The root canal is a dental procedure that is employed when a person’s teeth are affected by decay to the extent that simple preventive measure won’t be of help. Tooth decay is caused by bacterial action on the teeth and it often spreads to the gums. Once it’s there, it’s not easy to treat it via brushing or any other preventive or safety measures. What you will need is a root canal.
Endodontics is the dental specialty that deals with the nerves of the teeth. Root canals are probably the most notorious procedure in dentistry and the most common procedure relating to endodontics. When a tooth becomes infected it is usually related to the nerves in the root of the tooth. The infected nerves need to be removed. If left untreated an infection can turn into an abscess, which is a much more serious problem that includes bone loss in the jaw.
The area around the tooth is numbed with a local anesthetic to start the procedure. The dentist will then drill down into the tooth to create an opening into the canal. They will then be able to remove infected tissue and clean the canal. After the infection has been removed, the space if filled with a sealant called gutta percha. It is highly recommended that a tooth that has undergone a root canal is fitted with a crown. This will improve the appearance of the tooth, and will also make it much more likely that the root canal is successful.
What is a Root Canal?
A root canal involves removing the entire site of decay. If the decayed area is allowed to stay longer inside your mouth, it is bound to spread and affect even more teeth and a larger area of the gums. A root canal helps remove the decayed area entirely in order to ensure that your mouth is not prone to this risk any longer.
Professionals often apply local anesthesia inside your mouth to make it numb. Then they begin drilling the affected area and begin removing the affected tooth and the affected gum. Even if multiple teeth are affected, they are all removed in a root canal. Once the root canal is done, there is an exposed place inside your mouth which is filled by implants.
“Root canal” has become a scary term for dental patients to hear, but the benefits of the procedure and advances in dental technology have made it much less “scary”. Local anesthetics and proper pain medication allow the procedure to be performed with little to no pain in most cases. There may be some soreness following the procedure, but that is normal for most dental procedures. Over the counter painkillers are usually enough to relieve any pain afterwards, but your dentist may prescribe medication. The procedure will also relieve you from pain caused by the infection allowing you to enjoy all the foods you love without any pain from heat, cold, or biting too hard.
A root canal is a serious procedure and requires extreme care and expertise to be handled correctly. If you’re in need of a root canal, head to dentist Old Bridge, NJ, Midjersey Smiles, for a service that takes care of you and your teeth more than anything else.
If you are experiencing pain consult your dentist today.