Losing a tooth can have a significant impact on all aspects of your life. Not only does tooth loss affect your dental health, it affects the appearance of your smile and your face and it can cause problems with your comfort zones and your overall health. It is important to visit your dentist Gordon on a regular basis to maintain your teeth for the whole of your life. With regular visits you can reduce the level of plaque and a tartar in your mouth. When plaque and tartar build up on the surface of your teeth or underneath the gum line they cause a significant detrimental effect to your dental health. Plaque and tartar are the main causes of decay and disease. Issues such as weakened enamel and gum disease can be detected by the dentist early on. It is important that these issues are detected quickly so that they can be treated easily and successfully. If left unaddressed these things can develop fast and cause irreversible damage to your teeth. Thanks to significant advances in dental technology there are several treatments and procedures available to save your teeth. If you have been affected by tooth decay then you can speak to your dentist and find out about a root canal treatment also known as endodontic treatment. Endodontic treatment focuses on treating decay or disease of the dental pulp and your dentist can use this to save your tooth.
Tooth decay
A healthy tooth has an outer coating of white enamel, inside which you can find hard tissue known as dentine, within this there is soft tissue which is the dental pulp. The dental pulp contains the nerves and blood vessels that supply the tooth. Plaque and tartar can cause cavities which are small holes in the tooth and as they get bigger, bacteria enter those holes and can infect the dental pulp. If the pulp becomes inflamed or infected it can cause significant pain and sensitivity which does not go away. Your dentist can take out the pulp and relieve you from pain or discomfort and save your tooth.
Root canal treatment
Firstly your dentist will numb the tooth by giving you a local anaesthetic and a small opening is made through the crown of the tooth and into the pulp chamber. The inside of the chamber or the canal is washed out to remove any bacteria and rinse out any debris and the pulp is removed. The dentist then shapes the canal after the space is cleaned and fills the empty space with a temporary filling until your next appointment. After this you will have your tooth properly restored with a permanent filling or crown that protects the tooth. With good dental hygiene and regular visits to the dentist, a tooth that has had root canal treatment often lasts a lifetime so make sure you visit your dentist at least once every 6 months, more often if you are experiencing any dental issues, and together you can maintain a happy and healthy smile for the rest of your life.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
