'Root canal' is often touted as one of the most painful dental procedures. The mere name is enough to give people jitters and prevent them from seeing their dentist no matter how painful their tooth ache is. However, avoiding a trip to dental clinic means facing the inevitable root canal treatment sooner or later. In worse circumstances, you may risk losing your tooth if you do not pay attention to your dental problems. Incidentally, root canal procedures are no longer painful and have become one of the most commonly done dental procedures all over the world. In this article, we will uncover a few facts about root canal treatment.
What is a Root Canal
Root canal is essentially a term used to define natural cavity within a tooth. This cavity consists of soft pulp, which contains the nerve, blood vessels and connective tissue. The pulp helps the tooth to grow out during the development phase. However, once the tooth erupts completely from gums, the pulp does not have any functional purpose. The nerve functions only as a sensor to hot or cold stimulus. In short, the tooth can survive without pulp.
Why Root Canal Treatment is Necessary
At times, the pulp may get infected due to a damaged nerve or injury to surrounding tissue. In that case, bacterial growth may lead to formation of abscess. Some of the physical symptoms of this condition may include red, painful gums, severe, acute tooth pain and swelling around the infected tooth. The pain may get triggered when you eat hot or cold food. Also, the pain may subside for a few days and may return again. However, one must understand that disappearance of pain is not an indication that the tooth has healed. You should pay due attention to your tooth condition as tooth abscess may lead to loss of tooth, if not treated on time.
What is Root Canal Treatment
Root Canal treatment is a dental procedure used to save the affected tooth from permanently getting damaged or decayed. The treatment involves removal of infected pulp from the root canal. The cavity is then cleaned and disinfected. It is then sealed with an artificial material and a crown is placed over the tooth. A root canal treatment renders a natural appearance to the tooth and it can function in pretty much the same way as any other tooth. Root canal treated teeth can last as long as other teeth. Root canal treatment can also save other teeth from getting infected. Besides, it also saves you from losing tooth, which can impede your biting or even alignment of other teeth.
What to Expect in a Root Canal Treatment
Root canal treatment is a normal dental procedure which can be completed within 2 - 3 sittings, depending upon the condition of your tooth. Firstly, the dentist will take an X-Ray to determine the state of tooth and nature of infection. He may prescribe medicine to cure infection before proceeding to the actual treatment. During actual treatment your dentist will execute anesthesia to numb your tooth and surrounding area.. He will then clean and disinfect the root canal cavity and then fill an artificial material to seal it. During the next sitting he will place a crown atop the tooth to give it a natural look and feel.
Always trust a reliable dental clinic and a qualified dentist to perform root canal treatment on your teeth.
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