Serious tooth pain, or hot and cold sensitivity that lingers after the food or beverage has been removed, or pain when you put pressure on the area, can result in a root canal treatment.
The root canal treatment is the process of removing infected, injured or dead pulp from your tooth, then filling and sealing the canal. When left untreated, tooth decay can extend down to the nerve inside the tooth, causing severe pain sometimes spontaneous. At night, the pain potentially increases and can worsen while consuming cold or sweet foods.
If you are told you need to get a root canal done, you might get a little anxious. Don’t be root canal is commonplace in dentistry that can cure certain types of toothache and add to the longevity of your teeth. On learning more about this useful process, you will realize why it’s required and how it is going to benefit you tremendously.
Below you will find the answers to some FAQs:
What is a root canal?
Dentists use “root canal” to refer to the minute, thin passageways that originate from a central, vacant space in your teeth (known as pulp chamber) all the way down to the roots. It is also the short form of the “root canal treatment” i.e. the technique used to protect a tooth if the tender tissue deep within it (known as pulp) gets infected or becomes swollen.
If a tooth pulp swells up or is infected due to rotting or injury the tissue will have to be got rid of to protect the tooth and prevent the infection from growing. Adults don’t really require the pulp whose basic function is to facilitate tooth development in childhood.
You can get an entire tooth pulled out, but saving it is always more advisable all the more as root canal is common with a stupendous success rate of over 90%. Protecting a tooth can help keep other problems at bay, including difficulty in biting, shifting teeth position, and eating, and degeneration of jawbone density and volume.
Does root canal hurt?
Root canal generally is no more discomforting than a filling. It may be viewed in a bad light, which though is unjust; actually it’s the infection that must be blamed and not the treatment. Simply speaking, the infection that mandates the treatment is often excruciating because it consists of an inflamed tissue comprising plenty of nerves, making it sensitive. Root canal in reality cures this pain!
After anesthetizing the infected area, a small hole is drilled in the tooth to gain access to the pulp chamber and canals. The infected tissue is taken away, and the canal(s) and the pulp chamber are sanitized right till the root end(s). The teeth at the front generally have a single root and canal, whereas back teeth consist of two or three roots and three or four canals. An inert, biocompatible material is filed in these canals as well as the pulp chamber and sealed with sticky cement. The access hole gets an impermanent filling.
Your treated tooth may be sensitive for some time, but any unease can generally be done way with through regular pain killers or anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen. You will be asked not to use the tooth for chewing till permanent filling, which will happen some days later. Based on how bad the tooth’s condition was to start with, it may require a full-coverage crown. These alternatives will be explained to you.
Ensure your teeth do not decay by brushing and flossing daily. Have a wholesome diet containing little sugar and stay away from acidic beverages like soda. Go for regular cleanings and examinations from a professional. And if you are into sports, order a bespoke mouthguard to guard your teeth against injury.