Root Canal Therapy in Albany, NY

If the nerves of one of your teeth have been affected by infection or decay, your dentist has likely recommended root canal therapy. Root canal therapy is used to save your natural tooth by removing the pulp (the living tissue within your tooth) along with the nerve itself and any bacteria or decay present within the tooth. Your tooth will then be filled with a special, medicated dental material. This process will restore the full function of your tooth.

If a tooth needs to be saved, having a root canal treatment completed will likely be your first choice. Without this therapy, the tooth will need to be removed completely, leaving a gap inside your mouth. Some patients are under the impression that removing the tooth is the best solution, but what they don’t realize is that this could lead to more problems.

When you lose a tooth, the teeth around it will begin shifting and tilting into the new space, which can lead to bite alignment issues and make it more difficult to keep your teeth clean (thus increasing your risk for gum disease and further tooth decay). When you lose one or more teeth, the bone in your jaw will also begin decaying. Therefore, having a tooth pulled or extracted will likely just lead to more severe and expensive problems down the road.

Generally, if your tooth is sensitive to hot or cold, if you have severe toothaches, if you have swelling or tenderness, or if you have an abscess on the gumline, these are all signs that you may need a root canal. When the decay of a tooth has reached the pulp, you are likely going to need a root canal to save the natural tooth. However, a cavity does not have to be the cause. Injuries and trauma can also give cause for a root canal.

If you think you may need root canal therapy in Albany, schedule an appointment with our office today.