Did you know that root canal therapy saves millions of teeth around the world each year? Despite what you may have heard, the treatment relieves pain rather than causing it. Moreover, it helps maintain your natural teeth, leaving you with a healthy, confident smile.
What Is Root Canal Therapy?
Under the hard, protective tooth enamel is a layer called dentin, and under that is an area called the pulp chamber that contains nerves, connective tissues, and blood vessels. When the pulp tissue becomes infected or damaged because of deep decay, repeated dental procedures, tooth fracture, or trauma, the only way to save the tooth is to perform root canal therapy.
A root canal is an endodontic treatment performed on the inside of the tooth and involves the removal of the tooth pulp. Adults don’t need the pulp for their fully formed teeth to survive because those teeth can get the nourishment they need from the surrounding tissues in the mouth.
What Happens if You Don’t Get a Needed Root Canal Treatment?
Unlike the rest of the body, teeth with infected pulp cannot heal on their own. Left untreated, the infection can spread to the surrounding teeth, posing a risk to your oral health. Moreover, you can develop an abscess, potentially leading to bone loss around the tooth’s root. Worse yet, the infection can enter your bloodstream, causing a host of oral health complications.
The only alternative to root canal therapy is having the tooth extracted. However, leaving a gap in your smile may lead to oral health complications, so we may recommend restoring your missing tooth with a bridge or dental implant.
What Is the Root Canal Procedure?
We’ll start by numbing the area using local anesthesia for your comfort, then will create a small opening in your affected tooth’s crown to access and remove the pulp. Next, we will carefully clean and disinfect the area and seal it with a rubber-like material called gutta-percha.
After root canal therapy, we’ll need to create a dental crown to place on your repaired tooth for protection. Your restored tooth will look and function just like your remaining teeth.
Root Canal Therapy in Greensboro
Visit Dental Care of Greensboro to learn more about restoring a painful or damaged tooth with a root canal. Even though the procedure may sound intimidating, our gentle techniques will ensure you are comfortable throughout treatment. Call us and schedule your appointment today!