Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Root Canals are not as bad as you may think

Dentistry has certainly changed, but those two little words, “Root Canal,” can still send a grown man, or woman, running for the hills, but in reality, a root canal is no more painful than a simple filling.

According to the American Dental Association, a root canal is necessary if you have a diseased tooth. Pulp is what is inside of your tooth and contains blood vessels, nerves, and tissues that can become infected and even die.

Your dentist will recommend a root canal in order to save your tooth. The pulp inside your tooth can become damaged because of large fillings, chips or cracks in the tooth, a trauma to your face, deep decay or multiple dental procedures in the same tooth.  

When the nerve tissue or pulp inside your tooth becomes damaged, it will break down allowing dangerous bacteria to multiply inside of your tooth. Decayed debris along with bacteria will eventually cause a dangerous infection that could lead to an abscess. An abscess is a pocket that is filled with pus that forms at the bottom of your tooth. If you have an abscessed tooth, it is imperative that you call your dentist as quickly as possible as the infection can spread throughout your body and even to your brain. In addition to the infection and a possible abscess, a root canal can also cause swelling in your head, neck, or face and bone loss.

If your dentist determines that a root canal is necessary, x-rays will be taken to see if there is any infection around the bone before numbing the area with a local anesthetic. Although the nerve is dead, and won’t cause you any pain, most dentists will administer it anyway to make you feel more at ease.

To keep the area dry during the root canal, your dentist will place a sheet of rubber, called a rubber dam, around your tooth before drilling a hole into your tooth so that the decayed pulp tissue, including the nerves and debris can be removed.

Once removed your dentist will clean out the area with root canal files working down the entire length of your tooth to scrub and scrape the sides of your root canals. Water will be used from time to time during the root canal procedure to flush out the bacteria and debris.

After the tooth has been cleaned your dentist will seal it if the remaining infected tissue has healed. If a temporary filling is necessary, you may also be given antibiotics to help clear the infection.

Depending on how much decay or damage has been done to your tooth, your dentist may also decide to place a crown to protect your tooth against further damage.

If you believe you have an abscess or have been dealing with a toothache for far too long, schedule an appointment with your dentist today.