Many people who learn they need root canal treatment aren’t excited about the idea at first. For some patients, it may seem better to just extract the tooth instead of saving and having to preserve it. However, if root canal treatment is still a viable option for your severely decayed tooth, then chances are that it’s a much better option for your oral health than losing it. Today, we examine what root canal treatment means, and why you shouldn’t hesitate to save your tooth if there’s still time.
What is root canal treatment?
The term, root canal treatment, is highly recognizable, but the details of the procedure and the importance of it to your oral health may not be. Root canal treatment, or root canal therapy, is a restorative treatment designed to completely remove all traces of infection from within your tooth’s inner chamber (pulp) and root canal. Using conservative treatment techniques and advanced dental technology, we can carefully access the tooth’s inner structures and remove the infected tissues, stopping the decay from growing worse. This helps you preserve the remaining healthy tooth structure that’s left after the infection has been removed.
When is tooth extraction preferable?
Root canal treatment is designed specifically to address severe cases of tooth decay, in which the infection has reached the tooth’s inner tissues, nerves, and blood vessels. Tooth extraction is also reserved only for extreme cases, mainly because it involves removing a tooth entirely from your dental ridge. Much like tooth loss due to any other cause, this can have a long-term impact on your oral health as well as immediate affects on your smile’s appearance, bite function, daily life, and more. Because of this, extracting a decayed tooth is usually only recommended when there isn’t enough healthy, natural tooth structure left to restore and preserve.
The problem with your tooth, specifically
Deciding between tooth extraction or root canal therapy is a personal choice for every patient, and optimal treatment depends on every patient’s unique condition. Before recommending any treatment, your dentist will thoroughly inspect your tooth and oral health to determine if root canal treatment can successfully save it. If extracting the tooth is the better options, your dentist may discuss the importance of replacing the tooth as soon as possible afterward to restore your smile and bite function.
Learn if root canal treatment can save your tooth
Root canal treatment can often be the most effective way to save a tooth that’s severely decayed, which is typically preferable to extracting the tooth and then having to replace it. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Creekside Family Dental Care in Columbia, TN, today at (931) 388–3384.