When Is a Root Canal Needed?
Root canals are needed when decay and bacteria are left untreated with fillings or crowns. At a certain point, this decay makes it to the pulp or the nerve 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.
Book OnlineWithout catching the problem soon enough or if you avoid 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, for example an implant to replace the now lost tooth.
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 to restore the function back. For best results, a crown is typically placed within two weeks after the root canal to ensure the tooth is properly sealed and protected as soon as possible. Also should be noted that this is considered the standard of care in dentistry.
The treatment and number of visits can vary slightly based on the severity of your infection.
Please request 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 request an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact us today at (703) 219-8575!