When a tooth is infected, this is much more severe than a cavity, and could even threaten the loss of a tooth! Which is why we want to preserve your smile with endodontic treatment. In today’s blog, your Celina, TX, dentist talks about how we treat an infected tooth with root canal therapy.
The Causes of an Infected Tooth
At the center of every tooth is a collection of nerve tissues known as the pulp, which keeps your tooth healthy and functional. But when exposed to bacteria, this could mean an infection that causes discomfort and could eventually lead to a lost tooth without treatment. An infected tooth could develop due to an untreated tooth decay or possibly a severely damaged tooth, or inner structures exposed by teeth grinding. Warning signs could include toothaches, tooth sensitivity, pain in your jaw or head, swelling near the tooth, pain when biting down or chewing, or a discharge from the tooth. When these symptoms develop, give us a call right away for treatment!
The Treatment Process
We start the root canal by examining your teeth with a digital x-ray and intraoral cameras to identify the position and extent of the infection. We then administer a local anesthetic and could discuss sedation to ensure you’re comfortable and relaxed, even if you have dental anxiety. We open the tooth to reach and remove the infected tissues from within. We then clean the interior of the tooth and add a special restorative material known as gutta percha. Finally, we cap the tooth with a dental crown that not only looks natural, but absorbs daily bite forces and protects the remaining structure from decay or reinfection.
Ensuring Your Comfort
As we touched on above, we want to make sure your procedure is a comfortable one. Many people find receiving one comparable to a simple dental filling. The local anesthetic numbs the area being treated. We could then discuss nitrous oxide to help you enter a calm state, and for a deeper state of calm we could discuss oral sedation and IV. The option we choose will depend on the age, weight, anxiety levels, and medical history of our patients. If you have any questions about how we treat an infected tooth, or about using your 2022 dental insurance benefits before they expire, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you start 2023 with your best possible smile!
Contact Us To Learn More About Addressing Serious Smile Issues
Our team wants to prevent the loss of your teeth due to an untreated infection, and bring relief. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, contact your Celina, TX, dentist, Dr. Newton, by calling (214) 851-0130.
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