Root Canal Therapy and Fractured Teeth
If you have had an injury that cracked your tooth, it may be time to see a root canal professional. A fractured tooth can cause symptoms such as sudden pain to erratic pain. Temperature extremes can make the pain worse. The pain can come and go, so a root canal professional may have trouble finding the cause.
What causes pain with fractured teeth?
Knowing more about the tooth can help patients understand where the cause of the pain comes from. The tooth has a layer of enamel on the surface with a softer layer of dentin underneath. The pulp is under both of these layers. This is where the blood vessels and nerves are.
If the two outer portions of the tooth are fractured, the pieces can move. This can irritate the pulp of the tooth. The irritation will cause the pulp to be damaged. If the pulp is only slightly damaged, it can heal itself. However, as the irritation continues, the pulp will no longer be able to self-heal.
At first, only chewing will cause pain. However, as the damage progresses, the tooth can become sensitive to cold and hot. Over time, the tooth will hurt for seemingly no reason. The pulp can become infected and the bacteria can spread to the nearby tissues.
A root canal professional can locate the cracked tooth and design a treatment plan based on this. Because the problem will grow worse with time, treating the tooth quickly is vital. The outcome will be better if the root canal professional can treat it immediately.
Treating fractured teeth
A fractured tooth often has a crack that extends toward the root. Diagnosing this early is important. If the crack extends into the root, even a root canal professional cannot treat it. The crack may extend toward the tooth’s pulp. If this has happened, the endodontist can perform a root canal to remove the infected pulp. Then the patient will receive a crown.
Another type of fracture is a split. This is what a cracked tooth can become without treatment. The segments of a split tooth are often separated. An endodontist cannot save an entire split tooth. But saving even part of the tooth is better than an entire extraction.
A root canal professional may remove the separated part of the tooth. To save the remaining sections, the endodontist can remove the pulp with root canal therapy. Then the patient will receive a dental crown to restore the look of the tooth. The dental crown will also serve to protect the tooth from further cracking.
Visit a root canal professional today
The good news is that after you get root canal therapy, your tooth will most likely function normally. You can have many more years of pain-free chewing. If your tooth can be saved, a root canal professional can do it. Remember that acting quickly is the key to treatment and saving your tooth. There are restorative options available, such as crowns.
Request an appointment here: https://santarosaendodontics.com or call Santa Rosa Endodontics at (707) 706-2143 for an appointment in our Santa Rosa office.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Root Canal Professional in Santa Rosa, CA.
Recent Posts
Breaking a tooth can be a frightening time for anyone, and not knowing whether to seek emergency dental care for the broken tooth or wait for the regular office to open can add to the stress. The good news is that broken teeth are often resilient and can usually be restored to their normal function,…
Sedation dentistry helps patients stay calm, allowing periodontists to efficiently perform their work while ensuring their patient's comfort and safety. Many people suffer from severe dental anxiety. This fear can stop them from receiving the treatment they need and make their oral health suffer long-term, requiring more extensive treatment. Fortunately, there have been advancements in…
Regardless of the severity, a cracked tooth requires immediate professional treatment. While minor cracks may only need treatment options like dental bonding, tooth extraction is necessary for severely damaged teeth. However, an endodontist can consider various options that other professionals may not offer. An endodontist usually treats cracked teeth that are too damaged for minor…
When you have an infected or severely damaged tooth, a tooth extraction may seem the only option. However, endodontic therapy offers an alternative. It allows you to save your natural tooth and preserve your smile, avoiding the need for future tooth replacement. This procedure, commonly known as a root canal, is designed to remove infection,…