What Specialist Performs Root Canal Therapy?
What Is Root Canal Therapy?
It is a reparative dental procedure that treats damaged teeth from the inside. Root canal therapy in Scarborough, ON, rids your tooth of damaged nerves, connective tissues, blood vessels, and other soft tissues. The dental expert also destroys all traces of bacteria in the tooth that may further complicate its health. The goal of the treatment is to save a natural tooth that would otherwise deserve tooth extraction.
Who Performs a Root Canal Procedure?
Such an intricate dental process cannot be performed by all dental experts. A root canal specialist trained, skilled, and experienced in such dental protocols is called an endodontist. Endodontists near you are dental experts who have studied enough about the anatomy of a tooth structure so that they can take it apart without destroying the tooth.
When Do You Need a Root Canal?
At Finch East Dental Care, endodontic procedures are not for everyone. A dentist in Scarborough, ON must comprehensively analyze the state of your oral health before determining the most suitable treatment plan. You qualify for an endodontic procedure if you have a diseased or damaged tooth whose structure is not significantly compromised. This way, should the dentist in Scarborough, ON remove the internal features of the tooth, it can remain functional and healthy. Some of the factors that qualify you for a root canal procedure are:
- Tooth fracture – a chipped, cracked, and broken tooth can merit root canal therapy. Although mild fractures only require a cosmetic dental procedure to restore their appearance, sometimes breakage needs further treatment. You will know you need an endodontic procedure for your broken tooth if it causes dental pain and swelling, among other oral complications.
- Abscessed tooth – features an infected tooth root. When bacterial infection settles on the tooth roots, it forms pockets of pus, usually accumulating at the base of teeth near the gum line.
- Severe toothache – many patients resolve for tooth extractions to treat toothaches. While that is a viable form of treatment, sometimes dental experts can recommend a different approach. A root canal procedure can efficiently treat the root cause of the pain, salvaging your natural tooth to serve you for several more years.
- Prolonged sensitivity – a heightened sensitivity to cold and hot foods can indicate nerve damage or root exposure. Endodontic treatment can spare you the extreme discomfort your experience when eating foods.
- Unusual darkening of your tooth – discoloration can sometimes be an early warning sign of tooth decay. If you have an unusual darkening on your teeth, get ahead of the problem by getting a root canal procedure.
How Can a Root Canal Procedure Change Your Life?
Root canal therapy will significantly impact your life by improving your oral health. Some of the ways that it benefits patients are:
- Treating pain. Instead of relying on pain medication that temporarily manages your pain, you have the chance to treat the pain permanently.
- Increasing the life of natural teeth. The essence of endodontic treatments is preserving natural teeth when there are some valid reasons for tooth extractions.
- Preventing further tooth damage. When there is an increased risk of infection in one of your teeth, a root canal procedure can reduce the probability of advanced dental infections like severe tooth decay.
- Optimizing a tooth’s functionality. After many root canal procedures, dentist in Scarborough, ON place tooth filling and dental crowns. The additional dental restorations help seal a tooth, protecting it from re-entry of bacteria. A dental crown, specifically, reinforces the strength of the tooth, holding it compactly together after an invasive endodontic procedure. These extra reparative measures on your tooth optimize the tooth’s strength and functionality. In a matter of days, you should comfortably chew with your new tooth, like with the rest of your natural teeth.
- Prolonging the need for expensive tooth replacement options. Although tooth extraction can preserve your oral health, you will later need restorative dentistry to replace the tooth. Tooth replacement protocols like dental implants entail surgeries to restore your jawbone and gums while replacing the lost tooth. A root canal preserves your tooth for a much longer time. In many cases, it cancels out the need for restorative measures for tooth replacement.