Treating Infection With Root Canal Therapy

It goes without saying that your oral health is heavily influenced by a variety of factors. These can consist of the quality of your at-home preventive care, what foods and beverages you consume, how often you visit your dentist, and pretty much everything else in-between. As a matter of fact, a well-rounded routine is needed for proper care, but keep in mind that it only takes falling short in one or more areas for harmful bacteria to set in and begin causing trouble. In today’s blog, your Houston, TX dentist explains how tooth decay develops and spreads, as well as when root canal therapy might be your best option.

You Must Act with Efficiency

Dental concerns are nothing to take lightly. As a matter of fact, the sooner you seek treatment, the better the outcome is going to be. You see, unlike an upset stomach or a headache, oral health concerns do not go away on their own with time. The opposite occurs, actually, and your situation will continue to get worse until a tooth is entirely infected and compromised. As such, your dentist recommends not waiting on treatment.

Indeed, tooth decay is one of the most common concerns out there, as it affects millions of Americans every single year. It can take a variety of forms, but its earliest stages involve the formation of small holes in the teeth known as cavities. Fortunately, cavities are relatively simple to address if you act with efficiency, but it is important to know the longer you wait, the less successful your treatment may become as the infection spreads. To learn more about this process, give our team a call today.

Salvaging Your Natural Structures

As decay spreads, it works its way down into the inner workings of a tooth. Here, it will infect your dental pulp and damage your sensitive nerves. At this stage in the process, patients affected will experience noticeable sharp pains, problems with routine practices such as biting, chewing, and eating, and overall discomfort.

There reaches a point where the only option left is to have a tooth extracted or removed, but your dentist and especially you do not want this to occur. As such, timely treatment may mean a root canal procedure is enough to salvage natural structures.

Understanding the Process

To save your tooth, a specialist may remove the infected portions of pulp, then subsequently fill the open canals with dental material. This is to eliminate the immediate concern while also providing reinforcement and protection during the time your tooth heals.

Learn More Today

For more information about the need for root canal therapy or to schedule your next appointment with our team, contact Sue Ellen Richardson DDS in Houston, TX by calling 713-796-9600 today.