Symptoms of an Infection
A root canal is a procedure needed to remedy an infection in your gums and teeth roots. Symptoms of an infection are pain in the tooth or gum, swelling, bleeding, and small bubble sores on the gum.
The pain may subside with at-home treatment but the infection won’t go away until a dentist performs procedures to take out the infection and that may include a root canal. A root canal can save your tooth from decay from infection.
A Root Canal Isn’t Awful Like It’s Portrayed
Movies and television have, for decades, portrayed root canals as being the worst procedure imaginable. It isn’t. You are given an anesthetic to numb the area or can be given sedation therapy so you don’t feel pain. The procedure takes between 30 to 60 minutes to complete. Endodontists perform most root canals but dentists are trained in the procedure as well.
What Is a Root Canal?
A root canal is a procedure where the dentist or endodontist uses small tools to remove infection from the tooth root. They remove the infected nerve and pulp, then clean and shape the inside of the root canal.
This is done by going through the tooth so they drill to do that. However, none of the procedures produces pain. You would just feel pressure applied while the dentist is working.
A root canal is a procedure where the dentist or endodontist uses small tools to remove infection from the tooth root. They remove the infected nerve and pulp, then clean and shape the inside of the root canal.
This is done by going through the tooth so they drill to do that. However, none of the procedures produces pain. You would just feel pressure applied while the dentist is working.
The Second Visit
Many root canals take two visits to complete. The dentist does the root canal on the first appointment and caps the tooth on the second visit. They need an impression of the tooth to make the crown, so dental assistants will also make that impression on the first visit.
Some dentists are capable of making the tooth crown in-house and that means you can complete everything in one visit. Others send the impression off and you will come back in two weeks to get the crown. A temporary crown is installed until you get a permanent one.
Root Canals Save Teeth
Removing the infection will likely save the primary tooth affected but it will also save other teeth where the infection could spread. In some cases, a tooth may need an extraction but root canals are the first option to extract if the tooth can be saved.
Saving your teeth helps your overall health and nutrition.
Reduces Health Risks
Bacterial infections can travel from your mouth and gums to other parts of your body using your bloodstream. Serious infections could, over time, turn into deadly sepsis.
Removing infections will alleviate pain but will also prevent other health problems from occurring as a result of the infection.
Improves Function
Those with tooth pain will favor the infected section of the mouth by eating and chewing with the other side, avoiding the tooth. This diminishes function and could even affect nutrition as many don’t want to chew since it causes pain.
Getting a root canal improves tooth function and allows you to eat normally again, enjoying food without pain.
The Root Canal Process in 6 Steps
1. Hygienist Evaluation
A dental hygienist will take some digital X-rays and look at your medical and dental history. They may perform a quick visual exam of your teeth to see if they need some cleaning before the dentist examines your mouth. A hygienist may do some cleaning so the dentist can get a better look.
2. Dentist Evaluation
The dentist will examine your mouth and the area where there is pain. They may schedule a root canal to be done another day or may determine you need one now. If a root canal is scheduled for another day, the dentist will give you pain medicine.
3. No Pain
The dentist will administer a local numbing medicine so you feel no pain.
4. Skilled Dentistry
The dentist will drill down into the tooth to reach the root system. They will begin extracting the infection using small, thin tools that look like glass toothpicks.
5. Filling the Area
The dentist will shape the root canals and then fill them with a gutta-percha so nothing else can grow there. Gutta-percha is a biocompatible substance that has a rubber quality. The dentist then seals the area.
6. Temporary Crown Installed
A temporary filling is put over the tooth to prevent anything from getting into the area.
Schedule An Appointment for an Evaluation
You don’t have to live with tooth pain. Find out if you need a root canal by scheduling an appointment today to have one of our dentists evaluate your teeth and gums.
FAQs
Will you need to do anything special for the tooth after a root canal?
You will need to be careful with that area of your mouth until you get your permanent crown. After all that is done, you can care for that tooth just as you do the rest of your teeth with regular brushing and flossing.
What foods can I eat after a root canal?
It’s best to eat soft foods for a while after you have a root canal. These are things like bananas, yogurt, soups, and other soft foods like mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese.
How long does wisdom teeth removal take?
Wisdom teeth removal in Hamilton is fast; you can be out of the operating chair in as little as 30 minutes. However, if you have impacted wisdom teeth or other complications, the wisdom teeth surgery can last longer.
Will that tooth get infected again?
Chances are the tooth where a root canal was done won’t get reinfected but root canals sometimes fail. The crown could break down or you could have a failure of the sealant. In some cases, the endodontist may not have removed all the infection.