A root canal treatment can save a badly infected or damaged tooth. The tooth may have become infected or damaged by decay, repeated dental work, wear and tear, gum disease, cracked fillings or an injury to the tooth. When the dental pulp is damaged, bacteria can start to multiply inside the tooth.
Generally, it is found that if the infected pulp is not cleaned early then the infection can spread to the gum area. It will lead to a gum infection which can lead to bleeding problems while brushing or eating. Cleaning the pulp with the root canal treatment can avoid the gum infection problem properly.
It's necessary to have endodontic or root canal treatment when the inside of your tooth (the pulp) becomes inflamed or infected as a result of deep decay, repeated dental procedures, faulty crowns or a crack or chip in the tooth.
The Consequences of Avoiding a Root Canal
If the infection is concerning and left untreated it can cause you to lose your tooth or part of your jaw or even lead to dental abscesses or a life-threatening stroke, sepsis, or heart attack. As the infection progresses so will the pain which will be excruciating.
Because the body continually tries to heal itself, sometimes a patient does not need a root canal simply because the body already attempted to do its root canal. When nerve damage occurs, the body tries to preserve the tooth by hardening the root and pulp.
Root canal dangers for long-term health
The bacteria from your gums or the remnants of your infected tooth can easily spread through your bloodstream to the rest of your body and cause systemic problems.
Keeping a tooth is the better option. Proper root canal treatment will save a tooth, and with good dental hygiene, it should last a lifetime, without the need for further treatment. With the original tooth, the line of your jaw stays firm, your teeth are healthy, and you will need fewer visits to the dentist.
If the deepest layers of the pulp become infected, it may be too late to save the tooth. In addition, if a large portion of the tooth is lost and a crown cannot be placed on what's left, root canal treatment is no longer a viable solution.
Root canal therapy is recommended when teeth can be saved with treatment, while an extraction is performed when the tooth's structure is too damaged, or a crack goes beneath the gum's surface, not leaving enough structure for stability or use after the repair.
A Root Canal Saves Your Tooth
Thanks to this, dentists note that root canals have a lifetime success of 85%. This is much higher than in their early days and is practically a guarantee of optimal dental function and good oral health in most patients.
Root canals are considered to be the most painful because they require removing the nerve tissue on a tooth's root. The removal of the nerve tissue is not only excruciatingly painful but also commonly leads to infection.
It is possible for a tooth to become weaker after a root canal. Dentists must drill through the tooth to get to the pulp, and additional decay might need to be removed. If the tooth is too weak to function, the dentist will add a crown to it.
Location of the decay: For small cavities on your tooth's surface, your dentist will likely recommend a dental filling. But if the decay has reached the pulp of your tooth and is causing severe tooth sensitivity and pain, you'll need a root canal to prevent an infection.
A good oral hygiene routine is the best way to avoid a root canal. This means flossing, brushing twice daily, and getting a regular dental cleaning. But there's even more you can do to protect your teeth since other dental emergencies, such as tooth fractures, also might require root canals.
You must undergo a root canal within a few weeks to fully eliminate the infection and save your tooth. In general, a root canal typically takes about two hours to complete, but it can require subsequent visits depending on the severity of the damage.
Metal-Free Dental Implants
It improves the function and aesthetic of your smile. Metal-free dental implants use a biocompatible zirconia post to replace the tooth root. Since implants are placed in the jaw, they provide unparalleled strength and durability and can last a lifetime.
The usual factors which can be attributed to endodontic failure are: Persistence of bacteria (intra-canal and extra-canal) Inadequate filling of the canal (canals that are poorly cleaned and obturated) Overextensions of root filling materials.
The biggest factor a dentist looks at when deciding if a tooth can be saved is how much “good” tooth structure there is left. If the tooth is broken at the gumline and has a big cavity that goes down to the bone then there is little hope that the tooth can be saved.
The short answer is no, a tooth that needs a root canal cannot heal itself naturally. The long answer is fairly straightforward. The infected tissue inside a tooth cannot heal by itself and will only get worse over time if left untreated. Even if you experience no pain, you should still seek treatment.
Alternatives treatment options
The only alternative to a root canal treatment is to remove (extract) the tooth from the mouth. If the tooth is removed, you will need to pay for further treatment to have the missing tooth replaced in the mouth.
Your diet matters. Bacteria loves sugar, and sugary drinks and foods allow bacteria in your mouth to flourish and thrive. Bacteria is the first step toward tooth decay, and tooth decay can easily lead to root canal treatment.