Root Canals: Should We Really Be So Afraid of Them?

A root canal is a hollow part of the tooth that comprises blood vessels, nerve tissue, and other cells (also called a pulp)

Root canal treatment entails taking out infected or damaged pulp within the tooth and stabilizing it. It is also known as endodontic treatment.

When a tooth’s pulp becomes damaged or infected, bacteria can spread from the infection to the gums and even the jawbone. If the tooth isn’t treated, it can die, and you could get cavities or more damage to the neighboring teeth.

Root canal halts these negative effects in their tracks by removing the bad pulp and saving the tooth.

Let’s take a look at how the procedure is done.

What Are the Steps of a Root Canal Treatment?

Local anesthesia

Our dentist in Waco administers local anesthesia to the place to numb the tooth and the adjacent area. They will start the treatment when the site is completely numbed.

Cleaning the root canal

The dentist takes out everything in the root canal. Then proceeds to make a small access hole on the tooth’s surface and uses very small files to extract the dead pulp tissue.

Filling the root canal

Using irrigation solutions and tiny files, the dentist near you cleans, shapes, and decontaminates the pulp. Then, a rubber-like material fills the tooth, and an adhesive cement is used to seal the canals.

After endodontic treatment, you will no longer experience pain in that tooth due to removing the nerve tissue and eliminating the infection.

Adding a filling or crown

A tooth without a pulp receives nourishment from a ligament that connects the tooth to the bone. This supply is adequate, but the tooth becomes more brittle with time; therefore, a filling or crown provides protection.

Don’t chew or bite on the tooth until the filling or crown is complete. Once it’s done, you can use the tooth as prior.

Treatment usually takes a single appointment, but it can take one or two extra appointments if there are multi-canals, carved canals, or large infections.

Schedule an appointment with Hillcrest Dental Care if you need a root canal.

What Are Some Reasons That You May Need a Root Canal?

An abscessed tooth

Treating an abscessed tooth is a common reason you may require endodontic treatment. It’s a tooth with a pulp infection caused by bacteria. When pulp is infected, the only way to treat it is by taking it out completely. That way, the bacteria loses its supply of nutrients.

A large cavity

A large cavity can sometimes penetrate a tooth so deep that it threatens to expose the nerve. Once that happens, endodontic treatment is necessary because the nerve can’t be concealed again, and exposing the nerve leads to instant exposure to the bacteria in the mouth.

When preparing a broken tooth for a crown

Sometimes, when a tooth breaks, it breaks so severely and loses many tooth structures, exposing the nerve to the environment. An exposed nerve is an indicator you need a root canal.

Some broken front teeth may need a prophylactic root canal in preparation for a dental crown. They require a build-up of synthetic material to generate adequate surface area for the crown. A post cemented inside the tooth’s hollow root reinforces the build-up. They can only achieve that after performing a root canal.

Root canals are often associated with pain or traumatic experience. Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t be so afraid of root canals in Waco, TX:

• They relieve pain

Intense tooth pain is a result of root canal problems. Root canal treatment helps to alleviate the pain.

• It may not hurt

Modern advances in anesthesia help to ensure you remain comfortable and stress-free during the procedure. New medications aid in increasing the length of potency and time of the numbing agents, creating a better root canal experience compared to the past.

• It saves your natural tooth

Despite the damage or infection, root canal therapy helps to save the tooth and restore its function and health. Saving the tooth is way better than replacing it with a bridge or implant.

• Minimal pain after the treatment

Some people are afraid of root canals due to the possible pain after treatment. However, many patients resume their usual routine the following day. However, the dentist prescribes pain medication to ease your recovery if necessary.