Root Canal Therapy: Prevent Bone & Tooth Loss
Endodontics refers to conditions where the nerves of the tooth become injured or diseased. In these situations, treatment by an Endodontist is required. The most common type of endodontics is known as Root Canal Therapy (RCT).
Root Canal Therapy refers to a treatment where the infected, injured or dead pulp that surrounds the nerves in your teeth is removed. At AXIS Dental Group, we have Endodontists on staff that can assess your condition and decide if RCT is the right course of action for you.
Root Canals Require Immediate Action
If you need a Root Canal, the one thing you can’t do is ignore it, even if you don’t have any noticeable symptoms. While you may not feel any pain now, symptoms can pop up suddenly, resulting in considerable pain and discomfort.
More importantly, the longer you have the infection the more bone you will likely lose around your teeth, which can significantly affect your overall oral health.
Why You Can’t Ignore Root Canal Therapy
If you need Root Canal Therapy, failing to get it will result in a highly predictable outcome:
- The tooth in question dies because the nerve inside has died
- Bone loss around the root will occur
- This gradual bone loss will make this tooth loose
If you need Root Canal Therapy because of a cavity, if left untreated the following can occur:
- The cavity will get bigger
- The tooth will gradually become like a thin egg shell
- It will fracture or get beyond the point of being repaired
- This can or will cause premature tooth loss
- When you lose a tooth, the rest of your teeth will gradually start to shift over time
- You can experience significant pain and be unable to sleep
- You can also develop an abscess (infection and swelling around the tooth)
Root Canal Therapy may also be necessary due to an abscess. Failure to get this treatment can result in the following:
- The infection can spread to adjacent teeth or even throughout your body
- You will experience pain and likely be unable to sleep
- The loss of bone around the tooth, which will lead to tooth mobility and/or premature tooth loss
- The rest of the teeth can shift out of alignment as a result
Options to Root Canal Therapy
Although there are alternatives to Root Canals, they are more drastic options.
A. Tooth Extraction
The most common alternative for a decaying tooth is to remove it. This has the obvious disadvantage of leaving a gap in your teeth and is far more traumatic to the mouth. While it’s less expensive in the short run, it can be very expensive long-term (you’ll need to restore the missing tooth plus deal with eating problems, esthetics, etc.).
Once the tooth has been removed, the gap should be filled as soon as possible with a Bridge, Implant or Denture. If the gap is not filled, the other teeth in your jaw will begin to shift, producing an irregular bite.
Dental Implants are a good alternative when the tooth cannot be saved due to extensive root decay, large fractures or severe calcification. It’s common for patients to extract a tooth that requires a Root Canal, and to then replace it with an Implant either immediately or in a few months. This may be a more reasonable approach for teeth that have a lot of decay and are missing a lot of tooth structure.
B. Do Nothing
If you do nothing, eventually you may be incapable of restoring your tooth. It could also lead to infections and calcification of the tooth, resulting in tooth loss and higher dental costs.
Make sure that you meet with one of our Endodontists to discuss your specific needs before deciding on your preferred treatment . They can provide you with the advice you need and help you come to a final decision. Contact us to book an appointment to speak with them today about your unique situation.