As far as toothaches go, a deep cavity may cause dull or shooting pain. It may be a minor annoyance, or it may bring your life to a screeching halt. Some people feel no pain at all, but notice the tell-tale dark spot that indicates a cavity on a tooth.
If you have a cavity—especially if it’s accompanied by tooth pain—there’s a very good chance you will need a root canal doctor.
What is a Root Canal?
Root canal therapy is the only way to save a tooth that has suffered deep decay. In other words, once a cavity has gone deeper than your tooth enamel, it can only be preserved by root canal treatment. Surface cavities can be restored with dental fillings, but deep cavities require a more advanced treatment.
In order to understand this treatment, it’s important to understand the anatomy of the tooth. The part of the tooth you can see when you look into the mouth is called the enamel. If the enamel is damaged by bacterial acids, a hole forms, which allows bacteria to eat further into the tooth. If the decay reaches the part of the tooth that contains nerve endings, you will start to feel pain. Once the tooth is infected, all the nerve endings, blood vessels, and other tissues must be removed from the pulp chamber and tooth roots. This is the only way to prevent the infection from damaging more of the tooth structure.
Once a tooth is infected, the only way to stop the pain is with a root canal treatment. Root canals remove all the inner tissues from the tooth, and replace them with a rubber-like substance called gutta-percha. The tooth is finished with a filling or dental crown once the root canal therapy is complete.
Root canals have a bad reputation because they do take longer than typical dental fillings. They also require two appointments. However, once they are complete, you are left with a fully restored tooth that should never cause you any pain again.
What Happens if You Ignore a Toothache?
Ignoring a headache or a twisted ankle might not cause you any lasting damage, but you can’t ignore a toothache! Teeth have no healing mechanisms; once a cavity has developed, it will only get worse. With enough time, the whole tooth will become so damaged that it will require an extraction. No one wants to lose a tooth if they can help it, so root canals are a very beneficial solution.
There is also the chance that a life-threatening infection may develop, should the infection spread from the tooth to other parts of the body. There are even documented cases of patients dying from infections that started in a tooth. (If your toothache is ever accompanied by a fever and facial swelling, you may have developed an abscess and should seek medical assistance immediately!)
Root Canals End Tooth Pain!
Many people get spooked by the words “root canal,” but this therapy should not cause you any additional pain. At Lake Lanier Smiles, our root canal doctor has a no-pain policy, so all teeth are fully anesthetized before we begin any treatments. When your appointments are finished, you will have a fully restored tooth.
Don’t Delay – Fix Your Problem Tooth in September!
This month only, root canals are provided at a very low price for our uninsured patients. For just $499-699, your tooth woes can come to an end! Call us today at 770-831-0559 for an appointment at our Buford, GA dental office. Lake Lanier Smiles has the root canal doctor for you!
