Root canal treatment (also know as endodontic therapy) becomes necessary when a cavity is neglected, allowing it to penetrate all the way to the pulp. Sometimes deep restorations or trauma to a tooth may cause the nerve to be damaged to the point it needs root canal therapy.
Once this occurs the pulp becomes infected, and can even extend through the root tip and begin to eat away at the surrounding bone, which would be considered an abscess.
By the time the pulp is infected it must be treated, and cannot heal on its own. It can even weaken the entire immune system. This is dangerous, not to mention very painful. Symptoms that the pulp has become infected may include sensitivity to hot/cold or sweets, pain, swelling, pain to biting or pressure, and a bad taste in the mouth. Sometimes, however, no symptoms are apparent and the person is unaware of any problem until a checkup.
A root canal is then performed to clean out the infected tooth pulp, and disinfect the canals of the tooth. The only other treatment would be to extract the tooth.
Once the infection is resolved, each canal will be filled in to prevent any further infection. Usually a core build-up and crown is recommended for restoring a tooth that has had root canal therapy.
At Great Lakes Dental Care, we remain dedicated to serving West Michigan by helping patients maintain a healthy smile that lasts a lifetime. Learn more about our Grand Rapids dentists here →
