Alleviate Pain and Save Your Natural Tooth with Root Canal Treatment
Root canals are a standard restorative dental procedure that can save the natural structure of a decayed or injured tooth. It can be extremely painful when you experience trauma to the tooth or have a tooth impacted by an infection. Root canals can alleviate this pain and often prevent an extraction. At Albrecht Family Dentistry in West Bend, Wisconsin, we understand that hearing the term root canal can cause anxiety, but we assure patients that this procedure relieves pain and restores the health of their tooth.
What is a root canal treatment?
The root canal of the tooth is where all the blood vessels, nerves, and soft tissues of the dental pulp are housed. The dental pulp is what causes teeth to feel hot and cold temperatures and is protected by the layers of dentin and enamel that surround it. When either trauma or decay compromises the dental pulp, the pulp can become injured or infected and require a root canal treatment.
The necessity of root canal treatment
Root canal treatment, also known as endodontic treatment, can be necessary for several reasons. Without treatment, the injured pulp can lead to severe pain and infection, as well as the potential need for extraction. Root canal therapy is performed to remove the damaged tissue in the tooth, alleviate discomfort from infection, and ultimately save the natural tooth.
Signs that you may need a root canal:
- Pain when biting or chewing
- Increased tooth sensitivity
- Tooth pain that interrupts sleep
- Broken/fractured tooth
- Badly decayed tooth
- Abscesses
- Swollen, dark gum tissue
Why not just extract?
Many patients wonder why they should have a root canal instead of just pulling out the tooth, especially if it’s in the back of the mouth. Missing teeth can not only affect the appearance of your smile but can also negatively impact oral health. The remaining teeth can be more susceptible to cracks and, over time, may shift out of place. Additionally, while there are great options for tooth replacement, most come at a much higher cost than root canal therapy. Whenever possible, it’s best to save the natural tooth.
Why choose Albrecht Family Dentistry
Our team has years of experience practicing dentistry and has an extensive knowledge of oral health. If you need root canal treatment, call our West Bend, WI office at (262) 357-6622.
Root Canal
Root canal therapy is a very common procedure. It has a reputation of being undesirable and painful. But when done properly it is actually painless. Every tooth in your mouth is composed of a crown and a root. When a cavity or bacteria penetrates the tooth, the root and its nerves become irritated. As a result, the bacteria within the pulp cavity needs to be removed and cleaned in order to restore the tooth to its healthy state. Following the procedure, the tooth is fragile and consequently is restored with the natural crown for a lifetime of durability. Root canals have a success rate of 95% or greater. Most root canal are diagnosed by patients’ sensitivities to a specific tooth. Be sure to consult your dentist any symptoms or discomfort occur.