Has a cavity become an infection, one causing dental discomfort or downright pain? If so, you may need root canal treatment. While many people fear root canals, few know why. It could be because they mistakenly believe that a root canal will be a cause of pain, rather than a cure for it. Root canal treatment is actually used to treat severe infections within a tooth, infections that have been known to cause pain for many people. By addressing the infection and removing it, a restorative dentist can help restore your oral health and eliminate your pain. So, if you are worried about needing root canal treatment, or have one scheduled in the near future, take a deep breath and understand the many positive benefits that can come from restorative treatment like a root canal.
What Happens During a Root Canal?
During a root canal, the dentist will use anesthesia to keep you comfortable while he or she carefully removes any infected portions of your tooth as well as other debris that may have entered your damaged tooth. The dentist will then carefully sanitize the area, and seal the tooth with a filling, a crown, or a combination of the two.
Sealing the tooth is necessary to help prevent the tooth from becoming reinfected or falling out in its fragile state.
While some people think root canal treatment sounds more complicated than an extraction, it is considered less invasive than removing a tooth. That is because an extraction is generally only a first step in restoring oral health; a patient would then require prosthetic treatment to help complete the smile. Whether a partial denture, dental bridge or dental implant is selected, coping with tooth loss is far more complicated and less ideal than saving a tooth, whenever possible.
That’s why dentists recommend root canal treatment for addressing infection.
