Root canal treatment is one of the most feared dental procedures next to dental extractions! Eight out of ten times, most patients who have been advised to undergo root canal treatment anticipate that the procedure will be excruciatingly painful.
However, this is not the case. This dental procedure is, on the contrary, designed to eradicate the pain you may be currently experiencing from the affected tooth. The root canal procedure removes the infected, diseased, or damaged pulp from an infected, decayed, or damaged tooth.
Our dentist in New Port Richey, Dr. Vulugundam, understands how important it is to ensure that patients get to save their natural teeth as much as possible. This is because nothing can match your natural teeth in terms of durability, functionality, and structural integrity.
The root canal procedure can save a structurally stable but infected tooth from being extracted.
So when is it necessary to undergo root canal treatment? Let’s take a look at some of the dental scenarios that may call for this procedure.
Signs That Indicate You Need Root Canal Treatment
When the pulp section of a tooth becomes inflamed, infected, or necrotic, undergoing a root canal procedure may be the only way to go to save the affected tooth from extraction.
Certain symptoms may indicate you need to see our root canal dentist near you. However, the best way to be certain is to visit our dentist’s office near you once you notice any of these symptoms. Our dentist will help you ascertain whether this is the right course of treatment or if you need to consider another alternative.
Here are some of the key symptoms you should watch out for:
- Persistent Tooth Sensitivity
If your tooth hurts while drinking your hot coffee or having some ice cream, it could indicate that you may need to undergo a root canal procedure.
Tooth sensitivity can be described as a sharp or dull intense pain that radiates from an affected whenever you take any hot or cold substances. In other instances, this sensitivity may persist even after you have finished eating or drinking.
This sensitivity occurs when the nerves and blood vessels within your pulp become infected, inflamed, or damaged due to trauma.
A root canal procedure will remedy this dental issue because the affected blood vessels and nerves will be removed.
- Persistent Toothache
Experiencing a recurring and persistent toothache could indicate a damaged or infected pulp. Toothaches, however, may also indicate other underlying dental issues such as gum disease. The best way to rule out any other issue is to visit our emergency dentist near you to ascertain that the toothache you are getting can be solved using a root canal procedure.
- Dental Trauma
Cracked, chipped, or fractured teeth can allow bacteria to access the pulp and cause inflammation and infection. In some cases, dental trauma may also damage the nerves within the affected tooth. In this case, you may need root canal treatment to eradicate damaged or infected pulp and prevent future reinfection.
- Cavity
Some cavities can get to the pulp if left untreated. Such cavities can result in the development of toothaches and infections that may persist if not dealt with.
A deep cavity can expose the pulp and leave the affected tooth vulnerable to nerve damage and pulp infections.
- A Discolored Tooth
A tooth with an infected and decayed pulp can sometimes get discolored and take on a grayish-black hue. This discoloration may indicate a damaged, decaying, or infected pulp that can be dealt with during a root canal procedure.
- Loose Teeth
Pulp necrosis can cause the affected tooth to become loose. This is because the dying tissues within the pulp of the affected tooth release an acidic substance that erodes the bone anchoring the root of the affected tooth. This, in turn, forces the tooth to become loose.
It is important to visit our emergency if you notice this dental issue. This is because, in some cases, undergoing scaling and root planning in New Port Richey, FL, could solve the issue if the tooth has been loosened due to plaque accumulation below the gum line.
Whatever the case, if you are unsure whether undergoing this treatment is what you need, our root canal dentist near you will be available to help you ascertain what to do.
Contact us today at Orange Grove Dental if you need to under root canal treatment