What is Root Canal Therapy ?

Root canal therapy is often referred to as root canal treatment or root canals. It involves removing the nerve and dental pulp of a tooth, removing decayed material, and filling and sealing the cavity left behind. This prevents progressive decay and saves you from tooth loss.

Dental root canals are necessary when the nerve and pulp of a tooth have become infected, irritated, or inflamed. This is most often caused by decay, cracked or broken teeth, trauma, or as a result of having multiple dental procedures on a single tooth, such as fillings and crowns.

Removing the nerve and pulp can keep a tooth healthy indefinitely. The nerve is responsible for sensing pain and changes in temperature. Once an adult tooth has broken through the gum and is fully formed, the nerve and the pulp around it are no longer needed for proper function.

Do You Need Dental Root Canals ?

You may need dental root canals, if you are suffering from pain and sensitivity. Without treatment, a compromised root canal can cause bone density loss, an infection that spreads around your face or body, and swelling that starts in the gum and spreads to the face, neck, and head.

Take note of any symptoms you experience. Getting treatment for compromised dental root canals can save the tooth and prevent the need for a replacement implant, dental bridges, or dentures.

The most common symptoms experienced include:

• Deep decay in the gums or changes in color, around and below an affected tooth.
• Gums that are often painful and swollen.
• Pimples or blisters on your gums.
• Severe, sudden, and sharp pain when you bite or chew.
• Sensitivity in your teeth that remains for five minutes or longer after you’ve eaten food or consumed hot or cold drinks.

If you have chipped or cracked teeth and experience these symptoms, then it’s likely that you need treatment for dental root canals.

What is the Process of Having Root Canal Treatment ?

Dental root canals are performed in-office at ANTASYA Dental Clinic. The process begins with x-ray scanning to determine the extent of infection and damage.

• A local anesthetic is used to numb the area around the affected tooth and gum to ensure that you will be comfortable during the procedure.
• The pulp is removed through a small opening at the top of the tooth. The interior of the tooth will be cleaned.
• A topical antibiotic may be used to prevent infection at the site.
• The tooth is filled and sealed.
• A temporary filling is placed for the healing period. Follow up a few days after dental root canals will confirm that the infection is gone. The filling will be replaced with a permanent one.
• Sometimes crowns can be added after a root canal if the top of the tooth is extensively damaged

Are Dental Root Canals Painful?

There’s a misconception that dental root canals are painful. The reality is that the procedure itself is quite comfortable, and the days following the procedure can be managed with medication like ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Any lingering pain and discomfort in the days following treatment will be minor compared to the pain from an infected tooth.

Dental root canals are restorative. The procedure will eliminate the infection from your tooth while addressing any damage at the top (chips, cracks, cavities, etc.) The result is permanent providing that you don’t suffer further damage to the tooth or develop an infection in any of the other teeth in your mouth.

This form of therapy is more intensive than a standard filling, but it can save your tooth for a lifetime providing that good oral health is maintained.