May 14, 2019

What Is A Root Canal?

A lot of the times, the most common issue that people have to deal with when it comes to teeth are cavities. However, what if it gets worse than that? Usually, you will have to get a filling to protect the tooth from cavities, but in the event that your tooth is compromised, you have to get a root canal. These used to be one of the most painful procedures you could get aside from having your teeth pulled. Yet, with the advancements of modern technology, you can get one of these treatments totally pain-free.

We will go through the basic procedure for a Root Canal and explain why it happens. If you feel like you might need to set an appointment up for a root canal let us know and we can get you started.

Why Do You Need A Root Canal?

This is usually the result of your tooth’s tissue being damaged or infected. There are millions of cases for this a year so don’t worry, your dentist has an excellent history in this. There is no doubt that they have performed dozens of these operations and will happily do another for you!

Infection of The Pulp

Inside the tooth, there are several layers. There is the white enamel that is on the surface, and then the dentin which is the extremely hard material that makes up the majority of your teeth. In the center of all of this though is a soft tissue that is known as Dentin. That tissue will be filled with blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue that is essential during the growth of the tooth but it is not necessary after the tooth has fully matured.

When you need a root canal, this is because the bacteria of a cavity or some other source has entered the pulp of the tooth and caused an infection to spread. Now the tissue is infected, it could lead to further tooth decay, sickness and even the loss of that tooth so it is very important to get this taken care off.

Process Of A Root Canal

After we have determined which tooth is infected, we will apply a local anesthetic to the area. This will numb the tooth and the surrounding gum tissue. It ensures that you will feel minimal pain when we begin the operation. We will first drill into the tooth in question and get to the center where the pulp is.

Once we have done so, all of the infected tissue will be extracted. Then a natural sealant is placed where the tissue was once located. That is then closed off with an adhesive paste. There is a filling used to close up the opening. We will clean the outlying area to complete the process. All of this should take about 90 minutes for a regular tooth! Be sure to keep around 2 hours free if it is one of your molars. Congratulations though, when we have finished with the procedure! You will be free to return to eating and chewing without any pain or irritation!