Root Canal Pain
Richmond Root canal therapy is a procedure used to eradicate infection and bacteria from inside a tooth. It is often used to save a tooth before a restorative procedure such as a composite filling or porcelain crown. A patient may require a root canal if a tooth is fractured, damaged, or has extensive decay that extends beyond the enamel. Tooth pain does not cure itself so it is important to seek treatment from your dentist when you experience pain or sensitivity to avoid further damage to the tooth and even neighboring teeth.
Causes of Tooth Pain
Tooth decay can lead to temperature sensitivities with hot and cold foods and beverages and sugary items. A small cavity may not cause any discomfort but left untreated, can quickly grow deeper into the tooth, penetrating the dentin and the pulp of the tooth. The pulp of the tooth is the tissue that carries blood flow and houses the nerve of the tooth. Once infection reaches the pulp, often the only way to treat the tooth is with a root canal. If your dentist thinks that you may need a root canal, they will refer you to an Endodontist.
The Endodontist will perform a series of tests on the tooth and evaluate the area to see if you do need a root canal. Root canal treatment is not painful since a local anesthetic is administered and you are completely numb during the procedure. During the procedure, the doctor will drill an access hole in the tooth in order to remove the infected pulp tissue. You may experience some discomfort after the procedure for a few days which should subside as the tooth and surrounding tissue calm down. Sometimes, you may be advised to have your tooth restored by your Dentist as soon as possible but most of the time, Dentists prefer that you wait a couple of weeks to make sure the tooth has time to recover from the root canal treatment. Your dentist will restore the tooth with a permanent restoration such as a composite filling or a porcelain crown.
Root Canal Therapy vs. Tooth Extraction
Root canal therapy treatment is a procedure designed to save the tooth. It is important to keep as many of your natural teeth and as much tooth structure as possible so it is usually better to have a root canal than to have a tooth extracted. If your tooth is not able to be saved, extraction may be the only option. Having a tooth extracted unnecessarily can lead to other issues with surrounding teeth. When a space is left between teeth, the healthy teeth began to shift trying to close the space. This can cause loose teeth and loss of bone structure.
Enduring root canal therapy treatment is much less invasive than an extraction and implant surgery. Root canal therapy is less stressful to your overall health and there is very little recovery time after treatment. A tooth that has been treated with root canal therapy can become brittle overtime so you may end up requiring a full crown even if your Dentist was able to restore the tooth with a composite filling immediately following root canal treatment.