Dental Infections
A tooth is not solid all the way through. The outer layer, enamel, is like the tooth’s armor and is the first defense against bacteria. The second layer, dentin, is the tooth’s insulation. These two layers protect the soft interior portion of the tooth where the nerve of the tooth is.
If a cavity penetrates through both the hard enamel and the softer dentin, it will reach the soft nerve area of the tooth. This results in an infection and is usually accompanied by pain and swelling.
At this point, placing a filling will not fix the problem, so Dr. Thrall can perform a root canal on your tooth. After numbing the tooth, the interior portion of the tooth is cleaned and then filled with a synthetic material. Due to significant advances in dental technology, a root canal is nothing like what it used to be. Although it has a painful reputation, it should be no different than receiving a filling.
Dr’s Advice: Tooth pain? Don’t delay!
Don’t wait to have tooth infections addressed! Delayed treatment can result in large abscesses or severe pain. Give us a call us today so that we can minimize your pain and maximize the chance of saving your tooth!
Call us at (580) 338-5541 to schedule your root canal appointment.