
Endodontics is a specialty within dentistry focused on the health of the soft tissues inside your teeth. The experts at Litchfield Dental Care in Litchfield Park, Arizona, provide root canal therapy to resolve endodontic issues and preserve otherwise healthy adult teeth. If you experience tooth pain or sensitivity, call Litchfield Dental Care to find out more about endodontics or book an appointment online right away.
request an appointmentWhat is endodontics?
Endodontics refers to the health of the inner contents of your teeth. Inside each tooth is a soft fleshy interior called the pulp, which includes blood vessels and nerves. Your teeth rely on pulp when you’re a child, but healthy adult teeth can survive without it.
Your pulp can become infected or inflamed from trauma or tooth breakage. When this happens, the standard treatment is called root canal therapy.
At Litchfield Dental Care, the team examines your mouth for signs of inner pulp damage every time you visit for an exam. They also encourage you to schedule an appointment right away for any symptoms, especially severe tooth pain. The team uses X-ray imaging to see the inner portions of your teeth and determine whether or not you need root canal therapy.
When do I need endodontics?
Tooth pain, especially when it’s severe, means something isn’t right. You should contact Litchfield Dental Care immediately if you experience tooth pain, as you might need root canal therapy to save the affected tooth.
There are additional symptoms that indicate trouble with the pulp, too. You should schedule an appointment if you notice:
- Pimples on your gums
- Gum inflammation
- Tooth sensitivity to extreme temperatures
- Darkened gums
- Deep chips or cracks in your teeth
Without treatment, an infection inside a tooth can lead to an abscess in your jaw. Abscesses can happen with or without symptoms, but they can make endodontic treatment much more complex. They present an important reason why you shouldn’t ignore oral health symptoms.
How does root canal therapy work?
Root canal therapy allows you to keep an adult tooth that has an infection or inflammation on the inside by simply removing the pulp. Removing the pulp is no longer a painful process thanks to modern anesthetic options.
After numbing the area around the affected tooth, your dentist creates an opening in the tooth to access the pulp. They remove the pulp before sanitizing the tooth’s interior. They shape and smooth the interior before filling it with sealer. A crown or filling finishes the process so your tooth is strong and sturdy again.
Schedule an evaluation over the phone or online at Litchfield Dental Care to learn more about endodontics today.