What If You Have Exposed Tooth Roots
Our teeth are made up of different layers: the pulp, dentin, cementum, and enamel. Sometimes, the roots can become exposed and cause a lot of pain. If it is not tended to in a timely manner, additional damage may occur, including tooth loss.
Symptoms of Exposed Tooth Root
There are a few symptoms that can help you identify an exposed root. If you notice that a tooth appears longer, you experience new sensitivity, or have swelling in your gum tissue, you may have an exposed root. The main cause of exposed roots is gum disease. When plaque is not removed regularly with proper oral hygiene, it will calcify into tartar and can only be removed by your dental hygienist.
Some symptoms of an exposed root are the same for other dental problems so it is important to see your dentist as soon as possible so they can perform some diagnostic tests to determine the cause of your symptoms.
Treating an Exposed Tooth Root
While an exposed root can be painful and detrimental to the health of the tooth, there are a few options to treat the exposed area and get everything healthy again.
Periodontal Treatment
As gum disease is the leading cause of exposed roots, your dentist may advise specialized treatment and gum therapy by a periodontist. A scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) is a very effective treatment option to get gum tissue cleared of infection and can really help the tissue come back healthier than ever.
Gum Graft
You may be a candidate for a gum graft to cover the area with harvested tissue either from elsewhere in the patient's mouth or from a donor source. The graft is placed over the affected area and helps to encourage new tissue growth in the area.
Root Canal Therapy
When a deep cleaning will not be sufficient, root canal therapy may be recommended. This is done by an endodontist and is a treatment to remove infected pulp from within the canals of the tooth roots. This typically provides immediate pain relief for the patient and is a great option for a tooth that might otherwise be hopeless.
Extraction
Taking a tooth out is usually a last resort treatment option. Dental providers want you to keep as many of your natural teeth as possible but sometimes, it is best for the health of the patient to extract a tooth that is irreparably damaged. In the event of extraction, your dentist will provide replacement options to make sure you have a healthy and complete smile!
An exposed tooth root can be a very painful problem but even if you do not have symptoms or sensitivity and notice a little recession in your gums, you need to see your dentist for an evaluation. This first step will help ensure that everything is healthy or will catch gum disease while it is in the early stages and still reversible. Recession will only get worse without attention so to keep everything healthy and avoid costly treatments down the road, see your dentist regularly and bring any changes to their attention as soon as possible.