Worried you might need root canal treatment? Fearful what that means, and if it will be painful? Well take a deep breath. Root canal treatment is actually designed to be a comfortable procedure that can help eliminate your dental pain, so that you can get back to enjoying life – and your favorite foods – without the discomfort, sensitivity and pain that often comes with a tooth infection. Perhaps best of all, restorative treatment following a root canal is designed to blend seamlessly with your natural teeth, so that you can smile confidently long after your oral health has been restored?
What Causes an Infection?
In most cases, a tooth infection is caused by an untreated cavity. When the decay progresses to the point that the inside of a tooth has become exposed, food particles and debris can enter the tooth and end up causing an infection. When this occurs restorative treatment, such as a root canal, generally becomes necessary to save the tooth and restore the oral health.
What Does Root Canal Treatment Entail?
A dentist will use anesthesia to keep you comfortable during the procedure, while he or she carefully removes any infected portions of the tooth, and any debris that has entered it. Afterwards, the area will be carefully and thoroughly sanitized.
Of course, without a restorative treatment to help seal the tooth, it is likely to become reinfected. This is why dental crowns are generally required after a root canal. Dental crowns provide a protective barrier around a fragile tooth, so that you can chew and smile confidently. By choosing a natural-looking porcelain crown, not only will your smile function the same as it did prior to the infection, but it will also look the same!