What Is the Reason for Root Canals on Teeth?
A root canal is a dental procedure that involves removing damaged nerves and pulp (or inner tissue) from the inside of a tooth, cleaning the remaining space and then resealing the tooth. It is a fairly common dental procedure.
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Causes
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A tooth's nerve and pulp can be damaged and result in bacterial infection as the result of a severe cavity, a cracked tooth, an injury involving facial trauma or exposure of the nerve and pulp because of other dental procedures.
Symptoms
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Signs of inflammation or infection in your tooth include gum swelling or a pimple on the gums, a change in the color of a tooth and pain resulting from pressure, heat or cold on a tooth. Teeth can also be infected or inflamed without any presentation of symptoms; the best litmus test is regular dental checkups.
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Warning
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The severity of complications that can arise if a root canal is not performed on an infected or inflamed tooth constitutes a good reason to have the procedure. Ignoring the problem can lead to painful and problematic holes in the teeth, abscesses (collections of pus) at the end of the exposed root, bone loss, or swelling of the mouth that can then spread to the rest of the mouth --- or even to the head and neck.
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References
- Photo Credit Teeth and Mouth image by Sujit Mahapatra from Fotolia.com
