When your tooth has developed deep decay, the decay can
eventually become so extensive that your bone around the tooth becomes infected
and increases your risk of tooth loss. The good news is, root canal treatment
can stop decay and infections from advancing, in other words, it will save your
natural tooth!
What is Root Canal Treatment?
You may be wondering, what exactly is root canal treatment?
Well, when your dentist in Livonia performs this treatment on a tooth where its
pulp is badly decayed, infected, or inflamed, they will first begin by drilling
into your tooth. This gives your dentist access to the inner pulp and enables
them to remove the infected pulp tissue. Once this is removed, they can
disinfect and then fill the empty chamber and roots canals with a filling
material called gutta-percha. Lastly, your dentist will seal the tooth and
place a custom dental crown to protect it and restore its function. Usually,
the dental crown is placed on your treated tooth at a subsequent
appointment.
How Successful is Root Canal Treatment?
When you visit your dentist’s office near you for a root canal in Livonia, almost all these procedures are successful and the results are
long-lasting. On the other hand, in some cases, your tooth could become
re-infected after it’s been restored.
What Factors Affect the Success of Root Canal Treatment?
We mentioned above how in some cases, root canal treatment isn’t
successful… but in which scenarios could root canal treatment result in
failure? Here are four factors that could affect the long-term success of root
canal therapy.
- Early Treatment
In almost all cases, the earlier a dentist or doctor detects a
health problem, the sooner they can treat it, which means the better the
outcome. An infected tooth that has advanced beyond the pulp is at a heightened
risk of re-infection than a tooth where the infection is localized in the pulp.
When you keep up with regular checkups at your dental office in Livonia and
visit your dentist when you notice any abnormalities, spots on your tooth, or
pain, this can increase the chances of your dentist diagnosing issues sooner
rather than later.
2. Tooth
Complications
A front tooth that has a single root and root canal is much
simpler to access and treat when compared to a back molar that has an intricate
root canal network. Not only that, but root canals can also be very narrow
which makes them easy to miss during treatment. In these cases, an
endodontist—a dentist who specialized in root canal therapy—can use their
expertise and advanced equipment to increase the chances of this being a
successful procedure.
3. The Aging
Process
Over time, your teeth wear and become more brittle. When your
teeth are more brittle, they are more susceptible to becoming fractured. Root canal therapy that was previously performed on an
aging tooth could increase your risk of fracture. Avoiding this is important
and will require a crown for your affected tooth after the procedure. This
protects your tooth from both re-infection and stress from chewing.
Even in these above situations, if your tooth has these problems
or similar complications, root canal treatment may still be performed.
Preserving a decayed tooth is far more beneficial than the risk of
re-infection. If you notice any unusual symptoms or problems related to your
teeth, don’t wait to visit your dentist in Livonia. He or she is equipped and
experienced in conducting root canal therapy and other restorative
procedures.
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