Endodontic treatment, also known as root canal therapy, is the process of treating and restoring a tooth that suffers from severe internal infection. In milder cases of tooth decay, where the infection is still confined to your toot’s main structure, a tooth filling can usually suffice. However, treating the interior chamber, or pulp, of a tooth requires more involved restoration. If your dentist recommends root canal therapy, then your tooth’s future could rely on you undergoing treatment as soon as possible.
The Need for Root Canal Treatment
The main part of your tooth, called dentin, surrounds and protects the pulp chamber, which holds your tooth’s nerves and blood vessels. These tissues travel from the pulp through the connected root canal and into your jawbone, serving as the pathway through which your jawbone sends your tooth nutrients. When the pulp becomes infected, the infection can travel through the root canal if not removed in time. This makes the need for root canal treatment a time-sensitive one, and the procedure may be your last chance at preventing the tooth’s loss.
How to Protect Your Tooth’s Future
Removing the infection from your tooth’s interior will help save its remaining healthy structure, but without its nerves, blood vessels, and the structure that was lost, your tooth can become significantly weaker. To complete the procedure, your dentist will fill the cleaned out root canal and pulp chamber with a durable, biocompatible material. The material fortifies the root that supports the tooth, as well as the emptied pulp chamber, and seals it off from harmful oral bacteria. Finally, your dentist may suggest placing a dental crown over the tooth for optimal long-term protection.
Find Out if You Need Endodontic Treatment
With timely endodontic treatment, you can save your tooth and alleviate the pain caused by severe, internal tooth infection. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call Woodland Hills Dental Arts in Woodland Hills, CA today at 818-347-5124.