3 Signs You Need Root Canal Treatment

Root Canal Treatment Georgetown, TX

Root canal treatment is typically recommended as a last resort to save a severely damaged, infected, or decayed tooth. It is often a necessity when a tooth has a damaged pulp. The pulp refers to the soft tissues inside a tooth, which are stored in the pulp chamber, the innermost layer of a tooth.

When a tooth is healthy, the pulp chamber is sealed off from the rest of the tooth, protecting its contents from irritants in the mouth like bacteria and the acids that they make. However, dental issues like tooth decay or severe damage caused by trauma can open a tooth’s pulp chamber. When that occurs, the soft tissues are exposed to bacteria in the mouth, significantly increasing the risk of infection.

Signs that you need root canal treatments

Root canals are only recommended when a dentist deems them necessary to save a tooth. Signs that indicate that this might be the case include the following. 

1. Severe toothaches

A damaged pulp chamber often leads to excruciating toothaches, which are nothing like the toothaches caused by minor damage to teeth. The toothaches can be so intense that they make it impossible for the patient to get any sleep at night or to focus on activities during the day. The pain caused by a tooth with a compromised pulp is often enough to even force people with dental phobias to seek dental care.

Root canal treatment is an effective way to end the pain while saving the patient’s tooth. The procedure can be completed during a single visit, so the patient typically leaves the clinic with their tooth pain gone.

2. Severe decay

Tooth decay is one of the most common reasons that people visit a dentist. It is caused by the acids made by bacteria eating away at teeth structures. The early stages of tooth decay can easily be treated with fluoride treatments and fillings, but not everyone gets the issue addressed on time.

When left untreated, tooth decay will continuously expand until it reaches the pulp chamber. At that point, the patient might experience intense toothaches, and the risk of infections drastically rises. Root canal therapy can be used to clean out the pulp chamber of a severely damaged tooth, which is then resealed with gutta-percha.

3. Infected tooth

An infected tooth needs root canal therapy to address the infection and save it. A tooth becomes infected when bacteria get into the pulp chamber. Symptoms include intense toothaches, pus pockets building up around the tooth, or a strange smell in the mouth.

Root canal therapy involves the dentist removing a tooth’s soft tissues and applying medication to the pulp chamber to treat the infection. The tooth is then sealed back up and covered with a crown or rebuilt with composite bonding.

We can save your tooth

Are you dealing with a damaged, decayed, or infected tooth? Our dentist can help. Call or visit our Georgetown clinic to set up an appointment.

Request an appointment here: https://www.healthysmilesgeorgetown.com or call Healthy Smiles Dentistry Georgetown at (512) 864-9010 for an appointment in our Georgetown office.

Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Root Canal Treatment in Georgetown, TX.

Recent Posts

How Root Canals Save Your Natural Tooth

Patients who are scheduled for a root canal may wonder whether such a procedure is necessary. A root canal can save your natural tooth and prevent you from needing a replacement, such as a dental implant or denture. So, while you might not choose to get a root canal for fun, it is a useful…

What Will A Dental Professional Try Treating An Abscessed Tooth With First?

Considering undergoing endodontic care services because you think you have an abscess in one of your teeth? Good idea, as an abscessed tooth is definitely in need of professional dental treatment. Without endodontic care, an abscessed tooth will only continue to get worse, which can potentially spread the infection to other parts of your body,…

Common Signs A Root Canal Might Be Needed

A root canal is a dental procedure that can save an infected, damaged or severely decayed tooth from becoming lost. Root canal therapy is often necessary when other treatment options are not an option. It is important to know the signs that a root canal is necessary to ensure the long-term health of the tooth. When…

Get The Facts About Root Canal Therapy

If you are in need of a root canal, you should receive help today. Do not wait, or you could risk the individual tooth as well as the health of the teeth surrounding it. When your tooth dies, the teeth around it have to work extra hard to complete everyday processes. This puts unnecessary strain…

Recent Posts

How Root Canals Save Your Natural Tooth

How Root Canals Save Your Natural Tooth

Patients who are scheduled for a root canal may wonder whether such a procedure is necessary. A root canal can save your natural tooth and prevent you from needing a replacement, such as a dental implant or denture. So, while you might not choose to get a root canal for fun, it is a useful…

Hard Reline Versus Soft Reline For Dentures

Hard Reline Versus Soft Reline For Dentures

A denture reline is a normal part of wearing dentures. Relines are needed to fix ill-fitting dentures. You experience bone loss when you wear dentures, and eventually, that will cause the dentures to fit poorly. The reline adjusts the shape of the dentures, so they fit once again. Most people need a reline every two…