A root canal is a hollow part of your tooth composed of the nerve tissue, blood vessels, and other cells also called the pulp. The pulp nourishes the tooth and keeps the surrounding material moisturized. Your tooth has a crown, which is above the gum, and the roots below it which attach your tooth to the jawbone. The dental procedure performed in the root canal is called endodontic therapy. This is carried out by an expert in endodontics in Providence.
What to Expect from a Root Canal Therapy?
This form of dental procedure takes between one and three sessions to complete. To start, the dentist pus the patient under local anesthesia. They remove everything inside the root canal by making a small access hole on the tooth’s surface. Second, the dentist cleans, shapes, and decontaminates the hollow area with tiny files and irrigation solutions. Then, they will fill the tooth with a rubber-like material using an adhesive cement to fully seal the canal.
The last part of the therapy is the addition of a crown or filling. After root canal therapy, the patient won’t feel any pain in the dead tooth. This is because the dentist has removed the nerve tissue and infection. But, this tooth is expected to be more fragile than it was before and become more brittle. Thus, it will need protection in the form of a crown or filling.
Is Root Canal Therapy for You?
An injured or diseased pulp cannot repair itself, causing the death of the tissue. The pulp can become prone to bacteria if the tooth cracks, has a deep cavity, or a loose filling. Eventually, the bacterial will destroy the pulp, causing bone infection.
When your pulp is injured, your tooth becomes sensitive to high and low temperatures. You may experience pain when chewing or continuous, throbbing pain. If you don’t address this injury immediately, the infection will spread. When this happens, your tooth will become loose and may require extraction. You can choose to get your affected tooth extracted if it hurts a lot or if restoration is not possible. But, tooth extraction may mean the surrounding teeth may begin to move and become crooked. Aside from changing the look of your smile, this can cause make it difficult to have a good bite. This is the reason many dentists suggest root canal therapy to save the tooth and eliminate the pain. If it is not possible to save the tooth, you can opt for an implant.