3 Reasons Why You May Need A Root Canal
Posted on: 9 April 2019
Have you gotten the unfortunate diagnosis from your dentist that you must get a root canal? If so, you may be wondering why this procedure is necessary. Here are some common reasons why your dentist may have determined the need to perform a root canal.
Deep Cavities
When a cavity is caught early enough, it will likely be shallow and only penetrate a small amount of your tooth. Putting a filling in is fairly easy in this situation, and will be quick and painless. However, a cavity that is ignored will continue to erode more of the tooth and go deeper into it. It is possible that the cavity will be very close to reaching the pulp Tooth may feel fine now, but when the dentist starts drilling out the decaying parts of your tooth, they'll reach the pulp and the root. This will cause the need for a root canal, simply because the decay is so deep that it cannot be fixed with a simple filling.
Infected Pulp
Your cavity may have gotten so deep that the pulp of the tooth is actually exposed. This can lead to plaque, bacteria, and other substances getting into the tooth itself, which will cause an infection. There is a risk of infection spreading through your body through the root of the tooth, which will be bad for your overall health. An infection that reaches the bloodstream can go almost anywhere, which is hard to believe about something that started out as a small cavity. The only way to prevent the infection from spreading is to remove the tooth's root by performing a root canal.
Retaining The Tooth
When you have a serious problem with a tooth, you may think that it is easier to just pull the tooth and not have to deal with it anymore. This is not always the best solution, since there are benefits to keeping the natural tooth in your mouth with a root canal. Your jawbone will still receive stimulation, the surrounding teeth will not move to fill in the gap, and your natural tooth with a crown will be incredibly strong for chewing. It makes sense to attempt perform a root canal to preserve the natural tooth as much as possible, even if the tooth itself no longer has a root.
Speak with your dentist if you have any questions about why a root canal needs to be performed.
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