Listen to Your Dentist When They Recommend Wisdom Teeth Extraction

For many people, the words 'root canal' sound intimidating. However, this procedure is often misunderstood. Root canals may have a bad reputation, but the truth is that these unsung heroes relieve your pain and preserve your natural smile. Here's what you need to know.

What Is a Root Canal?

A root canal is a dental procedure that removes the inflamed and often infected pulp at the core of a tooth. Pulp is the soft tissue inside your tooth containing blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissues. When the pulp is damaged due to dental trauma or decay, bacteria can grow and cause an infection. This is where the confusion comes in. The infection causes severe pain, not the root canal. The root canal stops the pain.

What Causes a Root Canal?

So, how did you get here in the first place? Several factors can cause the need for root canal treatment, including:

• Decay. The most common reason is tooth decay that has gone untreated or has not been treated correctly. In other words, a cavity that was never treated.
• Trauma. A large chip or crack in your tooth can expose the tooth's pulp, resulting in an infection. This damage could occur from a fall, a car accident, biting on something hard, or even being hit in the face by an object, like a hockey puck or baseball.
• Deep Filling. Your dentist will always try to save a tooth. In some cases, this means a deep filling. If it is too large or has been in place for a long time, a root canal might be necessary due to loosening or decay around the edges of the filling.

Additionally, multiple dental procedures performed on the same tooth increase the likelihood of needing a root canal.

How Is a Root Canal Performed?

Root canals are typically performed under local anesthesia. In other words, your mouth is numb, but you are fully awake. You can also request nitrous oxide, sometimes called laughing gas, to help ease your nerves.

Your dentist or endodontist will remove the infected pulp from the tooth, clean the area, and disinfect the canal. Next, they will fill the canal with a rubber-like material, or temporary crown, to seal everything and prevent further infection. You may be prescribed an antibiotic to help fight any remaining infection.

While you will head home feeling much relief, you need to return for a quick second appointment for your crown fitting. The rubber-like material is only a temporary crown and is not meant to be used long-term. When you return to the dentist's office, they will apply a permanent crown.

If you are experiencing tooth pain, don't be afraid to call your dentist and get the relief you need. For more information on root canals, contact a professional near you.