How Root Canal Treatment Can Save Your Smile

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How Root Canal Treatment Can Save Your Smile

Root canal therapy could preserve your natural smile and prevent extractions.

A root canal is one of the most common procedures that our Lisle, IL, dentist Dr. Meda Naga performs. A root canal is usually recommended when the dental pulp is inflamed or infected. The dental pulp is the soft tissue inside the tooth that contains connective tissue, nerves and blood vessels. Once decay, bacteria or traumatic injury has affected the health of the pulp the only way to save the tooth is to remove the pulp.

When is a root canal needed?

Even though the dental pulp is hidden beneath the hard protective layers of the tooth this structure can still become damaged. If decay damages the outer layers this can allow bacteria to get inside the tooth and affect the pulp. Furthermore, an infection or injury to the tooth can also damage the pulp. The only way for our Lisle, IL, dentist to preserve the tooth is by removing the dental pulp and sealing the root canals to prevent future infections.

How do I know that I need a root canal?

The unfortunate part is that you may not know that you need a root canal. That’s because symptoms don’t usually appear until much later, which means that you could have an infected or inflamed dental pulp but not know until the problem has become more advanced.

So, how are you supposed to know when a problem is occurring? Simple. You need to visit your dentist every six months for checkups. Just because you aren’t experiencing symptoms doesn’t mean that you don’t have a problem. Our dental team can pinpoint even the subtlest changes that could indicate an affected dental pulp. This is why routine cleanings should never be missed, no matter how healthy your smile might seem.

Of course, you should also schedule an immediate appointment with us if you experience,

  • A severe and persistent toothache
  • Dental pain that gets worse when biting down, chewing or putting pressure on the tooth
  • Sudden, lingering tooth sensitivity
  • Swollen, tender gums around the tooth
  • Darkening of the tooth
  • An abscess, a pimple-like bump that develops on the gums (a sign of infection)

Meda Dental has offices in Lisle and Naperville, IL, to make getting the immediate dental care you need even easier. Call us today at (630) 416-8080 or (630) 352-4141 if you need to schedule a routine cleaning or if you are experiencing any of the symptoms above.

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