A dental emergency is any dental issue that requires urgent treatment, such as a knocked-out tooth, signs of infection, severe tooth pain, uncontrollable bleeding, or severe damage to the teeth. In this blog from Dogwood Family Dental, we’re exploring what a root canal entails, why it can be considered a dental emergency, and how to recognize the signs that you need one.
What Is a Root Canal?
A root canal is an endodontic treatment used to restore the health of a tooth with damaged or infected dental pulp. To stop an infection in the teeth, you need to remove the source of the infection, which in this case, would be the dental pulp.
A root canal procedure involves making an access hole (under anesthetic) into the tooth to reveal the pulp inside. The dental pulp is then scraped out, including the roots, to remove the infected material. We will then clean, disinfect, and reshape all of the canals inside of the tooth.
In the anterior teeth, there are typically two canals but the posterior teeth can have up to four. After cleaning the canals, we’ll fill the inside of your tooth with a material called gutta-percha and seal the access hole. A dental crown may or may not be recommended to protect the vulnerable tooth from damage.
How Do I Know If I Need a Root Canal?
The dental pulp is the soft inside layer of your teeth that is connected to blood vessels, connective tissue, and nerves. The nerves are responsible for sensation in your teeth, which is why when you have a damaged or infected dental pulp, you may experience severe pain. You may need a root canal if you have these symptoms:
- Severe toothache
- Swelling of the gums & face
- An abscess around the tooth
- Tooth discoloration
- Tooth sensitivity that lingers after eating hot or cold foods/drinks
However, just because you don’t have any of these symptoms doesn’t mean you don’t need a root canal. Sometimes people don’t present with symptoms of a tooth infection or they leave it untreated for so long that the tooth dies and so too do the nerves that tell you that something is wrong. This is why it’s important to get regular checkups.
Determining If It’s a Dental Emergency
Many patients wonder if a root canal falls under the umbrella of dental emergencies and the answer is yes. If you need a root canal, that’s because you have a tooth infection.
This is a serious condition that is time-sensitive, can cause severe pain, and if left untreated, can spread through the bloodstream, causing sepsis. In this scenario, it could be fatal. This is why it’s so important not to delay necessary dental treatment.
Emergency Root Canal Treatment for Tooth Infection
At Dogwood Family Dental, we offer same-day, after-hours, and weekend emergency appointments. If you’re experiencing symptoms of a tooth infection or you notice an exposed root, you may need a root canal and shouldn’t hesitate to call us.
The good news is that this procedure has a 95% success rate and can save your tooth from extraction. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Taylor Enochs Engler.
