What is a root canal treatment?
A root canal treatment is a curative dental procedure in which the infected pulp of a tooth is extracted out from an access hole to heal the infected tooth. A root canal treatment is also called 'endodontic therapy' in the field of dentistry.
When do you need root canal treatment?
You need
root canal treatment when you have been suffering from a condition called ‘pulpitis’. Pulpitis is a condition in which the pulp, which is the innermost part of a tooth, gets infected by bacteria.
The primary cause of pulpitis is poor oral health and hygiene. Root canal therapy is the only known treatment in dentistry to heal a tooth affected by pulpitis.
What are the symptoms that you need root canal treatment?
The symptoms of pulpitis could be subtle and yet, deceptive. While symptoms may vary, the following are the most common symptoms that you need a root canal treatment:
- Toothache that doesn’t seem to go away and only gets stronger with time.
- A tooth that has been slightly discolored as compared to the other teeth.
- Swollen gums around a particular tooth.
- High tooth sensitivity to hot and cold foods and drinks.
- Tooth sensitivity to sweet food.
- Mild fever.
- Swollen lymph nodes.
- Loose tooth.
What to expect during a root canal treatment?
The root canal treatment procedure is a simple, yet complex procedure. However, the following steps will give you an idea of how the dentist completes a root canal treatment:
- The dentist will first offer you sedation to ensure that the treatment is painless for you.
- Once you’re relaxed, an access hole will be created to the root of the tooth.
- From this access hole, the pulp and the surrounding tissues that have been infected will be taken out with dental files.
- The hole will be filed with a dental filling to restore the tooth.
Once you’re through with your treatment, you may want to consider getting a dental crown somewhere in the future to protect the tooth, which would be a little fragile after the treatment. You may even choose to get a dental implant to replace your tooth with a much stronger and permanent alternative.
Does a root canal treatment hurt?
No, a root canal treatment does not hurt! This is because firstly, you’ll be given a sedative to help you relax throughout the treatment. Secondly, chances are that the nerve tissues around the pulp of your tooth have been too damaged by the infection to send distress signals to the brain.
If the nerve tissues are still in shape, though, you will still be covered by sedation. But not every dentist provides sedation to patients. To help you find one that does,
click here to find a dentist near you for painless root canal treatment in Calgary AB.