Treating Tooth Infection with Root Canal Therapy

Posted April 16, 2018.

Have you noticed something amiss in your smile, such as a severe toothache, pain when biting down or the tooth has sensitivity when you encounter hot or cold temperatures? You may also notice discoloration in your teeth or swelling, tenderness, or a persistent a pimple on your gums. If you have tooth infection symptoms, you may need to receive root canal therapy to prevent further damage to your tooth.

What is root canal therapy?
When performing root canal therapy, our dentist removes the dental pulp to clean the inner tooth and remove the infection. Then, we clean and seal the tooth roots and place a dental crown to protect the remaining tooth structure. This procedure is performed to save the tooth.

Why would I need root canal therapy?
If dental trauma or tooth decay befalls a tooth or it has received multiple dental procedures, the inner pulp could develop an infection. The pulp is located in the tooth center to house the connective tissues and nerves. If it has been damaged, it could allow bacteria to form and result in an abscess, or a pocket around the tooth root. This needs to be treated before swelling becomes an issue. Tooth infection involving the root canal can cause drainage issues and bone loss, creating a tooth hole.

We invite you to contact Sachs Family Dental at 801-225-4701 today to determine if you would benefit from root canal therapy in Orem, Utah and need to see Dr. Steven Sachs.