A tooth could become infected due to advanced decay or injury, and lack of care could risk the loss of your tooth. However, with an endodontic procedure we can treat the infection and safeguard your tooth, keeping your smile whole. In today’s blog, your Virgina Beach, VA, dentist talks about protecting your smile with a root canal procedure.
The Risk of Tooth Loss Following Infection
An infected tooth could occur due to injury to the tooth or an advanced case of tooth decay, which exposes the sensitive inner tissues to harmful bacteria and leads to contact with the inner pulp, your tooth’s nerve center. Once the infection forms, it will grow in severity until you risk losing the tooth or require extraction to prevent the spread of infection. To avoid tooth loss, you need to take action at the first sign of trouble! Root canal therapy can offer an effective solution to infected teeth, so you can smile with confidence again and enjoy a complete smile too.
The Warning Signs
How do you know if you need to seek treatment for an infected tooth? The symptoms could vary, but may include aching teeth, tooth sensitivity when you eat or drink pain when biting down, swelling near the tooth, jaw and facial pain, and even a poor tasting discharge from the tooth itself. When you experience one or more of these possible warning signs, you need treatment right away. Otherwise, the issue could eventually lead to tooth loss. Our team will examine your smile with digital x-rays to pinpoint position and severity of the infection, so we can plan and implement your endodontic treatment with precision and accuracy, saving your smile.
Root Canal Therapy
Once we’ve planned your treatment, our team will then administer a local numbing agent to the tooth. If you have any anxiety about the procedure, we could also discuss sedation to help you enter a calm and relaxed state. When you’re comfortable, we will open the tooth to reach and remove the tissues from within. We then clean the interior of the teeth and root canals, and add a special restorative filling known as gutta percha. Finally, we will cap the tooth with a custom and lifelike crown, one that can handle daily bite forces and protect your tooth from infection.
If you have any questions about how our team diagnosis and treats concerns like infection, or about the root canal procedure in particular, then contact our team today to learn more.
Schedule a Visit to Save Your Smile Today!
When a tooth aches, you need treatment to prevent discomfort and complications, including tooth loss. Call Absolute Dental Care in Virginia Beach, VA at (757) 428-7440 to schedule a visit soon!
