“Oh no!” you may think to yourself when we suggest root canal therapy to safeguard your smile. Don’t worry, you are not the only person who has ever required a root canal, nor are you the only person who has every experienced severe anxiety at the thought of it. As much as you may feel like this is absolutely awful news, we encourage you to consider things from our perspective (and we would like to clear up some myths that may have you feeling worried). Instead, you can feel relieved about protecting your smile. You will be happy to know that root canals are comfortable. You will enjoy a completely numb tooth and surrounding tissue for a treatment that effectively saves your oral health. Now that you feel at ease about how it will feel, are you ready to find out why you need it? Keep reading:

To Save Your Tooth

Patients often assume this is one in a long list of other potential restorative treatments we could have picked out for them. However, root canal therapy is actually a last resort when other treatments will not suffice. Here’s what has happened: Your dental pulp is tissue that lines the interior portion of your tooth, including the lowest areas called your “root canals.” This tissue is responsible for keeping your tooth alive. If it becomes infected or seriously damaged, your tooth will die and will need to be removed. Root canal therapy will remove the damaged pulp, while allowing your tooth to stay in place, so you can avoid tooth removal.

To Protect Surrounding Teeth

You may assume a tooth infection or damage is an isolated problem. Unfortunately in this case, your tooth is a part of a larger system, which includes surrounding teeth, gums, jawbone, and other supportive structures. The bad news is that ignoring an infection can result in the spread of infection to nearby structures, leading to a serious problem that will require multiple treatments. The good news is that root canal therapy will stop the problem in its tracks, while protecting your entire smile.

ABOUT YOUR CONROE DENTIST:

The Dental Centre of Conroe, John M Richards DDS delivers distinctive cosmetic, restorative, and implant dentistry for residents of Conroe, Houston, The Woodlands, Willis, Huntsville, and the neighboring communities. For more information about our services, or to schedule an appointment, contact us by calling (936) 441-4600.