Save Your Teeth and Your Smile with Root Canal Therapy

If you are plagued by tooth pain or have received dental fillings and crowns for the same tooth multiple times, you may need root canal therapy. With this vital treatment, Dr. Bruce Watkins and his team can save an infected tooth, eliminate the need for extraction, and prevent the infection from spreading to the rest of your smile. Patients can enjoy restored oral function without worrying about aching teeth. 

Common Signs of an Infected Tooth

When bacteria reaches the innermost layer of soft pulp in your tooth, it can spread to the nerves and root canals. Consequently, toothaches ranging from mild to severe are the most common signs of infection. Patients often also notice sharp pains or aches when biting down on hard foods or drinking cold beverages. Other symptoms include chronic bad breath, gum abscesses, and darkened teeth.

Unfortunately, infection can sometimes develop without any symptoms. If the nerve in your tooth is dead, then you will likely feel no pain at all. But while you may not feel anything wrong, the bacteria can still severely damage your tooth and surrounding tissues. As a result, routine checkups play an important role in preventative care.

The Importance of Receiving Treatment

If visits to the dentist make you anxious, you may be tempted to put off seeking treatment, despite the pain. Other than extraction, however, root canals are the only way to treat an infected tooth and still preserve your natural smile. Root canal therapy can even protect the surrounding teeth by eliminating the source of infection. Receiving treatment as soon as possible is the best way to ensure your long-term oral health. 

Furthermore, root canals are not often painful procedures. In fact, because repeated infection can kill the nerve, most patients feel almost no discomfort during their appointment.