If Your Tooth Is Not Too Far Gone To Save
If you are experiencing symptoms of tooth decay - which can include tooth pain, increased sensitivity to hot and cold foods and beverages, and oral or facial swelling - and do not immediately seek treatment, the decay will continue to spread. It will eventually move beyond the enamel, through the dentin, and into the pulp of your tooth. The pulp, which is often referred to as the "nerve," consists of nerves, blood vessels, and live tissue and can be extremely painful when infected. Once the pulp is infected, the only options left are to extract the tooth, or - if your tooth is not too far gone to save - to save the remaining healthy tooth structure via root canal therapy.
Why Root Canal Therapy?
If tooth decay has run rampant in your tooth, it may be too extensive to treat with a filling. In such cases, root canal therapy can often save the remaining healthy tooth structure, which is preferable to extracting the tooth. Once the center of your tooth, the living pulp, has been infected, root canal therapy is the only option left to save your tooth.
What Is Root Canal Therapy?
Before local anesthesia and sedation became popular in the dental field, root canal therapy had a bad reputation. Today, however, it is similar to getting a dental filling. Root canal therapy involves removing the infected pulp tissue from the pulp chamber and root canals of the infected tooth. What remains is a hollow shell which is then cleaned and disinfected. Next, the tooth is filled with a biocompatible, rubber-like material called gutta percha, then sealed with a dental filling. If necessary, a dental crown may be placed over the tooth for increased strength and protection.