5 Vital Things That You Should Know Before You Undergo a Root Canal

Toothaches have a knack for causing sleepless nights. In most cases, the root is exposed, and the chances are that you have a tooth infection. This means that if you don’t seek immediate root canal treatment in Poway, CA, it can lead to tooth loss or even the infection spreading to the rest of your body.

Years ago, the dental technology that was there could not allow dentists to save infected teeth. Therefore, the only solution was to extract the damaged teeth. Today, you can receive root canal treatment at our dentist’s office near you, and will treat your infected tooth.

So, if you desire to undergo root canal therapy, then you need to know the following:

1. What Is Root Canal Therapy?

Your tooth has a hard outer covering (enamel), the dentin, and the dental pulp. The dental pulp has living tissue consisting of blood vessels, nerve tissue, and connective tissue, and its purpose is to nourish the tooth and moisturize your tooth’s surrounding areas.

Endodontics, which combines two words, endo (inside) odont (teeth), is the branch of dentistry that deals with treating the softer inner parts of the tooth. Therefore, root canal therapy is an endodontic procedure that is aimed at repairing and restoring infected or damaged teeth.

Our dentist will remove the infected or damaged pulp within the root canal before cleaning and sealing it, restoring its functionality.

2. What Is the Cause of Pulp Infection?

As you may know, the pulp is protected by the enamel. The enamel is sturdy and can withstand almost anything. However, if you neglect to clean your teeth, your enamel can get compromised. If this happens, the softer inner parts of the tooth become exposed.

Therefore, the most common causes of pulp infection are:

• Deep decay
• A cracked tooth
• Trauma to the tooth

If the pulp is exposed, bacteria and food can lodge in the pulp chamber. Shortly after, the pulp becomes inflamed and infected. An abscess will form at the root, and you might lose your tooth.

3. What Are the Signs That You Need Root Canal Treatment?

You need to peel your eyes for the symptoms of infection because it will help you respond faster and seek emergency care at our dentist’s office near you. The symptoms are:

• Pimple-like swellings on your gums surrounding the infected tooth
• Severe tooth sensitivity
• Persistent and severe toothache
• Bad breath
• Headache and fever
• Facial inflammation on the side of the affected tooth
• Bulges, knots, or any swellings on your gums
• Persistent and severe sharp pain whenever you chew or bite down
• A fractured, damaged, or chipped tooth that is causing you pain, discomfort, or bleeding
• Signs of extensive tooth decay

Once you notice these signs, contact our dentist.

4. How Is a Root Canal Procedure Performed?

Root canal treatment in Poway, CA, is carried out in three stages and can take between one and three dental visits. Root canal treatment is carried out as follows:

• Removing the Infected Pulp

Our dentist will commence the root canal by administering local anesthesia to numb the infected tooth’s area. After the area becomes numb, our dentist will gain access to the root canal by drilling the tooth. Then, the decayed debris and bacteria will be removed.

• Preparing the Root Canal

After our dentist ascertains that the decayed part is removed, the root canal will be shaped. Then, the area will be flooded with disinfectants to ensure that there will be no recurrent infection. The area will be sealed using gutta-percha, a rubber-like material.

• Covering the Tooth

After removing the pulp, the tooth will be hollow and, therefore, not structurally sound. So, the tooth will be covered using a filling or a crown. Just like that, your tooth will be restored.

5. What Happens After Root Canal Therapy?

Expect some level of soreness or discomfort that can be managed with painkillers. You might also be given antibiotics to prevent or treat an infection. It will take a few days for you to heal after a root canal treatment.

Your smile can be restored, and your tooth salvaged when you undergo a root canal. Contact our dentist in 92064, at North County Dental Group if you need treatment.