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Who Needs Root Canal Therapy?

Root canal therapy is needed when the soft tissue or the pulp inside the tooth’s root canal becomes inflamed or infected. This treatment helps save th...

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Root canal therapy is needed when the soft tissue or the pulp inside the tooth's root canal becomes inflamed or infected. This treatment helps save the tooth by eliminating bacteria from it and preventing reinfection of the tooth. An endodontist is a specialist dentist specializing in treating affected teeth by performing root canal therapy.

Global statistics show that 97% of root canal treatments are successful. 85% of the infected tooth fixed by root canal can last a lifetime. During this procedure, the endodontist carefully removes the infected pulp and seals the affected tooth to prevent the recurrence of the infection.

The symptoms of an infected root canal system vary among people. However, the treatment plan is almost the same for everyone. Continue reading to know if you are curious about who needs root canal therapy.

Symptoms of Infected Root Canal System

The most common symptoms of an infected root canal system are below. If you experience any of these, be ready to visit your dentist before it gets too late. If you experience any of these symptoms, there are high chances that you need root canal therapy.

Tooth Discoloration

When the pulp becomes infected, the tooth's appearance changes to grayish-black. When this happens, the person needs root canal therapy to treat the underlying infection.

Constant Toothache

People who need root canal therapy have constant irritation or pain in the tooth. This discomfort is not stimulated or initiated by any mouth activity. Instead, it happens because the pulp or soft tissue inside the root canal system becomes infected.

Lingering Sensitivity

Another symptom to look for is tooth sensitivity. When a person's tooth becomes extremely sensitive to hot or cold foods, it might indicate a need for root canal therapy. This symptom is significant to consider when people experience tooth sensitivity for prolonged periods after food consumption.

Swollen Gums or Jaw

Swollen or sore gums indicate an infection in the pulp. So, if you experience swelling on the gums, visit your dentist right away to check whether you need root canal therapy. Some people develop a boil or pimple on their gums. It causes an unpleasant taste or smell when the pus from the infected tooth drains from the boil or pimple.

Sometimes, the jaw becomes visibly swollen, and the pus doesn't strain from the side. In such a case, it is better to visit your dentist at your earliest.

If you see any of these symptoms, they might qualify you as a candidate for root canal therapy. Schedule an appointment with your dentist to save your tooth.

Chipped or Cracked Tooth

If you find your tooth cracked or chipped due to an accident or while playing a sport, visit the dentist to check for your root canal system. Bacteria in a chipped or cracked tooth can easily reach the tooth pulp and cause infection.

The Bottom Line

An infected tooth can also feel looser, or you continuously experience pain while chewing food. When this happens, do not hesitate to visit your dentist. Root canal treatment is completely safe, which is why every year, dentists successfully perform 51 million root canal therapies in the United States.

Contact your Walnut Creek Dentist, Dr. Tiziana Procopio Towle, DDS at Procopio Towle Dental Office today to learn more about root canal therapy.

Resource:

How Is A Root Canal Procedure Done?

This media/content or any other on this website does not prescribe, recommend, or prevent any treatment or procedure. Therefore, we highly recommend that you get the advice of a qualified dentist or other medical practitioners regarding your specific dental condition  

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