What You Need to Know About Root Canal Symptoms and Treatments 

If you’re experiencing pain in or around a tooth that’s worse than any tooth or gum pain that you’ve experienced before, there’s a good chance that you may need root canal treatment from a dentist near you because of pulp tissue in your tooth that’s become infected. An infected tooth is considered by many to be one of the most painful tooth conditions. But the good news is that the root canal procedure itself is relatively pain-free.

Although the therapy is most commonly used to treat an infection in the pulp tissue at the center of the tooth, there are times when your dentist may recommend the procedure even when you’re not experiencing any pain. Keep reading to learn more about how a root canal treatment in New York, NY, can have multiple benefits.

The Inside Scoop on Your Tooth’s Pulp

Even though your tooth appears very hard on its exterior surface, there is soft living tissue on the inside, which can become irritated, inflamed, or infected for reasons such as trauma, cracks, or old fillings that are no longer performing. It’s the nerves in the tooth’s pulp that signal pain, and it’s this same pulp that needs to be treated to alleviate the pain.

Keep in mind, however, that an endodontist near you may recommend the procedure even if you’re not experiencing pain. This recommendation may come after an exam of your tooth indicates that you have extreme cracking that will eventually affect the nerves in your tooth’s pulp. And because the pain associated with the need for treatment is so severe, many patients elect to undergo the therapy before the pain escalates.

The Procedure Itself is a Simple One

To describe the procedure in its simplest way, your dentist will drill a small hole into the affected tooth to clean out and remove the infected pulp tissue. Modern dentistry has come a long way in recent years, and the instruments used during this process are considered pain-free. In most cases, any pain that you were feeling before visiting your dentist will be gone. If, however, your procedure was as a result of a cracked tooth or trauma to a tooth, you may have minor lingering pain in the jawbone.

You’ll be provided with post-procedure instructions that include information such as what types of food to avoid and how to treat any minor discomfort with over-the-counter pain relievers, as well as follow-up instructions to schedule a root canal crown in New Jersey, NJ.

One of the Most Common Procedures in Dentistry

There is no need to fear a root canal procedure. Not only is it a sure way to get rid of dental pain or save a tooth that’s been cracked, but it’s also one of the most common dental procedures performed by an endodontist or a general dentist.

Another benefit that patients appreciate about the procedure is its durability. Not only are they able to regain full functionality of a once-painful tooth, but the restoration has an estimated lifespan of up to 20 years. If you’ve had a root canal in recent years that has now started to cause you pain, there’s a chance that the procedure you had in the past needs attention. Although root canal therapy is one of the most common procedures in modern dentistry, there are times when the procedure may have failed. This can occur for several reasons, which can cause infection to appear once again. That’s why it’s so important that patients keep all follow-up appointments with the dentist who performed the procedure. Even if you are not experiencing any pain or tenderness after your procedure, you must keep your follow-up appointments with your dentist so they can monitor the success of the treatment.

How Preventive Dental Care Can Help

Many patients never need root canal treatment from dental decay or trauma to their teeth. One way to stay ahead of dental decay is to visit your dentist for preventive care such as professional teeth cleaning and fluoride treatment. One way to stay ahead of trauma to a tooth is to make sure you wear a mouthguard when active in sports.