A healthy, natural tooth can be more complex than it seems at first. For example, the part of the tooth you can always see is known as the tooth’s crown, and it’s supported by the root underneath your gum tissues. The crown itself has many layers, from the resilient enamel that surrounds it to the mass of dentin that makes up its main structure. These many layers protect the tissues and nerves at the center of the tooth, which also travel through the canal inside of the tooth’s root. This makes the tooth root vital to the tooth’s overall health and integrity in several ways, and makes treating an infected root canal all the more important for your long-term oral health.

The support system for your tooth

The main purpose of your tooth root is to support your tooth, which may seem obvious given the tooth’s root-and-crown structure. However, the specific ways in which it supports your tooth may not be that obvious. For instance, the root rests within a socket in your jawbone and is held securely by a complex network of periodontal ligaments. These give the root just enough give to move slightly when you bite and chew to efficiently absorb your bite pressure. In addition, the root’s canal carries the tooth’s vital tissues from the pulp chamber to the jawbone structure. This is the path through which your jawbone supplies your healthy, natural teeth with the essential minerals and nutrients they need to remain strong and healthy.

The advancement of internal tooth decay

Understanding the different layers and structures of your tooth is important to understanding your oral health, and it’s necessary to understand the progression of a condition like tooth decay. As the most common dental health concern, and the cause behind cavity development, tooth decay is an infection in your tooth that progresses through more of its layers and structures the longer it remains. Severe tooth decay describes decay that has reached the pulp of your tooth, infecting the nerves and tissues that reside within it and the root canal. This level of tooth decay can significantly threaten the tooth’s health and integrity, lead to severe tooth pain, and in extreme cases, potentially lead to tooth loss.

The treatment of infected root canals

When a tooth’s root canal becomes infected, the need to treat the tooth becomes more pressing. Tooth decay is progressive, and it won’t stop just because its has reached the root canal. If allowed to, it can continue progressing through the path of the root canal and lead to more severe oral health concerns. To avoid this, severe decay can often be treated with customized root canal therapy, which involves the careful removal of the infection from within the tooth’s pulp and root canal. This will stop the decay from progressing even further, and help you preserve what remains of your tooth’s healthy, natural structure.

Save your tooth by saving its root canal

Your tooth’s root and the canal inside of it are essential to the tooth’s overall health and integrity in many different ways. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling the Dental Centre of Conroe in Conroe, TX, today at (936) 441-4600. We serve patients from Conroe and all neighboring communities.