In the past, getting an infection in your tooth pulp or nerve meant losing the entire tooth. Tooth extraction can require a costly replacement (dental implant) that takes several months to heal. With today’s dental technology, root canal therapy now allows you to preserve your infected tooth and restore its health and functionality. In a recent survey by the American Association of Endodontists, 76 percent of participants said they would prefer a root canal to tooth extraction.
How does root canal treatment preserve your infected tooth? At the heart of each tooth is tooth pulp, or a compilation of nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. When your tooth has a large crack, or decay that extends past the outside layer of your tooth enamel, germs and bacteria escape into the tooth pulp and cause serious infection. This infection can spread through the root canals in your teeth down into the tooth roots and surrounding tissues.
During root canal treatment, Provo area endodontist Dr. Jon W. Jenson creates an opening in the crown that exposes the center of the tooth. The tooth pulp infection is carefully cleaned out, and then the endodontist fills the tooth to prevent further problems. Root canal treatment can often be done in just one visit. After root canal treatment, endodontist Dr. Jon W. Jenson will refer you to your restorative dentist who will customize a dental crown to fit over the top of your tooth. A dental crown protects the tooth and provides needed chewing strength.
While extraction may seem like an easier route, saving your original tooth root and tooth is less expensive and time intensive. According to research done by the American Association of Endodontists, eighty-five percent of patients who have had a root canal performed by an endodontist would return to an endodontist for future work.
If you live in Provo have an infected tooth, or are interested in learning how to preserve your tooth from extraction with root canal treatment, call Cascade Endodontics today at 801-404-5810 to schedule an appointment.