Your dentist may not expect you to welcome the news that you need a root canal treatment, but you should understand that this restorative dental work can save your tooth. A root canal is not for any cavity, but it is needed when tooth decay has grown serious enough to enter your tooth. That intrusion into your pulp can lead to an infection of the living tissue within, which can cause you to suffer pain, or make your tooth particularly sensitive. During a root canal, your dentist removes that infected tissue, and re-seals your pulp. After this process is concluded, your dentist fits the tooth with a dental crown.

The Importance Of Treating Advanced Cavities

Without intervention from your dentist, a cavity will do continually worse harm to your tooth. You have some ability to prevent dental problems, but a cavity will not stop its growth until it is completely removed. That increasing damage can actually become harmful enough to make your tooth essentially no longer treatable; if this happens, extracting the tooth is the only option your dentist has left.

Stopping A Cavity Before It Grows Serious

One major upside to regularly seeing your dentist is that you can limit the time a cavity has to grow, and avoid serious tooth decay. Each dental visit involves a close check for signs of decay. If you have a serious cavity risk, your dentist can let you know, and counsel you on protecting your teeth. If a cavity has taken hold – even at the earliest stages – your dentist can spot it, and arrange a treatment that stops its spread, sparing more of your tooth structure.