Consistent oral hygiene is extremely important to prevent tooth decay and infections in the mouth. Sometimes, however, decay cannot be avoided. If tooth decay is left untreated, it will not go away on its own and will, in fact, only worse, eventually reaching the nerves deep inside the tooth, causing inflammation and infection, not to mention pain and discomfort. When this happens, Dr. Estrada will often recommend root canal therapy.
What is Root Canal Therapy?
When the tooth decay reaches the innermost part of the tooth, the tooth can become infected and badly damaged. In simple terms, root canal therapy is a procedure that repairs an infected tooth in order to stop the decay from progressing any further.
1. Dr. Estrada will numb the tooth so you don’t feel any pain
2. He will create an opening in the tooth in order to reach the infected and decayed parts deep inside
3. Dr. Estrada will gently and thoroughly clean out the infection and decay, taking care to preserve as much of the healthy tooth as possible
4. Once the tooth has been cleaned, it is filled with medication to aid in healing
5. After the tooth has healed, Dr. Estrada will seal the hole with a special material and restore it to keep it from breaking in the future
Root canal therapy takes place over two or more visits and does require some healing time, but is an excellent option if you wish to avoid tooth extraction.