Your dentist could suggest a root canal if you have a seriously infected tooth (abscess) or a tooth that is rotting and severely damaged. Instead of extracting your tooth, a root canal can preserve and heal it.
What Does Root Canal Therapy Involve?
The soft tissue that makes up your tooth’s pulp is home to blood vessels, nerves, and other nutrients. It might get contaminated if you have:
- A deep hole
- Frequent dental operations that cause this tissue to become disturbed
- A tooth that is shattered or cracked
- damage to the tooth, even if there isn’t a chip or fracture that may be seen.
The tissues around your tooth’s root may get infected if treatment is not received. An abscess may develop inside the tooth or in the bone around the tooth’s root end, and you may frequently experience pain and swelling as a result. Because germs can harm the bone that holds your tooth to your jaw, an infection can also increase your chance of losing your tooth entirely.
Is It Possible to Complete This Treatment During My Typical Checkup?
You could be sent to a dentist who focuses on the pulp and tissues around the teeth, or your dentist will need to make an appointment for a follow-up. We call this professional an endodontist.
What Can I Anticipate?
It typically takes one or two office visits to finish a root canal procedure. Because your dentist will administer local anesthetic to make the treatment painless, there is little to no discomfort. You shouldn’t have the same level of discomfort when the treatment is over.
Prior to starting treatment, your dentist will:
- To obtain a clear image of your tooth and the surrounding bone, have an X-ray.
- To ensure your comfort throughout the procedure, numb the region around and encompassing your tooth.
- To keep your tooth dry, clean, and shielded from the germs, fungi, and viruses that are often found in the mouth, place a thin layer of latex rubber over it.
As part of the procedure, your dentist will:
- Make a hole in the upper portion of your teeth.
- The root canal is the process of extracting the tooth’s nerve from inside the tooth and the root.
- Clean each root canal and the interior of the tooth. Your dentist could use a medication that kills germs to treat the tooth.
- To prevent infection in the future, fill the root canals with a substance that resembles rubber.
- To preserve the tooth until a final restoration, such as a crown or permanent filling, can be positioned as soon as possible, apply a temporary filling.
Following root canal therapy:
For a few days, your tooth and the surrounding tissue may feel sensitive. You can discuss ways to alleviate any discomfort you may be experiencing with your dentist.
If the infection spreads, your dentist could recommend antibiotics. Use it as prescribed, and if you have any side effects, consult your dentist.
Following the root canal procedure, you will require a follow-up appointment. In order to shield your tooth from more harm, your dentist will remove the temporary filling at this appointment and replace it with a crown or a normal filling. To assist ensure that the filling materials stay in position, a metal or plastic post may also be inserted into the root canal. If you require a crown, this aids in its support.
What is the expected duration of a root canal filling?
Your repaired tooth can last a lifetime if you take good care of it. To ensure that your teeth are strong and healthy after such treatments, make it a point to brush twice a day for two minutes using fluoride toothpaste, clean in between your teeth once a day, and visit your dentist on a regular basis.