Don't Let a Missing Tooth Hold You Back in Life

Understanding What Can Happen When A Root Canal Is Avoided

by Wyatt Morgan

Some people have strong emotions when a dentist tells them they need a major dental treatment like a root canal. Root canals are feared and individuals will often put them off for as long as possible. If you need a root canal due to an infection in your tooth, then you should know that it is a mistake to wait to have the root canal completed. Very serious complications can arise. Keep reading to learn about a few possible outcomes if the tooth is not treated.

Jaw Bone Necrosis

Every one of your teeth has direct access to the jaw bone. This access allows capillaries to travel through the tips of the teeth so the dental pulp can receive the nutrition it needs. The tooth roots have small openings called root canals that reach up into the pulp chamber. This helps to keep your tooth alive. When an infection develops in your tooth, it will usually start in the pulp chamber. Bacteria multiply and pus starts to build up inside the tooth. The pus and the bacteria will often travel down through the root canals where they can reach the bone. The bone can then start to develop an infection in the bone tissues.

When a bone infection develops, the tissues will often die. This is called bone necrosis. While the soft tissues in the body can repair themselves easily, this is not the case for the bones. Dead bone will need to be removed and sometimes grafts will be needed to replace the tissue. The bone infection, as well as the surgical procedures needed to resolve the issue, are often quite painful. This pain far exceeds that of a dental infection or a root canal. It is best to avoid the problem with timely root canal treatment.

Severe Gum Infections

If an infection is able to continue inside a tooth for a long period of time, then it is likely that the infection will spread out across the soft tissues. You may see an abscess forming near the tooth, as well as the development of more and more red, painful, and inflamed gum tissues the longer the infection continues on. The soft tissue infection can and will be treated with antibiotics. However, since the tooth itself is not treated, tissues are likely to become infected again and again until the pulp is removed from your tooth.

This means that infections can worsen and require the use of stronger and stronger antibiotics to treat the infection. This can be avoided completely with a root canal as soon as the initial issue is noted. 

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