14 Apr FAQs About Root Canal Treatment
Root canal treatment is a necessary procedure that prevents a person from losing their tooth to disease. This procedure is endodontic in nature, which means that the inside of the tooth is treated. Our dentist performs root canal therapy on teeth that have infected root canals caused by severe cavities or dental injuries like cracks and chips. Many folks misunderstand root canal therapy and want to know more about this type of treatment. To help empower our patients with facts, we have compiled some answers to frequently asked questions.
Where is the root canal?
The root canal is located deep inside the tooth. It is a hollowed chamber-like area inside the roots of teeth just below the crown. Inside a root canal are nerve endings and dental pulp. Dental pulp contains cellular material. The root canals of healthy teeth are not exposed to oral debris or bacteria but when a tooth is badly damaged, the contents of the root canal can become infected when exposed to debris and bacteria.
How does root canal treatment benefit me?
Root canal treatment is incredibly beneficial. First, it will alleviate discomfort associated with an infected nerve ending. Second, it will prevent your tooth from becoming so damaged that it must be extracted. When infected root canals go untreated for too long, the tooth will eventually abscess. This means that treatment protocols to save a tooth like endodontics and restorations are ineffective. An abscess can affect the entire oral health system, too.
Will the procedure be uncomfortable?
Since a root canal therapy does involve nerve endings, anesthetic is needed to ensure that a patient is comfortable. Local anesthetics will be applied to prevent uncomfortable sensations. After receiving endodontic treatment, our patients typically tell us that their procedure was comfortable and what they felt was not much different from what they felt when receiving a filling. After root canal therapy, the pain associated with having an infected root canal will subside so patients can regain oral function.
Our practice takes patient comfort very seriously. Call us today to schedule a consultation with our dentist!