If your tooth is damaged 一 either by traumatic injury or severe decay 一 you have many options when it comes to saving your teeth. Understanding all of your treatment options can have a tremendous impact on your oral health both in the short and long term.
As an endodontist, Robert Scott Nance, DDS, is an expert when it comes to saving your natural teeth through advanced dental procedures, including root canals, apexogenesis and apexification, and stabilization.
Below, Dr. Nance shares some top tips for saving your teeth.
Endodontics is a field of dentistry designed to treat diseases and injuries that affect the soft tissue inside your tooth. This soft tissue (pulp) contains blood vessels and nerves, and it’s what keeps your tooth alive.
Because your teeth cannot thrive without the pulp, endodontists have earned the nickname “tooth savers.”
Endodontic treatment works best when you receive it as soon as possible. For instance, you have the best chance of saving a knocked-out (avulsed) tooth if you receive care within 30 minutes of your accident. This gives your tooth roots the best chance of reattachment.
In the case of an avulsed tooth, here are a few tips to increase the chance of saving your tooth:
Even if your tooth isn’t knocked out, you should seek prompt endodontic care for abscesses or toothaches. Treating underlying infections helps prevent the infection from spreading to other parts of your body.
If given the choice between a root canal and an extraction, consider the benefits of saving your tooth with a root canal.
Root canals have gained a false reputation as painful, but they remove the pain of an infected or damaged tooth. Plus, modern anesthetic and sedation can make you feel comfortable. Many people report that a root canal feels similar to getting a filling.
There are many benefits to saving your natural tooth. Keeping your natural tooth allows you to maintain:
In addition, saving your tooth eliminates the need for an implant or bridge to replace your extracted tooth.
It’s tempting to think that extractions are easier, but that’s not necessarily the case. While we can extract a tooth in one appointment, replacing the tooth with an implant or bridge can require several additional appointments.
And missing teeth can increase your risk of jawbone atrophy and shifting teeth. Extractions are sometimes necessary, but don’t view them as an easier option.
When your tooth hurts, your No. 1 priority is finding relief. Dr. Nance is on a mission to eliminate your toothache while preserving your tooth when possible. At his practice, we offer a wide range of dental services from incision and drainage to expert fillings and root canals to splinting and stabilization procedures.
For toothaches and dental injuries, trust our tooth-saving experts in Statesville and Hickory, North Carolina. To schedule your consultation, call us today.
