When the soft tissue (pulp) at the center of the hollow part of your tooth (root canal) gets infected or inflamed, you may require root canal treatment (endodontic therapy). A root canal treatment involves the removal of the decay and infection in your tooth’s interior.
However, there’s a lot of stigma against root canal treatments and dental implants in Lafayette, Indiana. The truth is that most people fear the procedures could be painful or are unsure of their effectiveness. While this might have been true in the past, most people may not know that root canal procedures are painless due to modern technology and advancements in anesthesiology.
Therefore, if your dentist or endodontist recommends that you need a root canal treatment, they have your best interest at heart. Below are some reasons you should opt for a root canal procedure once your dentist recommends it.
- You Need Root Canal Treatment Because Your Tooth Is Infected
One of the main reasons your dentist may have recommended a root canal is that your tooth pulp is infected. Root canals are recommended when the chances of saving your tooth are high.
All your dentist needs to do is remove the infected pulp to prevent the spread of the infection. Once the infected parts are removed, they will apply topical antibiotics to prevent the wound’s reinfection. Lastly, a temporary filling is used to seal the small hole at the top of your tooth.
If you refuse to go through a root canal, the infection will get worse, and your tooth will eventually decay and die. And in the worst-case scenario, your infection may spread to your other teeth, thus requiring an emergency root canal procedure.
- You’re In Need Of Root Canal Treatment Because The Pain Is Worsening
Pain is one of the signs that you might need a root canal procedure. The pain becomes unbearable when you chew food or apply pressure to the tooth. And since tooth infections don’t heal themselves, the pain will only worsen.
And if you are hesitant about root canal treatment for fear of discomfort you’ll feel after the procedure, ask yourself these questions. Will you properly function if the pain continues to worsen? With anesthesia, will the root canal procedure be painful? Will the discomfort you feel after the procedure be worse than the pain you’re enduring?
The truth is the pain you endure because of your infected tooth is greater than the discomfort of a root canal procedure. On top of that, the pain will affect your ability to function and perform your daily activities properly.
So, it’s better to deal with the discomfort of a root canal procedure that will only last for a few days. Rather than enduring increasing pain that will only worsen the longer you postpone treatment.
- Without A Root Canal Procedure, The Infection Will Spread To The Gums
Do you know what happens when tooth pulp infections are left untreated for a long time?
Like any other infection, it spreads to other body parts. And in the case of tooth pulp infections, they weaken the dentin and spread to your gums. And we can assure you that you don’t want to be dealing with gum infections.
Aside from the intense pain and bleeding gums, untreated gum infections will weaken your mouth’s bone structure, and fixing the problem will cost you thousands of dollars.
Compared to dealing with the treatment costs of infected tooth pulp and the spreading gum infection, you’re better off dealing with a primary root canal procedure.
- The Root Canal Treatment Will Save Your Natural Tooth
The main reason you should undergo root canal treatment is to correct the problem affecting your tooth. If you allow the infection to worsen, it will weaken your tooth. And once the damage to your tooth becomes irreparable, you’ll have to extract the tooth.
And in some cases, the tooth extraction process can take longer than a simple extraction. Therefore, you should expect the trauma on your gum tissues to be slightly significant compared to gum tissue trauma associated with root canal treatments.
When you lose your tooth, it can affect your ability to chew and self-confidence. Your other teeth could also crookedly shift towards the gap that’s left. Therefore, you’ll be forced to correct this problem by using dentures or dental implants. In the end, the costs of the extraction and the dental implant or dentures will inflate the total amount you’ll spend.
However, a basic root canal procedure will save your tooth and ensure you don’t have to spend on other dental procedures.
As you can see, there are many ways your oral health can deteriorate. However, root canal treatments have come a long way, and you can quickly find a solution without the heavy cost experienced in the past for such procedures and without the pain.
