If you hear about root canal treatment, this may be something you may feel apprehensive about. But you do not have anything to worry about, at Stamford Dental Spa, our goal is to help you stay on top of your oral health with painless visits. We will help you save your teeth with our root canal treatment.
Root canal does not actually cause pain, it rather relieves the pain. Root canal treatment is a procedure done to save a badly damaged or infected tooth. The procedure involves removing the damaged area of the tooth (the pulp), cleaning and disinfecting it and then filling and sealing it. The common causes affecting the pulp are a cracked tooth, a deep cavity, repeated dental treatment to the tooth or trauma. The term “root canal” comes from cleaning of the canals inside the tooth’s root.
When a tooth’s nerve tissue or pulp is damaged, it breaks down and bacteria begin to multiply within the pulp chamber. The bacteria and other decayed debris can result to an infection or abscessed tooth. An abscess is a pus-filled pocket that forms at the end of the roots of the tooth. An abscess occurs when the infection spreads all the way past the ends of the roots of the tooth. In addition to an abscess, an infection in the root canal of a tooth can cause:
- Swelling that may spread to other areas of the face, neck, or head
- Bone loss around the tip of the root
- Drainage problems extending outward from the root. A hole can occur through the side of the tooth with drainage into the gums or through the cheek with drainage into the skin.
Generally speaking, whatever the cause of root canal or pulpal disease, root canal or endodontic treatment will be needed to save the tooth. All dentists receive training in endodontic treatment and can perform root canal procedures, but often a general dentist will refer individuals who need endodontic treatment to an endodontist, a root canal specialist.
How does endodontic or root canal treatment save the tooth?
Root canal treatment is needed when the pulp becomes inflamed or infected. The pulp is a soft tissue inside the tooth which is under the enamel and the hard layer called the dentin. The first step includes the administration of the local anesthesia via injections to numb the tooth to be treated as well as the surrounding tissues. Our dentists will not start the treatment until you feel numbness.
During the treatment,a small access hole is drilled through the biting surface of an affected back tooth or from behind a front tooth, allowing access to the pulp chamber and root canals for treatment. Then the inflamed of infected pulp is removed. This is not painful; the area is numb and the tissue being removed is either dead or dying. Once the pulp, along with the nerves contained in it, is removed, the tooth itself can no longer feel pain. As soon as the inside of the tooth is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, it will be filled and sealed with a material called gutta-percha. The tooth is then restored with a crown or filling for protection. Then the tooth will just continue to function just like any other tooth after the restoration.
After the procedure, an antibiotic may be prescribed to treat or prevent infection. Be sure to follow the instructions of your dentist or endodontist carefully. The after-effects of treatment are minimal, generally lasting from a couple of days to about a week.
What are the benefits from getting a root canal treatment?
- It makes chewing effective because the restored tooth can already function as a natural tooth
- It restores normal biting force and sensation
- It brings back the natural appearance of your teeth as you do not have to deal with a decayed looking tooth nor will you have to opt for a tooth replacement
- It protects other teeth from wear and strain
If you are one of the people who fear the root canal treatment because of the lack of knowledge about this, well you do not have to fear now because knowing means you are already more than halfway through the battle. Eliminate your fears and trust that Stamford Dental Spa will take care of you and your specific oral needs.
Contact Stamford Dental Spa for best root canals in stamford . Located in a convenient location, near Macys on Broad Street,124 Broad Street Stamford, 06901