When you have an untreated case of deep decay, or an injured tooth that hasn’t received repair, then your teeth could become infected. To avoid tooth loss, you will need an endodontic treatment known as a root canal. In today’s blog, your Astoria, NY, dentist explains how this protects your smile as a whole!
The Impact of an Untreated Infection
When oral bacteria come into contact with the tooth’s nerve center, known as the pulp, this leads to an infection. This contact is often made possible due to untreated tooth decay that spreads through the tooth, or via injury that cracks or chips the outer structure. Without treatment, the infection could eventually cause the tooth to become lost, or even allow infection to reach other parts of the smile. Warning signs that you require treatment could include tooth sensitivity, toothaches, pain when you bite down or chew, headaches and jaw pain, or swelling near the aching tooth. A discharge from the tooth is possible too. When these symptoms arise, let us know right away!
Sealing Your Tooth
When you arrive, we will carefully examine your smile with digital x-rays and an intraoral camera, which allows us to identify the infection and assess overall severity. If a root canal is the appropriate response, then we will administer a local numbing agent to keep you comfortable. Next, we open the tooth to remove the infected tissues from within. The interior of the tooth is then cleaned, and we add a special restorative material to the interior. Finally, we will cap the tooth with a custom-made dental crown. This restoration will be custom-made for a comfortable fit, balanced bite, and of course, a lifelike appearance. You then avoid worsening pain and the loss of your tooth!
Protecting Teeth from Infection
You can also take measures in your daily life to limit the risk of tooth decay and dental infection. For example, brush and floss daily to remove stray food and drink particles from your smile, which limits plaque and tartar and reduces cavity risk. You can also cut back on your consumption of foods and drinks rich in sugar and starch, and schedule a checkup and cleaning every six months. A mouthguard when you [lay sports or martial arts can help as well, as this decreases the risk of damage.
If you have any questions about how we treat infected teeth with a root canal, then contact our team today!
Do You Have Questions About Repairing Your Teeth?
Our team uses endodontic treatments to help serious oral health issues, preserving your smile. To learn more about treating painful, aching teeth, then schedule a consultation by calling Jeffrey Leibowitz, DDS, in Astoria, NY, today at 718-728-8320.
