If you have an infected tooth and your dentist has recommended root canal therapy to treat it, you may be wondering if there are alternatives to this procedure. Root canal treatment involves removing the infected pulp and nerves of the diseased tooth and refilling the space that is left after the tissue is removed. Finally, a permanent restoration is placed to protect the remaining portion of the tooth.
While root canal therapy is the most common and preferred method of treating an infected tooth, there are some alternatives you may want to consider in cooperation with your dental professional:
- Your dentist can clean the decay out of the infected pulp and then fill the space with a sedative or medicated filling to help with the nerve pain. This temporary filling would stay in place for about a month, at which time a permanent filling would be placed.
- Before proceeding with root canal treatment, your dentist may opt to treat the infected root with an antibiotic. Because it may take a period of time to clear up the infection, painkillers would be prescribed to alleviate the nerve pain. This alternative may not be feasible if the infection is too severe.
- The final alternative to root canal therapy is extraction of the infected tooth. While this option completely eliminates any possibility of future problems with the diseased tooth, extraction also necessitates the placement of some variety of support for the neighboring teeth such as a bridge or implant.
If you are currently suffering from a severe toothache due to an infected, decayed or diseased tooth, do not hesitate to seek an examination and consultation with your dentist to determine if root canal therapy or other alternative is the most appropriate treatment plan for your situation.
