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Early Detection, Easy Correction
Pay Attention to Pain!
If you're like many people who aren't familiar with the latest dental technology, the term 'root canal' probably causes you alarm. This procedure has an undeserved bad rap, and we'd like to do our best to arm you with accurate information. Because root canal therapy is actually a simple, helpful procedure to save a damaged tooth's life. It's only when you ignore pain signals that things can go from bad to worse.
Here are the basics. Your teeth contain several layers: the outer protective enamel, a secondary layer of dentin, and an inner soft 'pulp' tissue layer containing the 'life of the tooth': nerves, veins, arteries and lymph vessels. Each pulp chamber branches off at the top, forming 'canals' that lead toward the tooth root tip. These infamous ‘root canals’ serve to facilitate the ongoing activities within the tooth.
Unfortunately, things can go wrong in this vital pulp area. A deep cavity, traumatic injury, or tooth fracture can open the way for bacterial entry and infection; such bacteria can either damage or kill the pulp, stimulating increased blood flow and cellular activity, creating tremendous pressure build-up within the tooth itself. Hence the root-canal treatment's terrible reputation: unrelieved inner tooth pressure results in severe pain. What’s more, a fast-spreading infection may set off a chain reaction of even more serious and damaging events: surrounding bone degeneration, tooth loss, and increased pain. Pain that begins as a mild discomfort during biting often escalates quickly to being constant and acute if left untreated. At this point, even emergency dental care can seldom save the tooth. And, extraction introduces a whole new chain of undesireable side effects: shifting adjacent teeth can move into improper, crooked positions, causing disturbing the bite. Worse, a bad bite puts uneven wear and tear on the entire dentition, leading to ongoing dental problems down the road.
The message? Call us right away at the first sign of pain or soreness in any of your teeth. If it’s early enough along in the disease process, we can test the problem tooth and recommend simple, effective root canal therapy.
