Have you ever experienced, while enjoying your first cup of coffee and a slice of toast, excruciating and unexpected sensitivity or pain?

Or perhaps you’ve stood in front of your cabinet mirror and realized that your gums were darker or swollen?

You might overlook it then, but these are just a few signs that you may need a root canal. Of course, there are several other symptoms, including a chipped or cracked tooth and even pimples on the gums.

The infection in the middle of a tooth (the root canal) is caused by bacteria that live in the mouth and attack the tooth. This can be down to leaky fillings or damage to teeth as a result of trauma, such as a fall.

The good news is root canal therapy is a relatively regular and straightforward routine that Dr. Trevor Smith has performed many times. This procedure is performed on a tooth that is acutely painful or abscessed or one that is broken and needs a post placed to be able to fix it. Usually, patients are given anesthesia ahead of the procedure and, while they will likely experience some numbness, can resume their daily activities without much fuss. It is not painful, nor does it cause any other illnesses elsewhere in the body – despite the unfounded claims over the years.

During root canal therapy, the nerve is removed from the roots of the tooth. The tooth is then disinfected and filled with a thermoplastic material called Guttapercha. Afterwards, the tooth will need to be re-built and crowned.

Remember, it is better to treat and save your natural teeth than to opt for a bridge of an implant!

When you save your natural tooth with such a procedure, you can be assured that your other teeth are protected from excessive wear or strain, your normal biting force and sensation is restored in almost no time, and it keeps the natural appearance of your teeth. We can go on and on about the advantages of deciding on a root canal treatment.

Besides, the cost of an implant or bridge to replace the tooth is far more expensive. Extraction can also lead to other issues – such as difficulty in chewing or misalignment of one’s teeth.

Dr Trevor Smith can take care of your root canal treatment in no time. Patients in Pleasant Grove, Utah can get in touch here for an appointment.

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