Cleveland dentist explains how root canal therapy can save your natural tooth

A severe toothache can stop your life in its tracks. Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong, and in the case of severe tooth pain, seeing a dentist quickly can make the difference between saving your tooth and having to extract and replace it. At Downtown Dental Services in Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Tony Lu works with patients to identify the source of their pain and provide rapid pain relief. In some cases, root canal therapy may be the best option for not only getting you out of pain but also saving your natural tooth.

Reasons why you might need a root canal

Also called endodontic therapy, root canal treatment is typically necessary when the interior portion of the tooth (called the pulp) has become severely damaged, inflamed, or infected. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as:

• Repeated dental work on the same tooth
• Deep decay that has extended beyond the surface layers of the tooth
• An abscess (infection)
• Chips, cracks, or breaks in the tooth that have allowed bacteria to infiltrate
• Old mouth injuries from years ago

While many patients experience pain as their first symptom when a root canal is needed, there may be other signs and symptoms such as:

• Swollen or painful gums
• Swelling in the cheek
• Lingering tooth sensitivity
• Pimples or oozing in the gums

If an infected tooth is left untreated, it can develop into a serious and potentially life-threatening infection by spreading to the rest of your body. It is important to see your dentist quickly if you are experiencing severe pain or any of the symptoms above.

What happens during root canal therapy?

Root canal therapy is often the only way to save a severely damaged tooth. During the procedure, soft tissues within the tooth (including the blood vessels and pain-sensing nerves) are removed, and the canals are disinfected. This eliminates the source of the problem and provides instant pain relief because the nerve is no longer there to send pain signals to the brain. After the tooth’s interior has been sanitized, we fill it with a rubber-like material to help maintain its structural integrity, prevent further infection and seal the tooth with a natural-looking dental filling or crown. We use the latest dental anesthetics to keep you pain-free throughout the procedure, and over-the-counter pain medications are typically sufficient to keep you comfortable in the few days after your treatment. We may also provide you with a prescription for antibiotics to help eradicate any lingering bacteria.

Why saving your tooth is preferred over extraction

Simply put, natural teeth function and look better than missing or false teeth and are better for sustaining your long-term oral health. Investing in root canal therapy can not only help get you out of pain but also avoid the costly and time-consuming process of first undergoing a dental extraction and then replacing your natural tooth with a replacement tooth. People who have lost one or more teeth are typically more susceptible to gum disease and can experience bone loss and other oral health problems if the missing teeth are not replaced.

To schedule your appointment at Downtown Dental Services, call our Cleveland, OH office today at (216) 616-1155, or book your appointment online!

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