Among dental problems that can plague you, having an abscessed tooth remains among the worst. There are a variety of reasons that a person can have an abscessed tooth, and likewise, there are a number of solutions that you can use to rid yourself of the tooth. They both involve a visit to the dentist's office where you will either receive a root canal or have the tooth extracted. This brief article will address what an abscessed tooth is and whether you may need a root canal or an extraction.

What Exactly Are Abscessed Teeth?

If you are having difficulty with a toothache, especially one that is coupled with swelling or even a fever, you want to address it as soon as you can, as it could be an abscessed tooth.

An abscessed tooth is essentially an infection of the tooth that has spread to the tooth's root or the area surrounding the root. The tooth infection starts from inside of the tooth. Inside of the tooth is an area of nerve endings and blood vessels referred to as the pulp chamber.

When you have an abscessed tooth, what happens is that the pulp chamber loses its ability to fight off infection, rendering it to easily succumb to any bacteria or foreign agents present in the mouth. The infection will then spread to roots, creating an admixture of dead tissue, bacteria and pus. An abscessed tooth is a distinct phenomenon from abscessed gums; abscessed gums are an abscess that form in the area below the tooth, but does not originate from the tooth itself. Treatment differs depending on where the abscess forms.

Root Canal Option

Why is a root canal beneficial to those suffering from abscessed teeth? First and foremost, a root canal gets rid of the whole tooth's root. It's not a mere surface sweep where the uppermost region of the tooth is removed.

Root canals are generally performed on patients with deep infections that need to have the pulp removed right away. Although root canals are generally characterized as a painful procedure, most people report that a root canal is no more painful than having a filling removed. It is the process leading up to the root canal that should be characterized as painful.

After x-rays are taken to see how far the infection has spread, a doctor will then begin the process of giving you a root canal. The area must be dry and mainly saliva free, so cotton will line the mouth. A doctor will then drill an access hole into the offending tooth. From there, the doctor can begin removing the infected pulp from the chamber and root of the tooth. Water will be used to flush away any stray tooth debris.

A temporary filling will be placed in the hole. From here, you will be required to visit the dentist once more. During this session, the pulp chamber and innards of the tooth will be filled. It may be required that you return to the dentist for aesthetic purposes such as receiving a crown or filling for the tooth.

Extraction Option

An extraction is actually a relatively simple procedure. An extraction must occur when the tooth is decaying due to infection, there is no hope for saving it, and there is a chance the infection might spread. An extraction is simply the removal of the entire tooth: root and all. Anesthetic is delivered to the area around the tooth and the dentist will then remove the tooth with an extraction tool.

A dentist from a clinic like Schererville Family Dentistry, PC will have to examine your damaged tooth and determine whether or not it can be saved or must be extracted. Both options are great dentistry options for curing the infection and ensuring that you get back to full oral wellness.