Sometimes a tooth that becomes infected must be treated with a procedure that involves removing the nerve and pulp. The inside of the tooth is then thoroughly cleaned and sealed. This type of treatment is necessary, as the tooth will form abscesses otherwise.
Treatment for an Infected Tooth
So, if you need a root canal in Bowie, MD, the above steps are taken in the therapy. The canal itself is a natural cavity in the middle of the tooth while the pulp or pulp chamber is a soft section inside the canal. The nerve is positioned within the canal.
A Bowie root canal is often performed to revitalize a tooth, as the nerve inside the canal is not essential to the health of a tooth. In other words, the nerve does not impact a tooth’s function. Its use is only sensory, or is used to provide sensations of hot or cold.
When a tooth’s nerve tissue, also called the pulp, is damaged, the bacteria within the chamber starts to multiply. In turn, an abscess is formed. The abscess, which is a pocket that is filled with pus, develops at the tips of a tooth’s roots.
What Happens When the Canal Is Infected
An infection in a root canal can also lead to swelling in the neck, head, or facial area as well as bone loss next to the end of the root. Drainage problems can also develop that cause the abscess to drain into the skin or into the gum tissue.
A tooth may need a root canal because of deep decay, a large filling, a chip in the tooth, or repeated dental treatments. A tooth needing therapy often becomes inflamed, irritated, and infected. In order to begin the treatment process then, a dentist will take an X-ray to examine the shape of the canals and see if infection has spread to the bone.
To keep the area dry, a dentist uses a rubber dam, which he or she positions next to the tooth. He or she then drills an access hole so the procedure can continue. If a root canal is not completed on the same day, a temporary filling is placed until the tooth can be sealed and a filling can be permanently placed.
