Root canals are a procedure designed to save you from losing a tooth. Our teeth are made up of several parts, one of which is the pulp. The pulp in a tooth is where the nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissues of the tooth are housed. When the pulp becomes infected, a root canal is done in order to save that tooth from further issues and to stop it from falling out.

When your tooth’s pulp is inflamed or infected, you will feel symptoms that prompt you to take action.

Toothache

Toothaches are pretty common, but when a toothache is bad enough, it may be a sign of an infected pulp. If you experience sharp tooth pain that turns into a severe headache, it may be your tooth that’s the cause.

Abscess
If there are bumps near the top part of your tooth, or if you can see pus present in your mouth, then there is likely an abscess and a root canal is needed to help clear that out.

Sensitivity
If one of your teeth is extremely sensitive to either hot or cold foods or beverages, that is a strong indicator that the tooth may need to be removed.

Discoloration
Any darker discoloration of a tooth can be a sign of an infected pulp. If this is the case, this is a severe sign of tooth issues and a root canal in definitely needed.

If you have recurring tooth pain that isn’t going away, please call the office immediately for a consultation. It’s always better to be seen early and try to save the tooth, than waiting too long and having to have the tooth removed.

A root canal usually requires two appointments. The first appointment is to see if a root canal is necessary and if so, start the process to remove the infected tooth. The second appointment is to put a dental crown on the impacted tooth as most of the tooth with being lost during the process and must be capped to restore its appearance.

Call our office at 815-436-2406 to learn more about the root canal process. We are always happy to assist with any questions or concerns you may have.