For the sake of your oral health — and your overall health — you should do everything that you can to keep your teeth for life.
If you do develop a problem that puts a tooth at risk, you can still save it … with a root canal .
If that makes you nervous, that’s understandable. Root canals don’t have the best reputation, although it’s a reputation they don’t deserve. In modern dental care, performing a root canal is much different from what you may have been lead to believe from television, movies, or that distant relative who had one years (or decades) ago.
If you have a toothache, a root canal may be exactly what you need to end your pain .
To make an appointment at Biggers Family Dentistry in Midlothian, VA, call (804) 621-2199 or contact us online .
Can You Really Have A Pain-Free Root Canal?
Absolutely.
Dr. Biggers has been performing root canals for more than 30 years. The equipment and the techniques used in modern dentistry allow us to create an opening, remove the infection from your tooth, and refill it to preserve its shape and function for years.
If you are feeling anxious about having a root canal, keep in mind that we offer sedation dentistry at our practice as well. With dental sedation, you can be certain that we can perform your treatment without causing you any pain.
You may have some soreness while you recover, but any soreness will be minimal — especially when compared to the pain of a toothache from an infected tooth.
Why Would You Need A Root Canal?
Root canal treatments are done to remove infections from teeth, to preserve the teeth, and to end or prevent the pain that comes with a tooth infection.
Teeth become infected when bacteria are able to reach the pulp, a soft connective tissue at the center of your tooth. Pulp can be found in the pulp chamber and the root canals, the openings in the roots where nerves and blood vessels enter the tooth.
When bacteria reach the pulp, that tissue can become inflamed. This can lead to lingering pain (such as a toothache), pain from using the tooth to bite or chew, and increased tooth sensitivity to hot, cold, and sweet foods and drinks.
So, how can bacteria get into the center of your tooth?
One of the most common ways is tooth decay. When bacteria eats into your tooth, this is tooth decay, which can create a cavity. As long as the cavity goes untreated, bacteria will continue eating deeper into your tooth.
A filling or dental crown can stop the progress of decay before it causes an infection, but unfortunately, many people don’t seek help until they feel pain. That pain often does not develop until an infection has already started.
Gum disease is another common cause of tooth infections. In the latter stages of gum disease, your gums can recede, allowing bacteria to form plaque on the roots of your teeth. This gives bacteria an opportunity to eat into your tooth at the root, where it can reach the pulp in less time than it would take when bacteria starts at the top of a tooth.
Crack and breaks in teeth can also lead to tooth infections. Deep crack and breaks are like a shortcut for bacteria to get inside a tooth.
Find Out If A Root Canal Can Restore Your Tooth
Preventive care is always the best option for your oral health. The next best option is restorative dentistry, which includes dental fillings, dental crowns, and root canals.
To find out if a root canal or another service could help you, make an appointment at Biggers Family Dentistry. Call us at (804) 621-2199 or fill out our online form .