Root Canal Treatment can save teeth: Northern Virginia Endodonotics

Root canals, or pulp removal procedures, save nearly 25 million teeth in the United States each year. The procedure is conducted when the pulp, found in the center root system of every tooth, becomes infected or damaged through trauma or fractures.

Most commonly, patients require a root canal when an untreated cavity erodes the tooth’s dentin and enamel, cause the decay to reach the root canal. Bacteria may then infect the pulp, and antibiotics are powerless to stop the infection because it is inside the tooth. The infection can cause inflammation when it restricts the blood supply to the tooth, which prevents the pulp from healing. Infections can also affect the bone surrounding the tooth, causing an abscess to form. Root canals may also be performed by an endodontist when the pulp is damaged due to fractures in the tooth or trauma.

An infection of the pulp can cause pain upon biting, pushing or touching, cause the tooth to be increasingly sensitive to heat or cold and result in discoloration of the tooth. Without treatment, the infected tooth may be lost, causing the neighboring teeth to become overstressed and misaligned. An untreated infection can also spread to other parts of the body. A root canal can relieve these symptoms and save the tooth by treating any infections, removing the damaged or infected pulp and filling the root canals with a protective material known as gutta percha. With proper care, the treated tooth can last for a lifetime following a root canal.

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