A procedure that may sound common to those who have visited the dentist, a root canal is one such that dentists recommend to patients to relieve pain or in some cases, even save a natural part of their tooth, should it be damaged.
Dentists often recommend root canals as a treatment to patients whose teeth are either damaged or infected with a disease. These qualified physicians treat millions of patients with this form of treatment, to relieve the symptoms associated with pain.
A root canal gets recommended when the white enamel and a tissue layer, which contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue, gets affected during development. An adult tooth can thrive on its own, but not teeth that are underdeveloped, nor prone to infections.
What is a root canal?
It is a form of treatment that gets recommended to patients who need to get their teeth filled, to prevent the tooth from becoming further infected, or continue with an ongoing infection, as well as prevent pain.
Advantages of seeking root canal treatment include a normal biting sensation, as well as force, an improved natural appearance and chewing abilities and protects it from any wear or stain.
When do you need a root canal?
Dentin, also referred to as the tooth’s pulp could become inflamed, infected and irritated, as a result of decay, a crack or chip in the tooth, trauma and excessive dental surgery.
Symptoms of root canal patients include extreme toothache, discoloration of the tooth, swelling in the gums and prolonged pain, which increases with either hot or cold temperatures.
What does the root canal procedure entail?
When a patient gets recommended to receive a root canal, he/she will require several visits to the endodontist, which is a type of dentist who specializes in the causes, diagnostics, as well as the prevention of dental problems.
The first step to getting a root canal is going for an X-ray, which allows both you and the endodontist, to establish what the shape of the tooth looks like. By looking at an X-ray, these dentists can also determine whether their patient is prone to infections.
Once established, the dentist will place you under anesthesia. Although it might seem that as the patient, you do not require anesthetics, it will relax you and relieve temporary discomfort.
The following step involves your dentist placing a rubber sheet, known as a dam, around your affected tooth, to keep it dry from saliva.
After that, a hole will get drilled in the tooth, the tissue gets removed and a file(s), gets placed into the hole, which should scrub and scrape the sides of the root canals. The dentist will then use sodium hypochlorite, to clean the teeth from bacteria.
Upon the cleaning of the tooth, it gets sealed. It is usually either done immediately or in the patients’ second session of visiting the dentist. If this procedure isn’t completed in one day, a filing gets placed in the hole of the tooth.
What should you expect with root canal therapy?
This particular form of treatment was specifically designed to relieve excessive pain. Sometimes, dentists will also suggest their patients to get a crown.
During the process of healing your tooth, you must avoid chewing on gum or any extended periods of chewing. The purpose of receiving a root canal is also to protect it from breakage.
After a few dates of receiving treatment, your teeth may feel sensitive, which is a primary result of the procedure. Dentists recommend that patients avoid chewing, as this could cause recontamination of the tooth. To treat the discomfort and pain, one must use over-the-counter prescribed medication, which usually includes ibuprofen or naproxen. You should also brush and floss your teeth at scheduled intervals throughout the day, to speed up the process of healing.
