Treating Infected Root Canals
Because tooth decay is one of the most common conditions to affect your teeth, treating it is one of the most common reasons for needing restorative dental treatment. In many cases, that treatment is in the form of a customized tooth filling, which is designed to fill common cavities and restore and protect teeth from further tooth decay. However, in more severe cases, such as when a tooth’s pulp and root canal are infected, a tooth filling may not be enough. Instead, we may suggest root canal therapy, which involves carefully cleaning out the infected nerves and blood vessels from the pulp and root canal, then filling these structures to restore and reinforce the tooth.
How the procedure is performed
Root canal therapy is a more conservative procedure than many people realize. It involves carefully accessing the pulp chamber at the center of your tooth’s crown and the root canal that’s connected to it. After carefully and gently removing the tissues within these structures, we can fill them with a biocompatible manmade material (known as gutta percha). Root canal therapy is more involved than a simple tooth filling procedure. Yet, with the help of dental sedation and advanced technology and dental techniques, we can perform it in a minimally invasive manner and, often, during a single visit to our office.
What to expect afterward
While root canal therapy is more conservative than you might expect, the removal of your tooth’s inner tissues can leave it vulnerable. In addition to filling the inner structures with gutta percha, we may also recommend placing a dental crown over your tooth once your root canal treatment is complete. A dental crown can cap the tooth and protect it from your bite’s pressure, helping to ensure that the tooth remains strong and healthy after it’s been treated for decay.
Learn more about root canal therapy
Having internal tooth decay can be extremely uncomfortable, but with root canal therapy, we can relieve your discomfort and save your tooth from being lost. To learn more about the value of root canal therapy, or to schedule a visit, call us at the Pecan Tree Dental office in Grand Prairie, TX, today at (972) 262-5111. We also proudly serve the residents of Arlington, Cedar Hill, Mansfield, and all surrounding communities.
