Did you know that losing a tooth has a psychological impact on patients? They feel self-conscious about their smiles, may have issues eating and speaking, and get depressed because of their unappealing smiles.
Thanks to modern dentistry, there are ways to extend the life of teeth that, decades ago, a dentist would have decided to extract.
Keep reading if your dentist advised you to undergo a root canal to preserve a damaged dental piece.
What is a Root Canal?
A root canal is actually a part of a tooth. It is what goes inside the roots. They are literally canals that contain the nerve of the tooth.
However, it is the name given to the treatment of a pulp infection. Once the nerve is damaged, an endodontic dentist near you must perform this treatment to prevent extracting the tooth. There is no other alternative.
The procedure consists of removing the pulp and fill it with a biocompatible material. We will explain it step by step below.
Steps of a Root Canal
Before undergoing a root canal in Edmonton with our specialists, they will take an x-ray of the dental piece to view its anatomy and damage. If, in fact, they may save it with root canal therapy, they will follow these steps:
- Numb the area – Even though you may not have
symptoms because the nerve is necrotic, there can be some pulp left that
causes pain. Our endodontic dentist in Edmonton always administers a local
anesthetic before the treatment.
- Isolate the tooth – Afterward, they will clasp
the tooth with a clamp (another reason they anesthetize you) and place a
rubber dam over it to isolate the tooth from the rest of the teeth and
saliva. The area must be dry at all times to prevent contamination.
- Removal of infected tissue – Your doctor will
use thin files to remove the necrotic tissue.
- Disinfection – They will irrigate with Sodium
Hypochlorite to kill all the bacteria inside.
- Seal the canals – Finally, they will fill the
root canal system with a material called Gutta-percha,
which is biocompatible and durable.
Once the root canal is ready, your dental professional will place temporary cement in the meantime. You must schedule an appointment as soon as possible with a prosthetic dentist for your permanent restoration.
The permanent material is usually a porcelain dental crown because they are more resistant and withstand heavy forces. A tooth that undergoes a root canal is brittle and does not have enough dental structure left. If you place composite resin to restore it, it will likely crack, and you may lose the tooth (because the fracture can extend to the root of the dental piece).
What to Expect After the Procedure?
Root canal treatment usually requires a single appointment, unless the infection is too severe, and your doctor administers a medicament inside the canals in the first appointment. In these cases, you will need two visits to finish the treatment.
After it, your tooth will be brittle, so you must avoid chewing with that side until the permanent restoration is in place.
You may feel some discomfort or sensitivity during the first couple of days, but any over-the-counter pain medication will do. As for your activities, you may resume them right away.
Applying ice packs for ten minutes on and off alleviates the swelling. If you experience some, which you may, follow this instruction.
Contact Us Today
If you need to undergo a root canal near you, you may contact us today for a free consultation visit.
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