Avoid Tooth Loss With Root Canal Therapy

Did you know an infected tooth could lead to more than just serious discomfort, but potentially the loss of one or more teeth? Instead of letting your smile’s stability suffer, why not see your Gary, IN, dentist the first time you encounter discomfort? In today’s blog, we’re looking at how we preserve teeth with a root canal procedure!

Infection and Tooth Loss

Multiple layers make up each of our teeth. The outermost is a very strong layer of enamel, which is meant to protect the teeth from injury and the impacts of harmful bacteria. Beneath that is the dentin and finally, at the center of the tooth is the bundle of living tissues known as the pulp. When the outer enamel becomes damaged or weakened due to poor oral hygiene, bacteria reaches the dentin and causes a cavity. Eventually, the cavity could reach the pulp and lead to a painful dental infection. Unless treated in a timely manner, the issue could reach a state that extraction is necessary to prevent the spread of infection to surrounding teeth.

The Root Canal Procedure

Don’t lose your teeth, let your dentist known as soon as you encounter the warning signs of an infected tooth, which could include persistent tooth sensitivity, toothaches, pain when eating, swelling near the tooth, fever or a discharge from the tooth itself. To treat the tooth, we will administer a local anesthetic and then open the tooth, removing the infected tissue from within. A restorative filling material is placed into the tooth and then we cap the tooth with a custom-made dental crown, created from strong and lifelike materials. In as little as one visit, we can stop the painful infection and prevent your tooth from requiring extraction.

Keeping Smiles Healthy

To avoid future infections, try to cut back on sugary foods and drinks throughout the holidays, which helps lessen the risk of cavities. Making time to brush your teeth twice daily for two minutes, and floss before going to bed each night. See us every six months so we can monitor your smile and watch for the warning signs of a cavity or infected tooth, offering treatment before you even experience discomfort in some cases. If you have any questions about treatment, or if you begin to experience the symptoms we’ve discussed in today’s blog, then please contact our team today to schedule a consultation.

Healthy Smiles Of Northwest Indiana Provides Restorative Care

At Healthy Smiles of Northwest Indiana, our team can help prevent a restorative issue from growing worse and threatening smile stability. To find out more about our restorative treatment options, or to schedule your appointment, call Healthy Smiles in Gary, IN, today at 219-938-2637.