Adults Have Many Options Today to Get Straighter Teeth

Are you in need of a root canal? If so, you may be wondering how long this dental procedure will last until it needs more work. Root canals can fail prematurely in the right circumstances, which is why you'll want to know these three tips to help them last a long time.

Early Treatment

One key to having a root canal last is if you get early treatment. A root canal can essentially be caused by a very big cavity, and the longer you neglect the problem, the greater the decay can grow. Decay can eventually get to a point where the stability of the tooth is compromised, or the infection in the tooth spreads to the jawbone. It makes a root canal much more difficult to have done, and can lead to premature failure.

Do not neglect any dental work that needs to be done. Have treatment done as soon as possible in order to preserve as much of the tooth as you can.

Age

Teeth in older people will be brittle and easily fractured. If a root canal is needed when you're older, be aware that the tooth will be much weaker than if you were younger. While this factor is out of your control, based on when you need the dental work, it can give you a heads up about how long the root canal will last.

Thankfully, a dental crown is used to give the tooth additional stability. It is an expensive part of the procedure, but it can prevent more damage from happening to the tooth.

Tooth Position

Some teeth are more likely to survive a root canal than others. Rear molars are more likely to have root canal failures for several reasons, one of which is that rear molars tend to have several roots, which will require more work on a tooth that is hard for the dentist to access. Molars are also teeth that use much more pressure when eating.

If you need a root canal in a front tooth, it is likely that the procedure will last a long time. These teeth do not have much pressure put on them when chewing, which reduces how much stress the tooth is under. Sometimes front teeth do not require crowns for these reasons.

For more information about the success of cavity extractions or root canal procedures, be sure to ask your dentist about what factors can affect it during your consultation.