Sometimes we have a heavy blow to the tooth or tooth decay, which worsens. When we visit the dentist, the only solution is a tooth extraction or a root canal treatment. As nothing can match a real tooth, a root canal is the best way, as it saves the tooth and repairs it instead of removing it.
Read on if you are wondering what is the root canal procedure, why we need it, and the steps involved in the root canal treatment. If you suspect you may be experiencing any root canal symptoms, such as persistent tooth pain, sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, swollen gums, or a recurring pimple on the gums, it’s essential to understand the process involved in root canal treatment.
What is the Root Canal Procedure?
A root canal is a common treatment needed when the nerve or blood supply to the tooth gets infected through injury or decay. Normally, people don’t feel pain when the infection is in its early stages. There are cases in which the tooth starts to darken in colour, which means that the nerve has died and the root canal treatment becomes necessary.
The procedure involves the removal of the inflamed or infected pulp from the tooth. The dentist completely cleans out the root canal and the pulp chamber and then refills it to protect the entire area from any damage in the future. The process requires one to two office visits, and one may feel little to no pain because of local anesthesia.
Why Do We Need a Root Canal Treatment?
Root canal treatment is ideal for saving your damaged or badly infected tooth. There could be several reasons our tooth may become infected or damaged, including wear and tear, repeated dental work, injury to the tooth, and gum disease. The pulp gets infected, and it can spread to the root canal system of the tooth, which may eventually lead to an abscess.
Abscess is known to be an inflamed area where the puss collects, and it can be responsible for causing tissue swelling around the tooth. Some of the main abscess symptoms can be a little ache to severe pain, and the tooth can become tender, especially when we bite. If we don’t go for the root canal treatment, the infection can spread, and then the only solution will be to extract the tooth.
What Does the Root Canal Treatment Involve?
The main purpose of root canal treatment is to remove the infection from the canal and prevent further infection. The following are the main steps to the root canal therapy.
- Cleaning
In the first step, the dentist removes everything inside the root canal. As the patient is under local anesthesia, the dentist drills an access hole in the tooth’s surface. Then he removes the dead and diseased pulp tissue through small files.
- Filling
After removing the pulp, the dentist cleans and decontaminates the empty area using irrigation solutions. Next, he fills the tooth with a rubber-like material and seals the canals. As the tooth is dead after the root canal therapy, the patient doesn’t feel any pain because the infection gets eliminated by removing the nerve tissue.
- Adding a Crown
Our teeth can be more fragile after root canal treatment, and a tooth with no pulp starts to receive nourishment from the ligament attached to the bone. The tooth can become brittle, so a crown or a filling can offer protection. Before the placement of the crown, it is better not to bite or chew on the tooth.
Address Your Infected Tooth with a Root Canal in South Melbourne
These days, root canal therapy has become a painless procedure that automated rotary endodontic equipment carries out. Dentists in South Melbourne offers the best treatment if you have any signs of a root canal. We are a one-stop, multi-disciplinary dental centre that puts you first and believes in offering personalized service for every patient. Once the root canal procedure is done, take extra oral care and observe if there are any symptoms of root canal infection.
Call us or book an appointment by filling out a form, and our staff will contact you in a single working day.