Root canals. Not necessarily the words you were hoping to hear at your dental check-up. But, despite their reputation, root canals are not the anxiety-provoking treatment you may imagine them to be. With the technology and tools available in dentistry today, this procedure is a successful way to alleviate the pain caused by root damage.
We’ll all heard about root canals and may have even had one in the past but what necessitates this procedure?
The Root Cause of a Root Canal
A root canal is a term used to describe the cavity or space in the center of the tooth. The tooth’s nerves lie within this root and let us know when something is hot or cold, If this nerve tissue, or pulp, is damaged due to decay or repeated dental procedures on a tooth such as large fillings, cracks, and chips, it begins to break down. Bacteria can then multiply within the canal and cause an infection or an abscess at the root of the tooth.
Root Canal Procedure
A “root canal” is the treatment done to remove a damaged nerve and pulp and clean and seal the tooth. This saves the tooth from becoming badly decayed or infected. Many teeth fixed with a root canal can last a lifetime. If treatment is not done, the surrounding tissue will become infected and abscesses may form.
Root canals are highly effective with more than a 95% success rate. And despite the bad rap root canals may have gotten in regard to being painful, patients very often only feel mild sensitivity after the procedure – root canals actually relieve the pain you are experiencing!
