Things you need to know before getting a root canal

Dentists are experts in reducing your pain, discomfort, and cost by suggesting treatments that aim to eliminate infectious teeth without damaging the tooth’s functionality. Your teeth and gums can be infected due to various factors and, if left untreated, can result in serious oral issues. To treat these issues, you might have to undergo tedious and lengthy procedures. You prevent this from happening, you must check with your dental specialist regularly.

Why is the root canal important?

A root canal is a final step to treat an infected tooth when all other methods are inadequate. The most commonly found situation is where only the crown part or the tip of the tooth is damaged. This type of infection does not require any specialized treatment. But, if the infection spreads to the pulp, you will need to get the tooth extracted or have the infected pulp removed. Once the infected pulp is removed, the tooth is sealed with a crown to strengthen its structure and maintain its functionality. A root canal is considered to be quite effective in fighting off such damages.

root canal

How is a root canal performed?

To begin with, you must always go to a certified and verified dental specialist. The process would start by making the area numb by injecting anesthesia into the root of your tooth. You would feel a slight pinch and sometimes a little pain as well. Once the area around your infected tooth is numb, your endodontist would wrap the rest of the area in a rubber or plastic sheet to keep it clean and dry during the procedure. The process might involve the use of tools such as a drill to clear away the affected area. Then, an antimicrobial material might be placed within the pulp to kill bacteria.

After cleaning, your dentist would irrigate the root with a lot of water to remove any residues of the infected pulp. Once he has removed all the infected pulp, he would create an impression of your tooth for making the crown. Then you would be cleaned thoroughly and asked to come after a few days to get the crown fixed once it has been developed. Your endodontist would place your crown over the infected tooth in your next visit to provide strength and normal functionality. A good dental specialist would follow all the steps properly.

Will it hurt?

An experienced endodontist would make sure that your feel the least pain during any part of the procedure. Though, after the procedure, you might feel soreness around the area. But the pain would be bearable and under control and would not require any pain killers.

How successful is the procedure?

Over the years, it has been proved that root canal is one of the most effective and successful procedures to treat and remove the damaged tooth. Its alternate is tooth extraction, which for many is extremely painful and expensive. Tooth extraction must be performed only when there is no scope for treatment and the tooth has gone rotten. Hence, the best treatment is root canal.