"Smile Big. Feel Good. Look Great."
At Summit Dental, we perform root canal therapy in order to treat the nerve inside the tooth. Unfortunately, teeth are unable to heal themselves so root canal therapy can be performed in order to save teeth that are diseased, infected, fractured, or have become non-vital over time, thereby reducing the need for extracting the teeth.
The traditional myth of Root Canal Therapy is that it is very painful. Root Canal Therapy, contrary to popular belief, relieves the pain and discomfort that is very common with abscessed teeth and infection. Our team is attentive to your comfort both during and after the appointment. Patients with anxiety regarding root canal therapy have the option to consider one of our sedation options during their root canal appointment.
A root canal treatment becomes needed when the pulp, or the soft inner tissue of your tooth, has become infected or exposed. This happens when the hard outer shell of the tooth, or enamel, has failed, and the interior pulp has become compromised. The most common reasons for the pulp of the tooth to becoming affected are a cracked tooth; a deep cavity; or an injury to a tooth.
Once the pulp of the tooth is infected or exposed, an abscess, or infection, can occur at the root tip where it meets the jawbone. An abscess destroys bone surrounding the tooth and causes pain.
Surprisingly, sometimes there are no outward signs that the tooth is unhealthy. At some point, however, you may notice one (or more) of the following signs:
Saving your natural teeth, where possible, is always recommended by our South Calgary dental team! Ideally, you want to keep your natural teeth; however, the only alternative to a root canal treatment involves first having the tooth extracted.
When a tooth cannot be saved by a root canal treatment, such as in the case where it is beyond repair, or if you choose not to proceed with a root canal on a particular tooth, the alternative is having the tooth extracted and replaced with an implant, bridge, or denture to restore chewing function and prevent neighboring teeth from shifting.
The best way to prevent the need for a root canal treatment is by maintaining good oral hygiene, a healthy diet, and taking proper safety measures during sports by using a proper sports mouthguard. Additionally, a tooth becomes vulnerable to deep infections that affect the pulp because of repeated need for dental treatment to the tooth, such as deep fillings.
So no matter what condition your teeth are in, it is never too late to apply these preventative principles to protect your teeth. The team at Summit Dental in South Calgary are here to help you and advise you on the path to good oral health.
Please contact us at Summit Dental in South Calgary, or book an appointment online today to discuss your specific dental needs.
