At Jason L. Downey, DDS Dentistry in Las Vegas, root canal therapy is performed using the most up-to-date and technologically advanced techniques available today. If you are experiencing severe, agonizing tooth or mouth pain, you may be suffering from a root canal infection. Disease and infection within a tooth can cause immense pain. Unfortunately, disease and infection within a tooth can also put you at risk of losing that tooth as it threatens the very integrity of the tooth. Through root canal therapy, we can often salvage teeth with diseased or infected root canals. Nevertheless, if possible, we would rather help you prevent root canal infections altogether than have to perform root canal therapy.
What Is a Root Canal?
A root canal is a chamber within each tooth that contains dental pulp. The pulp consists of connective tissues, vessels, and nerves. The function of a root canal is to help keep the tooth healthy. One of the ways a root canal helps maintain the health of a tooth is by removing disease or infected pulp material.
When Is Root Canal Therapy Recommended?
The most common cause of root canal infections in ourLas Vegas cosmetic dentistry patients is untreated cavities. When caught in its earliest stages, a cavity can be easily treated. If left untreated, a cavity can spread to the tooth’s root canal. Once the decay and bacteria that cause a cavity to form corrupt the dental pulp within the root canal, root canal therapy may be recommended.
We may also recommend root canal therapy to ourLas Vegas restorative dentistry patients when trauma or structural damage has occurred in a tooth such as a chip or crack. The pulp within the root canal is highly resistant to disease or infection until the structure of the tooth has been compromised. Once the structural integrity of a tooth has been compromised, the pulp can be damaged.
How Is Root Canal Therapy Performed?
It is common for patients to experience excruciating tooth pain once the tooth’s pulp has become infected or diseased. If left untreated, the tooth will eventually die and decompose. Through root canal therapy, we can effectively restore strength and function to the infected or diseased tooth. During root canal therapy, the tooth’s pulp is removed. This is done through a passage that is made in the tooth’s crown. Once the pulp has been completely removed, the root canal is thoroughly cleaned, disinfected, and replaced with a filling material. The opening in the tooth is then sealed, and the remaining healthy tooth structure is covered with a dental crown.
How to Prevent Root Canal Infections
Most root canal infections can be avoided entirely by simply following these steps:
- Brushing your teeth: By brushing your teeth at least twice a day using a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste containing fluoride, you help keep plaque from building up on the surfaces of your teeth.
- Flossing your teeth: We recommend that you floss your teeth at least once a day to help remove plaque from the hard-to-reach surfaces of the teeth.
- Routine dental check-ups: We strongly recommend that patients undergo a routine dental check-up and professional dental cleaning every six months. During this routine dental check-up, we can identify oral health problems before they develop into serious issues.
- Wearing a mouth guard: Patients who grind their teeth or who participate in sports should wear a custom-fitted mouth guard to protect their teeth from being damaged.
Contact Jason L. Downey, DDS Dentistry
To learn more about how prevent root canal infections, pleasecontact Jason L. Downey, DDS Dentistry today.