooth loss. If you have any questions about endodontic treatment, or about keeping your smile strong and healthy, then contact our team today to learn more.
Talk To Your Irving, TX Dentist About Endodontic Treatment
Our team is ready to help you avoid the risk of tooth loss. To find out more about our restorative treatment options, then please reach out to Defining Smiles in Irving, TX today at 972-717-0860.
