It is a fact that sometimes when we have pain in our mouth, we can pinpoint accurately where the problem lies. However, at times, we are not so sure of where to root of the bothersome issue is. This ambiguity happens when an infection in the gum tissue or the root canal area exists. Sometimes, the infection may have started off in the pulp of the tooth or the gums. With time, it slowly spreads its tentacles from one portion to another. A detailed analysis will need to be done of the whole area to see where it began from and to what extent it has spread.
What is root canal therapy?
Endodontic or root canal treatment is one in which an infected tooth is salvaged and not extracted. Inside the tooth, under the white enamel and its underlying dentine layer is the soft tissue called root or tooth pulp. This is made up of blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. In a tooth which is fully grown and well developed, it can exist without the pulp since it will be nourished by the tissues around it. Endodontic treatment involves removal of this pulp and replacing it with a substance like a gutta percha.
With root canal treatment, the pulp which was infected due to a germ invasion is removed. This dental cavity is then disinfected with medication. After filling in the gutta-percha here, the area is sealed off from the outside environs. The advantage of root canal treatment is that one saves the natural tooth. It helps in retaining our original chewing habits, our biting action is done with the same force as it was earlier done, and the natural appearance of our teeth is retained.
Root canal treatment can be done on one or several teeth as well. Sometimes, the infection has spread so much that it has affected the pulp area of the nearby teeth too. In this case, endodontic treatment of many teeth needs to be done.
Is root canal treatment painful?
Many of us worry about getting root canal treatment done for fear of a lot of pain. However, these days, anesthetic medication has advanced to such a level that a root canal procedure is no longer a painful one. In fact, it can be likened to having a filling done. A tooth in which endodontic treatment has been done, if properly cared for after that, will last an entire lifetime, even. Also, this treatment is more cost-effective than tooth extraction and getting an implant, denture or crown.
Nonetheless, a proper dental hygiene must be maintained after getting the root canal treatment done. Otherwise, tooth decay can still set in. To check the success of this treatment, dentists compare x-rays of teeth with those taken before the treatment is done. This will reveal if the jaw bone is deteriorating or is regenerating itself after therapy.
For details, contact: 3720 North Josey Lane Suite 106 Carrolton, TX 75007. Call: (469)607-8009.