Three Ways A Root Canal Can Save You From Future Dental Health Problems And Procedures
Posted on: 23 September 2021
Many people dread the notion of a root canal, even though the procedure is quite safe and rarely causes any more discomfort than a simple cavity drilling. While this procedure is often maligned, it's actually extremely useful, and having one could mean the difference between a quick and easy procedure or having multiple visits to the dentist's chair with pain and medical problems. Here's three things that getting a root canal now can help prevent in the future.
The Problems a Sick Tooth Can Cause
Typically, a root canal is only recommended by a dentist if your tooth is badly damaged or decayed. In general, the interior of the tooth has to be severely damaged, infected, or even decaying before a root canal becomes a necessity.
When this is allowed to carry on without care, it can put not only the single tooth at risk, but the surrounding teeth as well. Decay and infections can readily spread through the gums, inducing gum disease, and can potentially infect any surrounding teeth that are currently healthy, putting them at risk of developing the same problem as the initial tooth. This could mean multiple extractions in the future.
Bone Loss
When you allow a tooth to either fall out or to be completely removed via extraction, it can create problems in the future. Your jaw bone relies on your teeth to send pressure from every bite you take through to the bone. This stimulates your body to grow new replacement bone cells, keeping your jaw strong and well-defined. However, when this pressure goes away, it can cause your bones to weaken. This not only means that your other teeth no longer have as much support, but it can also weaken your jaw to the point where a sudden blow, like in a car accident, may have a higher risk of breaking the bone.
Tooth Replacement
The only way to stop or repair missing bone in the aforementioned issue is to have your tooth replaced with an implant. While this is also a safe procedure and one that can restore any smile, it's probably not something that you want to do if you currently have a mouth full of teeth. Unfortunately, almost any tooth that needs a root canal only has two options if the procedure isn't performed: falling out on its own or being extracted by a dentist. In either case, a tooth replacement will be necessary in the future if you want to restore the appearance of your smile and regain any bone strength that you've lost in your jaw.
Getting your tooth repaired via a root canal now can save you all of these headaches in the future. Don't delay; get the help that you need as soon as you can.
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