An infected tooth means the inner structure has been compromised. Lack of treatment not only means serious pain in a tooth, but the risk of tooth loss too! To save the tooth, we may provide endodontic treatment. Our Southlake, TX, dental office can treat infection with a safe and gentle root canal procedure.
How Dental Infection Develops
When a tooth is decayed or seriously injured, this exposes the interior structure to harmful bacteria. As the decay spreads, this could eventually lead to contact with the inner pulp. This bundle of living tissues keeps your tooth function and healthy. But once decay reaches the pulp, the tooth is infected. Pain could increase in severity when you eat, and without treatment you risk the loss of your tooth, or the need for extraction to prevent the spread to other teeth or not the jawbone. If you attend routine six-month checkups, then we can identify this in the early stages and take action with a filling. Otherwise, you may not know your tooth is infected until it reaches a more advanced stage, so don’t ignore any sudden pain in your smile that doesn’t subside, you may need a root canal.
The Potential Warning Signs of Trouble
A dental infection could cause toothaches that persist for more than a day, or tooth sensitivity when you eat or bite down. Pain in the jaw and face is often encountered, along with headaches and swelling near the aching tooth. There could even be a discharge from the tooth itself. Don’t ignore these potential warning signs, visit our team so we can conduct a diagnosis with advanced digital imagery. These x-rays require 90% less radiation and don’t need uncomfortable bite wings. Then images are ready chairside, so we can walk you through the diagnosis and you spend less time in the chair. The images are incredibly detailed so we can assess the cause and severity of your infected tooth. We can then offer relief with a root canal!
Root Canal Therapy
We begin by numbing your tooth to keep you comfortable as we open the tooth and remove the inner tissues from the interior of the tooth and the root canals. We clean the interior of the tooth and add a special restorative filling. Finally, we cap your tooth with a custom crown. You now have a comfortable smile, and one that doesn’t need to have a tooth replaced.
Talk To Your Southlake, TX Dentist About Treating an Infected Tooth
Taking time to treat an infection could prevent serious discomfort and also stop the loss of a tooth. If you would like to learn more about our approach to endodontic treatment, call our Southlake, TX dental office at (817) 481-6364.