Root canal treatment is the perfect solution for patients who have experienced irreparable damage to their tooth. However, not all patients are willing to undergo this procedure. Some of them may have a strong fear toward the dentist or some other reasons, which prevent them from having it done. In such situations, you may think that there is no other option left but to get your tooth pulled out. However, that’s not necessarily true.
There are several ways in which you can avoid having your final choice be to take an extraction as a consequence of untreated tooth decay instead of getting an endodontic treatment. This article will help you understand what a root canal cracked tooth means and how you can avoid getting it extracted rather than getting a root canal on it.
What is a Root Canal Cracked Tooth?
When your tooth experiences severe damage due to tooth decay or some other type of damage, like trauma, you will have to opt to get it treated. In most cases, the treatment option recommended is a root canal. A root canal is a dental procedure in which your dentist will remove the decayed or infected pulp (soft tissues inside a tooth that contain nerves and connective tissues) and replace it with an inert filler like gutta-percha, mineral oil, or rubber-like material like acrylic.
This will help to prevent infection from spreading inside your body via your nervous system. Root canal treatment is often required in teeth that are cracked due to trauma or teeth that have failed teeth extraction. If your tooth is cracked and needs a root canal treatment, the inside of it will be inflamed due to this crack. When the inside of your tooth is inflamed, it’s referred to as periapical periodontitis.
Why do you need to get a Root Canal for a Cracked Tooth?
As mentioned above, one of the signs of a root canal cracked tooth is that the inside of it becomes inflamed. In dentistry, this is referred to as periapical periodontitis. The reason why you will need to get a root canal treatment for a cracked tooth is that this infection can easily spread to your entire body by passing through the blood vessels of your gums, teeth, and jaws.
If you don’t treat it, you might not only lose your tooth, but you might also have to go through a lot of pain and other complications. Not only that, but you might also have to get your jawbone removed in order to reduce the pain. You will have to get a root canal treatment if the tooth is cracked and experiencing severe pain.
Other treatment options for Root Canal Cracked Teeth
If you have a root canal cracked tooth that’s causing you a lot of pain in your teeths, you can visit a dentist and they will likely recommend you to get a root canal treatment. However, there are some other treatment options that you can try before opting to get a root canal.
Root canal treatment is a very long and expensive procedure. It can take a lot of time, and you may also have to take time off work to visit the dentist. Not many patients are willing to go through with this option. Dental professionals have noticed that many patients are turning to another viable option for treating their cracked teeth.
Instead of getting a root canal, you can opt for a non-surgical extraction. This is where your dentist will simply remove the tooth from its root and place it in a soft tissue. This way, you will avoid having to go through a root canal treatment.
Extraction as an option for root canal cracked tooth
As mentioned above, many patients are now opting to get a non-surgical extraction instead of a root canal. However, not every root canal cracked tooth will be a good candidate for this option. A cracked tooth that is a good candidate for a non-surgical extraction will be one that is cracked in the middle of the tooth, not on the gum line.
The crack has to be shallow, and if the pulp inside it is still healthy. You will likely have to go through a root canal treatment if the crack is deep or if the pulp inside it is already damaged.
Conclusion
Root canal treatment is a great treatment option for your oral health if you have a tooth that has become irreparably damaged. If a tooth has become cracked, there are often two ways to go about it. You can opt to get a root canal treatment or you can get a non-surgical extraction. However, not all cracked teeth are a good candidate for a non-surgical extraction so you will have to consult with a dentist to find out if it’s a viable option for you.
