When Is A Root Canal Required?
Sometimes a tooth is significantly decayed or the tooth is fractured deeply. In these cases, bacteria is able to penetrate the pulp of the tooth, which is where the nerves and blood vessels are contained. In these cases, a root canal is required.
What is a Root Canal?
The Root Canal is a very common dental procedure that is actually performed upwards of 15 million times a year. This simple, but effective, treatment can save your current teeth and possibly curtail the need of dental implants or bridges in the future.
IN the center of your tooth is a collection of blood vessels, called the pulp, that helps to build the surrounding tooth. Trauma to the tooth, cracks, chips and decay or repeated dental procedures can cause infection to the pulp. Typically infection can be presented by sensitivity to temperature and pain within the tooth and gums. You will usually notice this and call a dentist for help alleviating that pain.
How is a Root Canal Performed?
When you contact our dental office to alleviate that pain, a root cabal is typically the answer. When this happens, the injured and infected pulp is removed. The root and its canal is then thoroughly cleaned and resealed. Although very common, this procedure can cause some pain and typically requires a local anesthesia. We do have other sedation methods on tap for those requiring a little more comfort and care. This is a moderate treatment and will allow you to drive home on your own after treatment. In fact, most of our patients return to work or whatever their normal daily activity is.
Follow Up
When your root canal has been completed, a temporary crown was put on to keep the root sealed. A permanent crown will need to be ordered from a lab that is custom fit to the shape and contour of your teeth. After a few weeks you will need to come back in to have that crown applied.
Why Regular Dental Visits Matter
Root canals can easily be avoided through good oral hygiene and consistent dental exams. Although there are some extenuating circumstances (like deep restorations or trauma causing nerve damage), most of the time it’s caused by an untreated cavity.
Don’t put it off. Schedule your next dental visit today and prevent any serious problems.
