Root canals are needed when decay and bacteria spread for too long without treatment. At a certain point, this decay makes it to the pulp inside the tooth. This pulp includes nerves, therefore infection generally causes a lot of pain. Since this is happening on the inside of the tooth, you won’t necessarily see the damage. Instead, you could feel it through pain and notice other signs that include bleeding, swelling and bad breath.
A root canal is a procedure used to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or becomes infected. Although normal tooth decay can become increasingly worse and eventually lead to a root canal, often times blunt trauma can cause the tooth to die as well.
Your dentist will remove the dead nerve from the tooth and then seal it off to prevent another infection or abscess from forming around the tooth. If the nerve is not removed the infection will continue to climb deeper into your gums, often causing swelling, pain, and discomfort.
Do not wait to see your dentist if you are experiencing any kind of discomfort. Call our office today to schedule an appointment.