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Often, when people think of root canal therapy they associate it with pain. The pain experienced is from the infected tooth, which is then relieved through root canal therapy. Known to restore and save an average of 17 million teeth each year, root canal therapy helps to keep your tooth and stop the pain, which is always better than having a tooth extraction. When decay is likely to damage or has already killed a tooth, root canal therapy is needed. During a root canal, your dentist removes the pulp from the center of a tooth and fills the pulp cavity. This can prevent the development of a painful infection in the pulp that could potentially spread to other teeth. A root canal can also treat an infection that has developed into an abscessed tooth, which can relieve toothache, stop infection, and promote healing. What is Root Canal Therapy? Your tooth is made up of a hard protective shell called enamel, a softer middle layer called dentin and a soft tissue inner layer called dental pulp. Composed of nerve tissue, lymph tissue and blood vessels, the dental pulp is considered a vital part of your tooth. If your dental pulp is severely damaged, the tooth begins to die. Root canal therapy is often the best treatment to prevent and eliminate infection, preventing tooth loss. Signs you might need a root canal include: • Minimal to severe pain
• Tooth discoloration
• Swelling and irritation in the surrounding gum tissue
• Signs of infection visible on a radiograph Root canal therapy allows dentists to save your teeth in the safest way possible and is used to find the cause and treat the problems of the dental pulp. The narrow channels beneath the pulp chamber in the inner part of your tooth are hollowed out and cleaned through root canal therapy and the roots are filled with materials that are designed to prevent pain and infection from recurring.
Why are Toothaches Painful? Nerve fibers, blood, and lymph tissues are located in the root canals, and inside each tooth is a pulp chamber that funnels into those root canals. Your tooth can become inflamed or infected for several reasons including: • Severe tooth decay
• Cracked tooth
• Chipped tooth
• Failing restorations such as a filling or crown Once infected, the dental pulp begins to die and the body's inflammatory responses set in. The combination of infection and inflammation can cause significant pain, which results in a toothache. At the initial onset of any pain or discomfort with your teeth, consult your Park City dentist to discuss your treatment options. Your dentist in Park City can advise you on whether root canal therapy can help stop your pain and treat the infection.
Sean Hartmen writes for leading dentist in Park City, Drs. Matthew Griffeth and Jeffrey Gordon at Mountain High Dental Associates. The dentists at Mountain High Dental Associates are dedicated to providing excellent dental care in a warm, comforting environment. Mountain High Dental Associates specializes in areas such as Park City Invisalign, orthodontics, and dental implants.
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