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Cavities are permanently damaged areas in which the surface of your teeth develop tiny openings. This can lead to severe damage and decay. When a tooth has decayed this severely, it requires a procedure called a root canal.
A root canal is an endodontic procedure, which means that it deals with the soft tissue inside the tooth. It’s one of the most common endodontic procedures performed.
A root canal procedure is challenging. It’s a process in which a doctor must preserve the outer layers of the tooth (which are still healthy) while extracting the decaying soft tissue, which includes damaged nerves. Those damaged nerves are the cause of the pain. A root canal procedure requires extreme precision. It’s extremely important to extract the damaged nerves as soon as possible because they can cause excruciating pain, especially when you’re biting or chewing food, or even simply drinking hot or cold drink.
The damaged nerves inside the tooth are infected due to the prolonged exposure that was allowed to happen when the hard enamel surface of the tooth developed tiny holes in it. During this time, bacteria from ordinary daily activities such as eating and drinking seeped into the nerves. In order to prevent the further infection and decay to the healthy parts of the tooth, the nerves must be removed, a procedure that takes precision.
Leaving this condition unchecked could be extremely detrimental to your dental health, as the infection can spread into other parts of your mouth. Serious consequences may result. For instance, the decay could lead to extreme deterioration of the tooth, including bone loss. You may be even experience extraordinary pain in your tooth, to the point where you may need to avoid using one entire side of your mouth just to avoid the painful sensations. The experience of living with an infected tooth can be a tremendous detriment to the quality of your life, leading to a spiral of stress and anxiety.
What is the root canal procedure?
First, our professional dental staff will administer local anesthesia. This numbs the area surrounding the infection. Once you’ve lost sensation in the treatment area and we’ve confirmed that you’re relatively comfortable, the doctor will drill a tiny hole in the infected tooth. This provides access to the infected tissue through the canal. The doctor proceeds to remove the infected nerves. Once they’re taken out, the doctor thoroughly cleans out the abscess—or the empty space left inside of the tooth. Once clean, the doctor then fills it with a sterile dental material that’s safe and durable. You’ll also receive a temporary dental crown, which helps keep your recently treated tooth safe and less susceptible to sensitivity. You’ll wear this for a few weeks while your permanent dental crown is created in a dental laboratory. After your permanent crown arrives at our office, we’ll ask you to come back for a visit. During this follow-up appointment, our doctor will install the permanent crown using dental-grade cement. The permanent crown reinforces the treated tooth, providing it the structural strength needed to function just as well as your own natural tooth.
After a root canal, it’s normal and common to experience some swelling and discomfort for a few days. We may prescribe you medication to assuage the discomfort. We also suggest using applying ice packs to the jaw in order to reduce pain and swelling.