When you have an infected tooth, or a tooth that is injured or fractured, then we could help with an endodontic treatment. A root canal procedure could help prevent serious pain and protect you from tooth loss, so you enjoy optimal oral health and a whole smile. In today’s blog, your Shrewsbury, MA, dentist talks about treating teeth with a root canal procedure, so you can avoid tooth loss and enjoy good oral health!
Dental Infection
In most cases, we use a root canal procedure to treat an infected tooth. An infection occurs when the sensitive inner pulp, which controls the flow of blood and nutrients to the tooth. As a result, the tooth becomes infected. This exposure could be due to an untreated cavity that grows in severity or as a result of a damaged tooth. Without treatment, this could lead to a missing tooth, as extraction could be necessary to prevent the spread of infection to other parts of your smile! Our team can not only treat the infection to protect your smile, we can discuss positive changes to your oral hygiene routine to help keep your smile healthy and strong!
Trauma and Fractures
When a tooth is severely injured or fractured, this could be beyond the treatment of just a bonding procedure or a crown. Instead, we may need to conduct a root canal procedure to remove the compromised interior tissues and then cap the tooth with a crown, which restores it and improves not only the health and function of your tooth, but the overall appearance too. To help limit the risk of future infections and injuries, be sure you brush and floss each day, see us for checkups and cleanings every six months, and cut back on the sugar and starch in your diet.
Planning Treatment
Our team will start the planning process by taking detailed digital x-rays of the tooth. These systems use 90% less radiation and provide high-definition images instantly chairside, no need for bitewings. Our team will also administer a local anesthetic to the area being treated to keep you comfortable. Our team can also administer dental sedation to help you enter a deep state of calm and relaxation, so your treatment is a comfortable experience even if you have dental anxiety that could make undergoing treatment a difficult process.
Root Canal Therapy
Once we have examined your smile and administered a local anesthetic and a calming medication, we will start the procedure by opening the tooth and removing the tissues from within the tooth. We then clean the interior of the tooth thoroughly and add a restorative material to the inside of the tooth. Finally, we cap the tooth with a custom dental crown. The restoration will be designed to look natural and also absorb daily bite forces and pressures. The crown not only looks lifelike, but will protect the tooth from further decay, infection, or injury. In one visit, we can stop the infection and prevent the loss of your tooth, so your smile stays healthy.
Apicoectomy
What if the infection occurs at the tip of the tooth? When this happens, a traditional root canal may not be the best option. Instead, we could recommend a surgical procedure known as an apicoectomy. Our team will open the gums near the tip of the tooth and then remove it to extract the infected tissues. We then seal the tip of the tooth. This stops the infection and prevents further discomfort. As with a traditional root canal, we will administer local anesthetic and dental sedation to help you enjoy a comfortable experience.
If you have any questions about how our team will treat an infected tooth with a root canal or an apicoectomy procedure, then contact our team today to learn more. If you have pain in your tooth that needs treatment, then contact our office right away. Whether you need a filling or a root canal, we can help stop discomfort and keep your smile whole!
Schedule an Endodontic Appointment with Our Shrewsbury Team!
We would like to help you avoid the risk of worsening pain and tooth loss, so when you have painful symptoms in your tooth, let us know so we can see if you need a filling or root canal to bring relief. To learn more about endodontic treatment or to schedule your next appointment, give us a call at Modern Dentistry Of Shrewsbury at (508)842-8838 today! Let’s make major changes to your smile this summer so you can enjoy optimal oral health!
