Posted

When should you be concerned about pain in your smile, or discomfort while eating? In today’s blog, your Mansfield, TX, dentists will take a look at the dangers of pain in your smile, and how a root canal procedure may be able to preserve and restore your tooth. Find out how this safe and comfortable procedure can help improve your oral health!

Why Does a Tooth Become Infected?

A dental infection happens when harmful bacteria reaches the tooth’s nerve center, a bundle of tissues known as the pulp. The pulp resides in the center of your tooth and in the root canals, managing the flow of blood and nutrients to and from the tooth. Unless treated, the infection could essentially kill the pulp, which means the tooth will need to be extracted to prevent infection from reaching surrounding teeth. Causes of infection may include a cracked or chipped tooth, which exposes the inner tooth structures, or a cavity that isn’t treated, and continues to spread until bacteria has access to the pulp.

The Symptoms of Infected and Abscessed Teeth

If you begin to notice a persistent ache in your teeth, or sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks, then contact our team right away. This could mean a cavity in the advanced stages, soon to become infected, or that the tooth is already infected. As the issue grows more severe, headaches, jaw pain, swelling near the tooth, toothaches, pain when eating, and a discharge from the tooth could occur. Don’t ignore these warning signs, doing so could mean potentially losing the tooth altogether!

Protecting Your Smile with Endodontic Treatment

A root canal stops infection in its tracks. After we administer a local anesthetic and possibly sedation, we will open the tooth and remove the infected tissue from within. The next step is to place a restorative filling and cure the tooth. Finally, a crown will be created and placed onto the tooth, which protects the sensitive inner tissue from further infection or decay. In some cases, the procedure only takes one visit to complete. If you begin to experience the warning signs we discussed above, please let us know as soon as possible. We can perform a diagnosis to see if you need treatment. If so, then we can offer restorative care to save your tooth. If you have any further questions or concerns, then please let us know!

Do You Have Questions About Root Canal Therapy?

We would like to help people enjoy healthy and comfortable smiles by addressing severe decay and infected teeth. To find out more about our restorative treatment options, then schedule a consultation by calling our dentist’s office in Mansfield, TX, today at 817-473-6227.