After going through any dental treatment that affects your tooth’s structure, such as root canals or fillings, it’s completely normal to think that it will somehow prevent you from getting other future treatments like braces, given that they usually both pull and attach firmly to your teeth.
Thankfully this issue is not something to worry about. Your dentist has a few tricks up their sleeves that allow them to work around any previous dental work.
Can I Have a Root Canal When I Am Wearing Braces?
Yes, you can. Depending on your specific situation and its severity, the time you have to wait for recovery may vary but, you can indeed get braces after root canal treatment. Root canals only treat one tooth and thus allowing orthodontists to attach the braces to other nearby teeth if they think that it’s better not to put any strain on the treated tooth yet.
Your orthodontist may also opt for applying different types of braces, like removable braces or lingual braces. Ultimately, they will make the decision based on your specific situation. They can even decide to apply regular permanent braces and apply a bracket to the tooth with the root canal. They will configure the braces in such a way that it doesn’t damage the recently treated tooth.
Most of the time, dental work such as a root canal won’t affect your ability to get orthodontic treatment done. You can rest assured knowing that your upcoming treatment won’t have any negative impact on your teeth.
What Happens During a Root Canal?
First, your dentist applies anesthesia to the area. Then, they will drill a hole in the damaged tooth and extracts all the infected or inflamed tissue, pulp, and ligaments inside. They will then use a rubber-like filling in the inner part of the tooth to fill the roots themselves; after that, your dentist uses another type of filling to fill the hole on the top side of the tooth to avoid any other infection.
This last type of filling can be either permanent or temporary. If the filling is only a temporary fix, your dentist will ask you to come for another appointment about a week later. The temporary filling is useful in maintaining an access point to the inner part of the tooth in case it doesn’t heal smoothly. During this time, your dentist will have your permanent restoration made. Most of the time, a dental crown will cover the top of your operated tooth.
What Causes Tooth Decay?
According to Healthline magazine, plaque buildup is the main reason for tooth decay. Plaque is a substance made from bacteria, saliva, acid, and food particles. It usually forms when bacteria mix with sugars and turns into acid. Because of this, consuming sugary foods creates more plaque and eventually leads to tooth decay.
Lack of proper oral health leads to the accumulation of bacteria in our teeth that will then react with our enamel and will eventually deteriorate it until there is none of it left. Without enamel, your teeth can become infected quite easily, causing pain, bleeding, tooth loss, gum infection, etc.
It’s completely normal for someone to develop a cavity or have some bacteria accumulation in their mouth. The problem comes when it’s not treated due to a lack of regular appointments with your dentist. Leaving the problem without treatment or not identifying it at all is what eventually leads to tooth decay or other more serious problems.
Tips to Keep Healthy Teeth
Keeping your teeth healthy is much easier than you may think. The two factors that matter the most are consistency in your cleaning routine and brushing and flossing properly.
- Brush at least twice a day. Although it would be ideal for everyone to brush after every meal, we understand that that’s an almost impossible task. Brushing two times a day removes most bacteria and food particles that are left in your mouth throughout the day.
- Limit your sugary food intake. As stated previously, sugar contributes to developing the acid that breaks down your tooth enamel. Avoiding drinks and foods that contain high levels of sugar reduces your teeth’ exposure to the acid and thus keeps them healthier.
- Consider using fluoride toothpaste or mouthwash. Fluoride is an ingredient that kills bacteria in your mouth and coats your teeth with a protective layer. As it’s very effective in preventing tooth decay, there is a variety of both kinds of toothpaste and mouthwashes that have the ingredient.
- Remember to floss. Flossing properly removes more than just food debris between our teeth. Flossing removes the plaque that’s hiding in the small crevices where your toothbrush can’t get to and stimulates your gums. It’s important to floss at least once a day to help keep your teeth healthy.
For more information regarding braces, you can contact us at Estes Orthodontics here. If you’re looking forward to getting braces after a treatment such as root canals, you can make an appointment with us here.
