Our dentists at Jillian Prather Family Dentistry can repair a badly damaged tooth and prevent further decay with a root canal treatment. We recommend a root canal treatment that can help you by removing your tooth's pulp instead of removing your whole tooth with a tooth extraction. A root canal may be your last resort to save your tooth. What is a Root Canal?
A root canal is a part of your tooth, which has a hollow section that contains the blood vessels, nerve tissue, and other cells, also called the pulp. The pulp helps in nourishing the tooth and providing moisture to the material surrounding the tooth. Your tooth's pulp can become infected and damaged due to deep decay. The endodontic therapy that is used to treat the infection is commonly referred to as root canal therapy. Root canal treatments used to be very painful, but with dental advances, most people now feel little or no pain.Need For The Removal of Tooth Pulp
When a tooth's pulp is damaged, it breaks down, providing a way for the bacteria to enter and begin to multiply with the pulp chamber. Bacteria and other debris can cause a severe infection or an abscessed tooth if left untreated. An abscessed tooth has pus-filled pockets formed at the end of the roots of your tooth. An infection in the root canal of a tooth can lead to pulp death, bone loss around the tip of the tooth, and the tooth itself. It may also cause swelling to spread to the other areas of the face or neck.When Do You Need a Root Canal?
Signs and symptoms that you need a root canal include tooth sensitivity to hot or cold foods, pimples on your gums, sharp pain when chewing or biting something, a hole in your tooth, swollen or painful gums, and darkened gums. In severe cases, the swelling from the gums can spread to other parts like your face, neck, or head.Root Canal Procedure
A root canal is a process that involves the removal of the tooth pulp due to damage. It is worth noting that the crown, which is the outer part of the tooth, can remain intact even when the pulp is damaged. You need to go through several dental exams for the dentist to determine if the process of a root canal is the ideal method of restoring your teeth.After it has been determined that a root canal is necessary, the first step of the procedure will involve taking an x-ray to see the shape of your root canals and find if there are any signs of infection surrounding your bone. Local anesthesia is used to numb the area near your tooth. A rubber-like sheet called a dental dam is placed in your mouth to keep the area dry and free of saliva during your treatment. The next step is making a small access hole into your tooth. The bacteria and dead pulp tissue are removed with small files. As the work is done, water or sodium hypochlorite will be sprayed in that area to clean away the debris.
A medication will be put inside your tooth if there is an infection. Otherwise your tooth will be sealed the same day it is cleaned out. Then, the tooth is filled with a sealer paste and a rubber compound. You will no longer feel any pain in that tooth because of the removal of the nerve tissue. The final step of the procedure is restoring your tooth. For protecting your tooth from future damage, a crown of similar color to your tooth is placed on it. Once the crown is placed, you can use your tooth as before.
