Root Canal Treatment
Root canal treatment, also known as endodontic treatment, is used to repair damage inside the tooth. This procedure is often necessary to save a badly infected or damaged tooth. The damage may have been caused by decay, repeated dental work, wear and tear, gum disease, cracked fillings, or an injury to the tooth.
Delaying the procedure may increase your pain, and the infection may become more severe and extensive. Irreversible bone and gum damage may result, leaving no alternative other than to extract a tooth that might have been saved. Our goal is to save the tooth from extraction.
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A Dental Abscess
While there can be multiple reasons for this course of action, perhaps the worst case scenario is when the person has an abscess. Known as a periapical tooth abscess, the infection may result from an untreated dental cavity, an injury, or prior dental work.
It can appear on the radiograph as a vacancy in the bone, and a root canal is the only method to treat the infection. Other types of abscesses may be asymptomatic and are diagnosed by the patient’s response to thermal stimulation. In some cases, the pulpitis, or infection of the pulp, is reversible, and the patient is advised to be gentle with the tooth while it heals.
What to Expect
Many people expect the treatment to be painful based on what others have said. In reality, the pain is already there before the procedure. Our patients have found the procedure much less painful than expected due to our preparations.
Before our dentist works on the affected tooth, patients are prescribed a course of antibiotics to calm their symptoms. Most people, as a result, generally have better results from the procedure. It’s also much easier to numb the tooth after at least two days of the antibiotic. To allow the medicine to do its job, we typically schedule the appointment at least a week out.
The procedure begins with the application of a local anesthetic to numb the area. Our dentist drills a hole in the tooth to remove the damaged or infected nerve tissue and any decay. The root canals are cleaned, shaped, and disinfected before placing a sterile filling inside.
After all signs of infection are gone, the canal space is then filled with a rubber-like substance that acts as a permanent bandage to stop any fluids or bacteria from seeping in through the roots. Finally, the tooth is capped with a crown to protect it, because of the weakness and instability resulting from the damage caused by the infection.
A Better Solution
At Stonelodge Dental, we understand the uncertainty around root canal procedures. Delaying care only prolongs your suffering. Come to our office and speak with our dentist to learn how we can help. Call us today.