When Treating Tooth Decay Requires Root Canal Therapy

For many different oral health concerns, losing a tooth is the worst-case scenario of the problem’s progression. For instance, when a tooth develops a case of decay, the problem describes an infection in the tooth that continuously erodes the tooth’s healthy, natural structure. In the worst case of tooth decay, this can erode so much of the tooth’s structure that what’s left falls out, or requires extraction. However, before tooth decay becomes this severe, it goes through several stages of severity. If your tooth decay is serious, but you still have a chance to save the tooth, then root canal treatment might offer you the best chance.

What the process of tooth decay looks like

The process of a tooth decaying isn’t always an obvious one. For instance, you might notice that a cavity has developed in your tooth in the early stages of decay, but if you don’t fill the cavity promptly, the condition may get worse before you realize it. By the time you seek treatment for it, the decay may have reached the tissues that reside at the center of the tooth, in a chamber known as the tooth’s pulp. Infected pulp tissues can pose a much greater risk to the tooth, as these tissues travel from the pulp through the tooth’s root canal and into your jawbone.

Why it doesn’t always need root canal treatment

When tooth decay is treated in its early, mild, or moderate stages, it doesn’t typically require removing the tooth’s tissues and nerves. On the contrary, treating a mild or moderate cavity can often be accomplished by removing the infected part of the tooth’s main structure, or dentin, and filling the cavity with tooth-colored composite resin. This is the main reason why treating tooth decay early is so important. By keeping the treatment minimally invasive, you can not only stop the infection from progressing, but also preserve more of your healthy, natural tooth structure in the process.

How root canal treatment saves the tooth

The threat of a severe tooth infection can be one of the biggest threats to your tooth’s long-term health and integrity. The longer it’s left untreated, the greater this threat becomes. If your dentist recommends root canal treatment for your tooth decay, then it may mean that there’s little time left before the decay makes restoring the tooth impossible. Removing the infection and restoring the tooth through root canal treatment can help you improve your chances of avoiding this.

Learn if your tooth needs root canal treatment

When tooth decay becomes a serious threat to your tooth, treating it could require personalized root canal therapy. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Gentle Smiles in Dallas, TX, today at 972-329-7645 (972-329-SMILE).