Root Canal 101

Everything and more you wanted to know about Root Canal. Most of us would rather avoid anything to do with Root Canals. Understanding about Root Canals can help you to really avoid them. There are some common misconceptions concerning root canals from people who do not know much about them. Here is a short summary about what a root canal is.

Many people have real anxiety concerning having a root canal performed on them, because they fear pain. The truth is that the pain involved in having a root canal is no more painful than having a cavity filled. It is also feared that there will need to be numerous trips to the dentist to complete the work. The truth is that most dentists today can complete the root canal in one or two visits.

Another misconception is that if you have a crown on your tooth, that the crown will somehow cause root canal work to be needed on that tooth. This is a erroneous conclusion. A root canal is needed only if the tooth has become abscessed. This happens when bacteria creep in under the crown and causes decay to form in the pulp of the tooth.

Because of the name, most people think that when the dentist performs a root canal that they are removing the roots of the tooth. This is incorrect, what the dentist is really doing, during a root canal, is removing the pulp of the tooth.

Once the root canal is finished, you need to maintain a good dental health program. If you take good care of your teeth from now on, there is every reason to believe that the tooth that had the root canal work done on it, should last the rest of your life.

After the root canal is completed, you will need to return to the dentist for what is called "permanent restoration". Without the permanent restoration, the tooth could become dry and brittle. This will make the tooth susceptible to breakage.

When your dentist approaches you with the news of a need for having a root canal; the tooth is at the point of having no other options to be saved. Your dentist may perform the root canal or you may be referred to a specialist called an Endodontist to have the root canal done.

What Happens When A Root Canal Is Performed:

The dentist will numb your tooth first. Then a rubber dam will be used to keep the tooth area dry and free of saliva. The dam is a piece of rubber that fits over the tooth to keep it isolated from the rest of the mouth.

Your dentist will then prepare the tooth by drilling a hole in the tooth. Then the dentist will remove all of the decay and bacteria he finds in the tooth. A tool that your dentist will use to clean out the canals of the tooth is called a root canal file. This is how the pulp of the tooth is removed. Your dentist may wait a week or two after doing this to be sure that there is no further incidents of decay or infection. If your dentist chooses to wait, he will clean your tooth, and put some soothing medicine inside the tooth, seal it closed and put a temporary filling on top of the tooth.

When you return to the dentist for your next appointment, the dentist will fill the canals with a rubber filling material that is called: gutta percha. The dentist will then put a regular filling on top of the tooth.