
Reasons Why You Need a Root Canal Treatment
- Cavities. The National Center for Health Statistics reported a 46 percent pervasiveness of tooth caries in children and teenagers in the United States.
- A Cracked Tooth. A blow to your face or a bad fall can cause your teeth to crack or chip. ...
- Damaged Crown. ...
- Multiple Procedures. ...
What causes the need for a root canal?
What Causes the Need for a Root Canal?
- What causes a root canal? *Decay. This is the main reason patients need root canals. ...
- How do you know if you need a root canal? ...
- What happens during the root canal procedure? During a root canal procedure, the infected nerve and pulp are removed. ...
- Do you need a dental crown after a root canal? Yes. ...
- How can you best prevent a root canal?
What are the disadvantages of root canal treatment?
- Regular teeth cleaning with a good way as well as the use of mouthwash and flossing can go a long way in protecting oral health, as a devitalized tooth can ...
- Dental routine check-ups are prescribed at least twice a year
- As the tooth is devitalized, this can make it more fragile and inclined to chip when exposed to too much pressure.
What are the dangers of root canals?
- Chewing parafunction (compromised function)
- Side effects of bone loss
- A consequence of tooth shifting and bite changing and TMJ issues down the road
- Side effects of sinus dropping for maxillary teeth
- Facial changes and facial droop (depending on the location of extracted root canal treated tooth)
How to save a tooth with no root canal?
Try following these diet changes:
- Eliminate all processed sugar.
- Eat high-quality proteins.
- Avoid grain or flour products.
- Eat plenty of vegetables.
- Limit your fruit intake (only a few servings per day).

Why root canal treatment is required?
Root canal treatment is needed when dental X-rays show that the pulp has been damaged by a bacterial infection. The pulp may become inflamed if it's infected by bacteria, allowing the bacteria to multiply and spread. The symptoms of a pulp infection include: pain when eating or drinking hot or cold food and drink.
How do you know you need a root canal?
If you feel pain in your tooth while you're drinking or eating something hot or cold you might need a root canal. The sensitivity can manifest itself as a sharp pain or a dull ache, and if you can feel it for a longer period of time, even after you finish drinking or earing.
Why do root canals happen?
Root canals happen when a tooth is badly decayed or seriously infected. To protect the tooth, the nerve and its surrounding tooth pulp are removed and the tooth is sealed shut. The interior of the tooth is left virtually impervious to future decay.
What does root canal treatment treat?
Root canal therapy, also known as endodontic therapy, is a dental treatment for removing infection from inside a tooth. It can also protect the tooth from future infections. It is carried out in the pulp of the tooth, which is the root canal.
Is there an alternative to root canal?
An alternative to a root canal is a tooth extraction, in which your dentist can replace a damaged tooth with a bridge, partial denture, or implant. This can be an expensive treatment and usually requires several visits to your doctor. If you're a candidate for a root canal, you'll likely experience less pain over time.
How do I avoid a root canal?
Avoidance Tactics: Top 10 Tips to Avoid Root Canal TreatmentBrush twice daily. ... Floss once daily. ... Avoid hard foods such as hard candies and lollipops. ... Weak teeth be wary. ... Back away from the ice! ... Wear a mouth guard at night. ... Wear a mouth guard while playing sports.More items...•
At what age are root canals common?
Root canal treatment in molars was the most common endodontic procedure performed on patients aged 12 to 64 years old with a peak among the 35 to 44- year age group. Root canal treatment on bicuspid teeth, on the other hand, was mainly provided to patients in the 25 to 44-year age group 7.
What is the most common cause of a root canal?
A badly infected tooth is the most common reason for a root canal. The infection may happen because of a poor oral hygiene routine that allowed bacteria to sneak into the tooth's interior.
How long does a root canal last?
According to this report, 98 percent of root canals last one year, 92 percent last five years, and 86 percent last ten years or longer. Molars treated by endodontists had a 10 year survival rate, significantly higher than that of molars treated by general dentists.
How painful is a root canal?
No, root canals are usually painless because dentists now use local anesthesia before the procedure to numb the tooth and its surrounding areas. So, you should feel no pain at all during the procedure.
Do I need a crown after a root canal?
The evidence is clear, crowning your tooth after a root canal is important to maintain the tooth long term. So don't forget to make an appointment with your general dentist to restore your tooth after your root canal appointment!
Should I get root canal or extraction?
In most cases, root canal therapy is a better way to treat an infected tooth than an extraction. However, there are exceptions, such as if the tooth has suffered extreme damage. Your dentist will carefully analyze your oral health before making a treatment recommendation.
Why do you need a root canal?
A root canal is performed in an effort to save your tooth. Sometimes, however, the damage is too deep or the enamel is too frail to withstand the procedure. These factors can lead to loss of the tooth. Another risk is developing an abscess at the root of the tooth if some of the infected material remains behind or if the antibiotics aren’t ...
Where is a root canal performed?
How is a root canal performed? A root canal is performed in a dental office. When you arrive for your appointment, a technician will escort you to a treatment room, help you get situated in a chair, and place a bib around your neck to protect your clothes from stains.
What is the pulp of a tooth?
The pulp is made up of nerves, connective tissue, and blood vessels that help the tooth grow. In the majority of cases, a general dentist or endodontist will perform a root canal while you’re under local anesthesia. Learn more about this common procedure, as well as the potential risks involved.
How to get rid of a tooth that is numb?
Step 1: Anesthetic. The dentist will place a small amount of numbing medication on your gum near the affected tooth. Once it has taken effect, a local anesthetic will be injected into your gums. You may feel a sharp pinch or a burning sensation, but this will pass quickly.
What causes a tooth to have a pulp?
Common causes of damage to the pulp include: 1 deep decay due to an untreated cavity 2 multiple dental procedures on the same tooth 3 a chip or crack in the tooth 4 an injury to the tooth (you might injure a tooth if you get hit in the mouth; the pulp can still be damaged even if the injury doesn’t crack the tooth)
What is the procedure to remove a numb tooth?
Once the infected or damaged pulp is exposed, the specialist will carefully remove it using special tools called files. They’ll be particularly careful to clean out all the pathways (canals) in your tooth.
How long after root canal can you chew?
Avoid chewing with the damaged tooth until it’s permanently filled or a crown is placed over the top. You’ll see your regular dentist within a few days of the root canal. They’ll take X-rays to make sure that any infection is gone. They’ll also replace the temporary filling with a permanent filling.
1. Root Canal Preserves You Dental Structure
In the past, the only treatment of choice for a severely infected tooth was tooth extraction. However, with modern dental tools, a painless root canal treatment can be done to save your teeth. The primary benefit of getting a tooth is that it prevents tooth extraction.
2. Root canal stops the spread of infections
When the pulp gets infected, the infection can spread to the nerves and soft tissues affecting the other teeth. Worse than that, the infection can get into the bloodstream and affect the rest of the body. This can cause widespread inflammation or sepsis, which is a life-threatening disease.
3. Root canal therapy improves your smile
An endodontic procedure does not leave unsightly gaps like a tooth extraction. After the pulp is removed, our dentist in Granville will use a dental crown to restore the strength and function of the teeth. These crowns are usually made of tooth-colored porcelain, which creates a seamless look.
Q. What to Expect During the Procedure?
A root canal treatment is carried out in one to two dental visits, and it involves a few steps:
Q. Is the Process Painful?
No, the root canal procedure is not painful. The dentist not only uses local anesthesia but may also use dental sedation. Sedation dentistry comes in handy if you suffer from severe teeth sensitivity, have a gag reflex and dental phobia.
Q. What Happens After the Root Canal?
After the root canal procedure, you may have tooth sensitivity. The discomfort clears after a few hours, but the dentist will prescribe pain-relieving medication to ease the pain.
Take Away!
Recurring tooth pain can be a nuisance and disrupt your life. Do not let the pain get out of hand; visit Town & Country Dentistry for more information on the root canal and how it can save your teeth.
Overview
Root canal treatment is a dental procedure that relieves pain caused by an infected or abscessed tooth. During the root canal process, the inflamed pulp is removed. The surfaces inside the tooth are then cleaned and disinfected, and a filling is placed to seal the space.
Procedure Details
Before beginning your root canal, your healthcare provider can answer any questions you have about the procedure. Here are a few things you can do to prepare for your root canal treatment:
Recovery and Outlook
Typically, root canal recovery time lasts less than a week. Mild discomfort may be present for a few days, but this can be managed with medication. If you have severe pain or discomfort that lasts longer than a week, call your healthcare provider.
When to Call the Doctor
If you notice any root canal symptoms, such as tooth pain, swelling, bad taste or other warning signs, call your healthcare provider immediately. The sooner you treat an infected tooth, the better chance you have of saving it.
What is root canal treatment?
Every single tooth in our mouth has two parts. The crown and the root. The crown is the portion that is visible inside the mouth, while the root is what is embedded in the jawbone underneath the gums. While these parts may be different clinically speaking, they are still one tooth that is continuous and joined together.
Why is root canal treatment done?
Root canal treatment is done for a variety of reasons. The most common reason is tooth decay reaching the pulp chamber and causing pain. Once the decay has reached the center of the tooth, the infection can spread to the tip of the root and even lead to the formation of an abscess [ 3 ].
How is root canal treatment done?
The instruments and techniques used to perform root canals have undergone a massive change in the last decade or so but the basic idea remains the same. The tooth has to be drilled to gain access to the canal (s) in the tooth, the pulp is removed, canal is disinfected, and then filled with a biocompatible material [ 5 ].
Is root canal treatment painful?
In the overwhelming majority of the cases, root canal treatment is not painful. The entire treatment is performed under local anesthesia to ensure that the patient is as comfortable as possible. Remember, that in most cases the patients already come with pain when they get the treatment started.
Is a crown necessary after root canal treatment?
The decay that affects a tooth causing it to need root canal treatment and the very nature of the treatment procedure which involved drilling away a lot of the tooth structure makes a root canal treated tooth weak.
What is root canal treatment?
Root canal treatment is performed to restore and save the tooth that is severely decayed or infected. During this procedure, the tooth’s nerve and pulp found inside the tooth is removed. The insides of the tooth are then cleaned and sealed.
Why do root canals hurt?
A root canal treatment is often perceived to be painful. However, that is not the truth. The pain experienced by the patient is caused by the damaged or infected tissue such as the tooth’s pulp. Root canals are intended to relieve pain and stop the spread of infection.
What is the best treatment for an infected tooth?
It preserves the tooth. If the tooth is infected, there are two options available to stop the infection: root canal therapy and tooth extraction. Tooth extraction leaves a gap in the teeth and may require restorations such as a dental implant.
What happens after a root canal?
After the root canal treatment is done, the intense pain felt by the patient will be eliminated. This will allow them to have a comfortable and pain-free sleep at night.
Is root canal treatment good for tooth extraction?
Knowing the benefits of undergoing root canal treatment may enlighten and persuade the people that there is nothing to fear with the procedure. Besides, it will not only relieve tooth pain, but it will also save the tooth from extraction. Below are the reasons why should you consider getting a root canal treatment.
Is root canal a dental procedure?
Root canal treatment is believed to be one of the most feared and misunderstood dental procedures. Some people would often choose to fully extract their teeth instead of restoring their natural teeth by undergoing the procedure.
Can a tooth be fixed with a root canal?
Decay, fracture, or infection can affect the tooth’s appearance. But, with root canal treatment , the affected tooth can be preserved and fixed with the help of a dental crown, allowing the patient to have a natural-looking tooth that functions like the natural teeth.
What is root canal treatment?
Root Canal Treatment is a procedure to preserve a tooth that is decayed. The process involves removing the infected pulp and nerves, and cautiously cleaning the inside of the tooth; after which, it is then packed and sealed with a rubbery substance called gutta-percha. This procedure varies in cost, depending on the local dentist – yet, in general, ...
Why do you need a root canal instead of an extraction?
In short – the simplest, but, most important reason to get a root canal instead of extraction is that you get to keep your tooth. Though it may be dead, this method is still beneficial as this allows you to continue to eat and speak as you usually do, since removing the tooth can affect both.
How long does it take for a root canal to be sealed?
Once the tooth is meticulously clean, it can then be sealed. Depending on the situation, your dentist may wait about a week to seal the opening as medication may be necessary inside the tooth if there is an infection. Otherwise, the opening may be sealed the same day of the procedure. If for some reason the root canal is not completed the same day, ...
What are the disadvantages of a root canal?
Disadvantages of Root Canal Treatment. Likewise, there are also disadvantages to the procedure, like: There is no one hundred percent guarantee that a root canal will be thoroughly clean. If the dental restoration is inadequate, it may breed an infection, which would then require antibiotics and analgesics. Since the tooth will become hollow, it ...
Why do you need an x-ray for root canals?
Firstly, x-rays are taken to check the shape and condition of the root canals and to establish if, and where, there are any signs of infection around the tooth and bone.
What is used to flush out a root canal?
Periodically, water or sodium hypochlorite is used to flush debris from the area.
Why is it important to prevent abscess?
Avoiding an abscess, the spread of infection, and damage to the oral bone. Prevention of infection spreading is crucial as it can become a serious condition. It is less painful than tooth-extraction, which will leave a gap if not replaced with an implant.
