If you have a cavity that is filled but again erupts and causes nerve damage, you may need to talk to your Westerville Dentist about a root canal. Root canals are an aggressive treatment option and need to be performed by your dentist or by an Endodontist as they specialize in aggressive treatment options like this.
What happens with a root canal? You will have the inside of the tooth completely removed. Using special tools the Endodontist will drill into the pulp and remove all of the pulp from the tooth. Then they will clean all of the roots of the tooth and will then fill them with medicated filling and add a post to the tooth in order to help it stay firmly implanted in your gums. Once the root canal is complete you will need to have this tooth crowned within a few months to a year as it can still be susceptible to bacteria and tooth decay. The tooth will need to be drilled down and a dental crown will be placed on the tooth to protect the root canal. If a root canal fails the next line of treatment is to consider an extraction of the tooth and to use an implant to replace the tooth.
Root canal treatments are fairly expensive as they range anywhere from $440 to $1,300 or more. Then you need to add on the cost of the crown which is another $800 to $1,000. Although the costs are higher, root canal treatments can save what could be lost of your tooth and will allow you to keep your smile intact. Root canals can be performed in a short amount of time and depending upon the severity of the infection the Endodontist may want to see you for 2 treatments in order to ensure they have properly removed all of the infected tissue. Visit your Dentist in Westerville to learn more about root canal treatments and if they can perform it in their office.