A root canal sounds scary, not to mention the procedure has gotten a pretty bad reputation over the years thanks to media portrayal. The ordinary person thinks the root canal procedure is painful and cumbersome, leading them to avoid going to the dentist when they need to.
A root canal treatment is designed to eliminate bacteria from the infected root canal, prevent reinfection of the tooth, and save the natural tooth. When undergoing a root canal, the inflamed or infected pulp is removed, and the inside of the tooth is carefully cleaned and disinfected, then filled and sealed.
Keep reading to find out how to find out if you need a root canal and why you shouldn’t avoid getting one.
How Do You Know If You Need a Root Canal?
Root canals are necessary for a cracked tooth from injury or genetics, a deep cavity, or a previous filling issue. Patients generally need a root canal when they notice their teeth are sharp or experience scalding and cold sensations.
A few symptoms that may indicate you need a root canal include:
- Severe pain while chewing or biting
- Pimples on the gums
- A chipped or cracked tooth
- Lingering sensitivity to hot or cold, even after the sensation has left
- Swollen or tender gums
- Deep decay or darkening of the gums
Four Reasons You Shouldn’t Avoid Getting One.
If you believe you could benefit from a root canal procedure, but you’re avoiding the dentist, this can cause several costlier problems down the road. Here are a few reasons you should make an appointment with your local dentist if you believe you may need to have a root canal done:
Your Tooth Could Be Infected
If you ignore the issue for long enough, your tooth may even die. The tooth’s outer layers are made of a rigid material, but the tooth’s inner pulp is soft, living tissue. This tissue can quickly become infected from scenarios like cracked tooth surfaces, deep-down tooth decay, or many other reasons. Teeth begin to degenerate, slowly starting to die away.
Root canals can help quell pain and remove the infection, sealing off the tooth from future damage.
Root Canals Relieve Pain
It’s a myth that the root canal is a painful procedure. The procedure itself is virtually pain-free. Putting off a root canal will only make matters worse. Following a root canal, you will experience an absence of pain and wonder why you didn’t get it done sooner.
Things Can and Will Get Worse
Leave a root canal problem untreated, and the bacteria that reside in infected pulp may travel through your tooth’s roots into your jaw and gum tissue, leading to abscesses, which require urgent care. Abscesses also cause inflammation throughout the body. If left untreated by a dentist, you run the risk of a stroke or even heart disease.
Root Canals Can Save Your Natural Tooth
Are you neglecting a root canal problem? You could lose an entire tooth over it. Getting a root canal done sooner rather than later saves your teeth and gums. It also preserves your bite and protects the dental work you’ve previously had done.
Get The Treatment You Need
H. Robert Stender DDS is a family-oriented dental clinic located in Pasadena. Our goal is simply to provide the best dental care possible. We are passionate about dentistry and ensure our clients have a comfortable and relaxing dental experience in their state-of-the-art treatment suites.
There’s no need to avoid root canals in Pasadena; the H. Robert Stender DDS experts offer only the best dental care in Pasadena.