4 Facts About Root Canal Therapy

A root canal is a dental procedure where the dentist repairs and saves your badly infected tooth. Repairing an aching tooth sounds scary, right? Contrary to popular belief, a root canal is an effective and painless procedure. Below are four interesting facts about root canals which we hope will ease your fear of visiting the dentist when a toothache starts.

Root canal therapy is used to treat tooth pulp that is infected. Pulp refers to the soft part at the center of your tooth that's made up of blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. During the procedure, the dentist will remove the infected pulp, clean, and seal your tooth.

The removal of the infected tissues and nerves from your tooth will not affect the functionality of your tooth. Instead, you will be free from persistent tooth pain caused by the infection.

A root canal is a routine procedure performed to save your natural tooth while removing diseased tissue. Extracting a tooth instead of having a root canal procedure done can endanger your other teeth. The loss of a single tooth can trigger a domino effect on your precious set of pearls.

If an infected root is left untreated, bacteria can multiply and spread into your gums and jaws. When the tissues that are near your unhealthy tooth get infected, an abscess builds up. An abscess refers to pus-filled pockets. Abscessed teeth can be excruciating. In worst-case scenarios, the bacteria from your tooth can spread to your bloodstream. Thankfully, a root canal can help you avoid such consequences.

With a root canal, the infection is removed. This means that the risk of the spread of infection to other teeth and your bloodstream is eliminated. After the infected pulp is removed, the dentist will seal your tooth, and you get to keep it-a win-win situation.

Root canal therapy takes several steps but getting you out of pain is the dentist's first goal. Root canals can sometimes be done in a single appointment but may require two depending on the severity of the infection and location of the tooth. You should expect to be in the dental chair for at least 90 minutes in most cases.

If a second appointment is needed to complete the root canal, a temporary filling material will be used until you return. The dentist will advise you if a crown is needed to restore the tooth which also may be done on a second visit.

Root canals are standard place procedures and not as painful as you think. The dentist will use local anesthesia to numb the pain as they extract the infected pulp. The good thing is, the little discomfort is worth it as, in most instances, root canals have a 95 percent success rate.

Toothaches affect your mood and productivity. Additionally, they prevent you from enjoying warm and cold food and drinks. At Calm Waters Dentistry, we take pride in our ability to provide you with a long-lasting solution to your tooth problem. Don't let your toothache go untreated, contact us today to book an appointment with our competent and dedicated team for your root canal therapy.