When Is a Root Canal Needed?
Root canals are needed when decay and bacteria spread for too long without treatment. At a certain point, this decay makes it to the pulp inside the tooth. This pulp includes nerves, therefore infection generally causes a lot of pain. Since this is happening on the inside of the tooth, you won’t necessarily see the damage. Instead, you could feel it through pain and notice other signs that include bleeding, swelling and bad breath.
Without catching the problem soon enough or if you avoid dental care due to fear of a root canal, you could end up losing the tooth and/or having a broader infection throughout your mouth. These problems would actually result in more extensive treatment than a root canal requires.
What Happens During a Root Canal?
Before performing a root canal, we conduct a thorough examination to check whether you have a tooth infection or if the issue lies elsewhere. If we recommend a root canal to solve your trouble, we take out the affected pulp, which is no longer necessary for the tooth to function. We then clean inside the tooth, fill it and seal it. Finally, we use a crown or filling to restore it. The treatment and number of visits can vary slightly based on the severity of your infection.
Please schedule an appointment immediately when you have pain or other symptoms in your mouth. Treatments are quicker, easier and more cost-effective when we catch problems early compared to when they have progressed.
For more information on root canals or to schedule an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact us today at (732) 350-9494!