Root Canals Aren't Possible with Severe Infection If the deepest layers of the pulp become infected, it may be too late to save the tooth. In addition, if a large portion of the tooth is lost and a crown cannot be placed on what's left, root canal treatment is no longer a viable solution.
If you delay root canal treatment, the oral infection continues to get worse, and it can even lead to a very serious condition called septicemia — when the localized infection from your tooth spreads through your body. This can quickly become a dangerous health situation that you want to avoid at all costs.
The Consequences of Avoiding a Root Canal
If the infection is concerning and left untreated it can cause you to lose your tooth or part of your jaw or even lead to dental abscesses or a life-threatening stroke, sepsis, or heart attack. As the infection progresses so will the pain which will be excruciating.
It takes time for an infection to become evident – Some dental schools teach dentist to wait six months after root canal treatment before crowning a tooth. But a dentist doesn't always wait that long because each patient's case is different. Waiting to place the crown allows time for problems to surface.
The crown should be placed as soon as possible after the procedure. This is advisable because it will help protect your tooth and prevent any future problems. If you have any questions about root canal treatment, talk to your dentist.
An emergency root canal can be a lifesaver when you find yourself dealing with unbearable tooth pain. This is often the result of a severely damaged tooth with a compromised pulp chamber. It can also be from an infection that has made its way to the pulp and nerve.
Dental treatment alternatives to a root canal include direct pulp capping, pulpotomy, pulpectomy, endodontic retreatment, endodontic surgery, tooth extraction, dental implants, bridges, or dentures.
An untreated root canal can also lead to dental abscesses or a life-threatening heart attack, stroke, or sepsis. Not to mention the fact that if your infection progresses to this point, you will likely be in extreme pain.
You might still need a root canal even if you do not feel any pain because not all infection results in pain. The purpose of a root canal is to handle any infection that has developed in your tooth pulp, not just stop you from feeling pain. A root canal can save your infected tooth from having to be extracted.
In most cases, root canal therapy is a better way to treat an infected tooth than an extraction. However, there are exceptions, such as if the tooth has suffered extreme damage. Your dentist will carefully analyze your oral health before making a treatment recommendation.
When it comes to root canal vs. extraction, a root canal is the better option when possible. Root canal treatment is safer than extraction, and it allows the patient to keep their natural tooth. According to the East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine, there are 41,000 root canals performed every day.
In general, tooth extractions are cheaper than root canals, and they can be performed by general dentists as well as endodontists. Many people choose extraction instead of root canals simply because of the cost. However, getting a dental implant to replace your natural tooth can cost a lot of money.
A tooth can become so severely compromised that very little of the structure remains or the root is unable to provide support. And sometimes, an infection is so severe that root canal treatment and antibiotics don't do the trick.
A dead tooth can stay in the mouth for days, or even months. The problem, however, is that leaving the tooth in your mouth can leave you susceptible to infection, it can cause pain and discomfort, and it will also look very unsightly as well.
Many people avoid having root canals due to rumors that the procedure will be painful or out of fear of complications from the procedure. Root canal treatments may have been painful decades ago but with modern dental technology and anesthetics, the procedure is only about as painful as having a filling placed.
When you have tooth pain such as a tooth infection, antibiotics can go a long way in helping to address the infection, but unfortunately, antibiotics cannot completely heal an infected tooth. What's more, if you're dealing with an infected root canal, antibiotics really are not going to cut it.
Sometimes, a root canal might not be necessary and a patient will only require a filling. Fillings will be recommended if the tooth has a smaller cavity or minor tooth decay that hasn't reached the pulp of the tooth.
The short answer is no, a tooth that needs a root canal cannot heal itself naturally. The long answer is fairly straightforward. The infected tissue inside a tooth cannot heal by itself and will only get worse over time if left untreated. Even if you experience no pain, you should still seek treatment.
Even so, we may still be able to save a tooth through a minor surgical procedure called an apicoectomy. Rather than access the diseased area through the tooth crown as with a root canal treatment, an apicoectomy makes access to the infected tissue at the root end.
The most painful dental procedure is likely to be a root canal as it requires removing the nerve tissue from the tooth's pulp chamber. To mitigate the pain associated with this procedure, it is best to visit your dentist regularly and use preventive techniques such as brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day.
A Root Canal Counts As An Emergency Dental Treatment
In rare cases, a tooth infection could even cause sepsis, a blood infection that can be life-threatening. To prevent these complications, a root canal should be used to treat the infection as soon as possible.
Rinse your mouth with a warm salt solution to help kill bacteria. Soak a cotton ball with apple cider vinegar and press it gently on the symptomatic tooth. Alternate hot and cold compresses on the area of tenderness. Use over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil)
The root canal procedure is completed in two separate visits to ensure that the tooth is thoroughly cleaned out, sealed up, and protected from further damage.