How familiar are you with the essential details of root canal therapy? Do you know that this is a restorative treatment that is more complex than a filling but you don’t really know much else? Are you somewhat hesitant to schedule this treatment but you are not really sure why? Allow us to provide you with the basic information every patient should know about root canals, so this extremely helpful procedure feels accessible and beneficial.
What Is Root Canal Therapy?
When your tooth is infected, it’s really the dental pulp within your tooth that suffers from infection and inflammation. This tissue lines your tooth’s roots (lowermost chambers) and is full of blood vessels. The infection is not going to heal, which means we must remove it to stop the infection from progressing. Removing the pulp from your root canal is what we refer to as “root canal therapy.” We then cover your tooth with a beautiful crown, so your smile is fully restored. Keep in mind that we make sure you feel comfortable throughout your treatment.
Why Do I Need It?
As you know, infections are problems that become worse and worse until they are addressed. Because your immune system is unable to clear this type of infection, modern dentistry must step in to end the problem with root canal therapy. If you ignore the need for treatment, the following complications may occur:
- Your tooth will hurt and throb if it is not already doing so
- The infection will continue to worsen and an abscess (pus pocket) may form on the tip of your root
- The abscess may rupture, often followed by the spread of infection to nearby tissues and sometimes into your bloodstream
- You may lose your tooth
