Restoring Your Damaged Tooth
A root canal procedure, or endodontic treatment, is an indispensable way to treat teeth that are severely decayed, infected, or broken; allowing the affected tooth to be saved from extraction and maintained for many more years.
A root canal is part of a naturally occurring space within a tooth that consists of the pulp chamber, the main canal, and more intricate anatomical branches that may connect the root canals to each other or to the surface of the root.
A root canal procedure is not as painful as many patients assume it to be. You don't have to dread getting this procedure done. With the help of numbing medicine and sedation options, you shouldn't have any severe pain. You do have to take good care of your mouth after the treatment, and you may experience some post-procedure discomfort, but nothing that an over-the-counter pain reliever could not ease.
Because of the complexity and difficulty of root canal therapy this treatment can pose a challenge for the dentist. Sometimes, it’s necessary to refer the patient to endodontists specializing in root canal therapy in Wetaskiwin.
What to Expect from a Root Canal Procedure
Root canal treatment can be done in 1 or 2 appointments. To begin, your dentist will evaluate the infected tooth and take X-rays.
In a root canal procedure, the dentist will access the pulp chamber in the crown of the tooth and will reveal the root canals contained in the tooth. The infected nerve is removed and the canals are shaped using special files to smooth the walls and ensure no pulp tissue or infection is left. The canals are then filled with a special material that seals off the root canals.
After root canal treatment, your tooth may be tender for the first few days. Severe pain or swelling are not common. If this happens, call your dentist or endodontist. You can still get a cavity or gum disease after a root canal treatment. Root canal treatment does not protect your tooth from other types of damage. However, with proper care and regular dental visits, the tooth could last as long as your other teeth. Most of the time, a tooth that has had a root canal treatment can be saved.
When Do You Need Root Canal Treatment?
Once the nerve in a tooth has suffered infection or trauma, the tooth will begin to disintegrate from the inside out. A root canal procedure can help preserve the tooth so that it can be retained for several more years rather than needing to be extracted. Root canal (endodontic) treatment is recommended for situations such as:
- Dental abscess
- Dying tooth
- Severe fracture in tooth
- Deep cavities
- Severe tooth sensitivity or pain