The Truth About Root Canal Treatment

Have you been told how painful a root canal is? Would you rather endure a pain caused by inflammation rather than having a root canal? There are many lies surrounding root canal procedure, and it is crucial for you to understand what is, it’s benefits and how it works before you consider it as your treatment of choice.

Root Canal

The tooth structure consists of a crown and the root. The root is the structure that runs deep inside the gums. The root consists of dentin which has a pulp cavity inside it, and capillary of veins runs inside the pulp cavity connecting it to the jaw bone.

The crown part of a tooth has the outer layer called the enamel which is hard and the inside layer called the dentin. When your tooth is affected by dental cavities, it decays, and the enamel weakens.

If in any case the cavities are not addressed in time the decay will keep on destroying the tooth structure until it reaches the pulp cavity. When the pulp cavity is inflamed you start to feel aches and pain that are severe and don’t go away.

A root canal procedure is necessary to treat this condition and free you from the pain accompanied by it. A root canal procedure completely removes the infected pulp by use of specialized equipment.

Root canal procedures not only free you from the pain but it also prevents further damage to your dental health. After the removal of the infected pulp, cleaning, disinfecting and sealing follows to avoid infections.

Root Canal Procedure

When you visit a dentist office with a toothache the first thing he/she will do is assess the tooth and see the severity of the infection. Advanced infection damages your tooth structure beyond saving and the only option left is tooth extraction.

After the assessment, the dentist will create an opening where he/she will insert a specialized needle that will suck the infected pulp from each root. Removing the fleshy part inside the root allows the dentist to irrigate the cavity left by the pulp to ensure there is no infected pulp remaining inside.

Disinfecting the cavity is necessary before filling. The dentist will fill the hole with a rubber-like material starting from the root coming outside ensuring there are no gaps left. The sealant will protect the tooth until a crown is made to cover the tooth.

Note; sedation is administered to eliminate pain and anxiety before the procedure begins.

Pros of A Root Canal

Prevents Tooth Extraction

A root canal removes the pulp only and leaves the tooth intact. Replacing the cavity left by the fleshy part with a filling ensures balance and prevention of further damage to the tooth. If you don’t seek help at the right time, you might end up losing your tooth due to unrestorable damage.

Prevent Further Infection

Removing the infected pulp during a root canal process ensures the disease is completely cut off from your tooth. Disinfecting the pulp cavity kills any possible bacteria remaining inside the cavity. The rubber-like material blocks any re-entry of bacteria and germs into the tooth. When the inflammation is left untreated, the infection continues to the surrounding teeth and into your body.

Eliminates Pain Instantly

The pain you feel when you have a pulp inflammation is caused by the veins which are in the pulp cavity sending messages to the brain that there is an infection and the brain sends back a message in the form of pain.

When the source of pain is removed, no messages are being transmitted by the nerve receptors, and the pain vanishes immediately.

Prevents Misalignment

When you don’t have a root canal, it means your tooth will probably be extracted, and once the tooth is removed, the adjacent teeth start moving to compensate for the lost tooth. When teeth shift from their positions misalignment is created.

Saves the Jaw Bone from Deteriorating

Extracting a tooth prevents regeneration of the jaw bone, and because of this, the bone starts to wear away. When you have a root canal instead of extraction the tooth roots will still stimulate the renewal of the jaw bone as usual.

Is Root Canal Treatment Painful?

If you’ve ever heard of this misconception, then know it is a lie. Dentistry has improved leading to procedures that are comfortable and pain-free. Before a dental process begins (including a root canal) sedation is administered to calm the patient and eliminate possibilities of pain.

What Happens After the Procedure?

After the root canal procedure, you’ll feel sore on your gums as the sedation wears off. Your dentist may prescribe some painkillers to relieve the pain you feel after the local anesthesia vanishes. A root canal procedure is convenient and allows for you to resume your normal routine the next day.

It is crucial you not chew with the tooth that has had a root canal until you get a crown that will protect it from damage due to chewing. You’ll have to go for follow-up visits where the dentist will examine the treated tooth to ensure the infection is cleared.

The root canal procedure has improved the lives of those who took it as a treatment. Accepting the therapy is one thing and maintaining the treated tooth is another thing. For the tooth to last a long time it is vital you observe proper oral hygiene practices. Brushing twice a day (or after every meal), flossing and going for dental check-ups are some of these excellent dental practices.

The focus of the root canal procedure is to save the natural tooth by eliminating only the part that is infected, and that is the pulp. The pulp is not essential if the tooth is fully grown and when it is removed the tooth structure will not be affected.