For a long time in movies and television, ‘root canal’ were two words used to conjure up a scary dental appointment. The fact of the matter is that modern dentistry has made root canal treatments (also known as endodontic treatment) much more conservative and much less scary. A root canal treatment can be the last stop for saving a tooth from tooth decay before an extraction becomes necessary. Your dental team in Lafayette, LA wants you to understand why root canal treatment is so important, but also that it is often preventable. Endodontic treatment is necessary when bacteria is allowed to reach the inner chambers of a tooth. In many cases, it reaches these areas because of tooth decay that has been ignored. These situations may be preventable, while in some situations, an unforeseen accident or injury may have allowed quicker access to the inner parts of the tooth.
Disinfection and Relief
The inner chamber of your tooth contains nerves, soft tissue known as pulp, and the canals of your tooth’s roots. When bacteria reaches this area of the tooth, it can cause inflammation and infection. If this sensitive area becomes inflamed, it can cause quite a bit of pain and an intense toothache. A root canal treatment involves cleaning out the inner chamber of your tooth. Bacteria will be disinfected and any damaged parts of the tooth will be removed. Cleaning out the tooth prevents an infection from reaching the bloodstream and spreading to other parts of your body.
Restoring Your Tooth
After endodontic treatment, a tooth can be quite vulnerable. Restoring it becomes necessary to protect the tooth from becoming infected again or from being damaged while chewing. If needed, the inner area of your tooth may be restored. The outer part of the tooth will likely need to be capped with a crown. A crown can be made of many different materials that you and your dentist can decide on the best one for your smile.
Root canal treatment can help you keep your tooth
Root canal treatment can relieve a toothache and ultimately save your tooth. To schedule a consultation, contact us at our Lafayette, LA, dentist’s office at 337-237-6453. We proudly serve patients from Breaux Bridge, Broussard, Scott, Youngsville, and surrounding communities.
