An endodontic treatment, also known as root canal treatment, is a procedure whose aim is to keep a tooth in your mouth. Do you need this treatment? Do you have many doubts about it? Keep reading.
You’ve been to the dentist’s office for a check-up because lately you’ve been feeling a mild discomfort in one of your teeth. After seeing your case, the diagnosis is clear: you have to get a root canal treatment. And there comes the first doubts: what exactly is a root canal and why should i get one?
Why is a root canal necessary?
Endodontic treatments are performed on teeth with deep cavities that cause inflammation or pulp necrosis. Other causes that lead to pulpitis or pulp inflammation include different traumas, abrasions, dental erosion and tooth wear due to teeth grinding (as in the case of bruxism) or because of certain restorative treatments and materials used.
What is an endodontic treatment?
An endodontic treatment, also known as root canal treatment, is a procedure whose aim is to keep a tooth in your mouth, that if not treated, should be extracted.
It’s indicated in cases when dental structure has suffered such an irreversible damage that affects the pulp -or nerve-.
Dental pulp is a soft tissue that consists of nerves and blood vessels. It’s covered by dentin and enamel and therefore, it’s responsible for receiving external stimuli.
If it became unprotected by dentin and enamel function, it could suffer damage that, if irreversible, could lead to tooth loss.
Pulp inflammation usually causes pain, that can have different levels and can occur in different occasions: in cases of increased sensitivity due to heat or cold stimuli, with certain postures, when eating or drinking and so on. The type of pain that we feel is the dentist’s sign to know if an endodontic treatment can be a solution to our problem.
Benefits of root canal treatment
It’s undoubtedly the best method to save a tooth. Let’s see all the benefits:
1- It’s necessary to save a tooth once a cavity has reached a nerve.
2- It helps remove microorganisms and dental infection.
3- It’s done in one session using local anesthesia in the tooth.
4- It’s the only definitive treatment capable of eliminating acute toothache pain permanently.
Frequently asked questions
Is it painful?
This procedure uses local anesthesia therefore, there should be no pain. Anyhow, this will depend on each patients’ pain tolerance. It mostly causes discomfort rather than pain.
Can they be performed on kids?
Yes they are, but only in specific cases, it depends if it is a temporal tooth or a permanent tooth. In the case of permanent teeth there are certain differences, if the root apex is closed or not.
How is the recovery like?
Generally, the days after the procedure you will experience some pain or discomfort while chewing that may last 2-5 days. Normally, a temporary filling is used until the definite reconstruction. A root canal tooth is more fragile, that’s why after a few months a tooth cap is placed in order to protect it and avoid any fracture.
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