When Is a Root Canal the Best Option?

Root canals can seem frightening. But this common procedure is a necessary treatment that can eliminate the pain caused by an infection and save your tooth from extraction. 

Better yet, our skilled team at Hometown Family Dental Centers provides root canal treatments without causing pain. A consultation with our providers will ease your concerns, but you may also feel less anxious about it if you understand what a root canal treatment is and how it's carried out. 

Why do dentists perform root canals?

A root canal is the best way to ease discomfort, eliminate infection, and preserve a natural tooth, which is always our top priority. The term “root canal” refers to the natural cavity inside a tooth and its roots that contains the pulp chamber — holding the sensitive nerves of the tooth as well as blood vessels. 

The pulp lies beneath the tooth’s dentin, a calcified material beneath your enamel. Damage, inflammation, or infection to the pulp can be painful. If left untreated, the surrounding tissue can also become infected. This causes more pain, which can cause tooth abscesses, bone loss around the root tip, and swelling, which can spread to your face and neck.

Instead of extracting an infected tooth, we treat the discomfort and repair the infected tooth with a root canal whenever possible. We can save the infected tooth by removing the pulp and nerves inside the tooth and root and then cleaning and sealing the inside. 

When is a root canal necessary? 

There are a variety of reasons the pulp inside a tooth can become damaged and painful, including:

• Cracks or chips
• Decay
• Untreated cavities
• Facial injuries

Acute and spontaneous tooth pain that’s difficult to pinpoint may be due to infected tooth pulp. You may notice discoloration or darkening of the tooth or experience dull pain and pressure. 

Sometimes the resulting pain extends to the ear, temple, or jaw area. Without root canal treatment, you might feel persistent pain and sensitivity to hot or cold drinks and food. 

Regular checkups and dental cleanings can typically prevent the need for a root canal. 

Benefits of a root canal

Saving a natural tooth with this common procedure means you can avoid tooth loss. Root canals come with other benefits, too, such as:

• Eliminating pain
• Eliminating chewing problems when you favor the one side due to pain
• Protecting other teeth from excessive wear-and-tear
• Preventing jaw issues

Root canals are a common treatment that can last a lifetime, and the treated tooth functions like any other tooth after we repair it.

Root canals aren’t scary

For many, the idea of a root canal treatment creates worry and dread, but there's no need to be afraid if your dentist recommends one. A root canal procedure may sound scary, but with today's technology, it's usually not much different from having a cavity repaired with a dental filling. 

Don’t suffer with a painful, infected tooth. Please call the closest Hometown Family Dental Centers office location — Fayetteville, Vass, or Raeford, North Carolina — or request an online appointment to find out if a root canal is your best option.