A root canal helps to heal a significantly damaged tooth and is a recommended treatment in cases where microbes damage the inner part of the tooth, the dental pulp. Root canal treatment helps restore a dying or decaying tooth. It also helps alleviate severe pain, which is a result of damaged nerve tissues inside the tooth. Understanding root canals is very important before you start looking for other alternatives. In most cases, it can have miraculous outcomes, reviving teeth in people who have previously lost all hope.
The procedure initiates with thorough evaluation of the teeth with the help of X-rays and radiographs. After proper diagnosis, the Endodontist removes the soft part of the tooth called the enamel by drilling it in order to reach the dental pulp. The practitioner then removes the infected pulp, further cleans the canals, and finally caps the pulp with a crown.
The Endodontist performs this treatment after numbing your gums and tooth by anesthesia. So, you will feel little or no pain. However, people are still apprehensive of the idea of a dentist breaking into their tooth. Due to this hesitance and fright, people often seek alternative methods when symptoms that indicate a root canal appear. Let’s learn about some of the alternative methods you can use to avoid a root canal.
Extraction
When the tooth is so extensively damaged that the breakage has reached the pulp and there is absolutely no chance of growth, you can vouch for a tooth extraction or pulpectomy. Keeping a dead tooth in your mouth can be troublesome and lead to other problems.
Bridge Dentures
Besides a root canal, the second best option is extraction and in replacement of the gap you can put an artificial denture. Dentures are removable and can replace more than one tooth. Your dentist can guide you, depending on your oral health whether you need a dental bridge or dental implants.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are a similar solution to bridge. However, they are more expensive and long-lasting. Your dentist will recommend whether you should get dental implants. It will depend on the severity of the inflammation in your pulp. A dental implant is strong and well connected to the jaw, however it is not a real tooth, so you will need to take good care of it.
Ozone Gas
This is another alternative, which is good in buying time but is not a permanent endodontic solution. This method involves the dentist to slowly release ozone gas near the root cavity. This gas penetrates the passages of the canals and kills the bacterial growth, enabling dentists to save more of the tooth. Even though the ozone gas affects the bacterial growth in the dentin tubules, there is still a possibility that the microbes can return. In this case, root canal becomes inevitable.
Calcium Hydroxide
Another irrigation method that kills contaminants embedded deep inside the tooth canals. Irrigating with calcium hydroxide prevents bacterial growth in the tooth canals. The doctor has to use an alkaline chemical that dissolves the dead tissue and prevents microbial growth. However, it is a toxic substance. Therefore, the usage of it requires careful placements with the help of files or needles.
Follow an Anti Inflammatory Diet
As the famous saying goes, ‘you are what you eat,’ this is evidently true for most part. If you are just beginning to feel symptoms that can lead to a root canal and the pain is not so severe, your best bet for avoiding a root canal lies within the food you eat. Eliminating all the foods that make your health vulnerable is the best option. Such foods include all the foods that contain processed sugar, artificial flavorings and are low in nutritional value. Eat foods that offer high amounts of protein and incorporate the addition of fruits, berries and vegetables in your diet for added micronutrients.
Keep Stress Levels Low
Anything that naturally impacts your ability to fight against inflammation will likely cause inflammatory symptoms to get worse. This includes your stress levels. Modern science has now proven how stress can have an adverse impact on a person’s immunity. Considering this, keeping your stress in check can rid you from some of the symptoms that can lead to a root canal. Make sure that you are getting enough sleep and prioritize activities that improve your mental health. These little things may prolong the rate of infection but again, does not promise a solution.
To Conclude
Alternatives to root canal exist that can promise a permanent solution, like a dental transplant or dental bridge. However, these solutions are applicable depending on your specific condition and are not always possible. While other alternatives are useful, endodontic solutions hold superiority over the rest. Getting a root canal from an experienced endodontist should mitigate your concerns regarding pain or tooth decay.
Visit Bryant Park Endodontics in New York, NY for expert consultation and treatments with the most modern techniques & equipment.