About Root Canal Therapy

What is considered to be the most feared dental procedure? If you guessed, root canal you are correct. A survey that was conducted by the American Association of Endodontists reveals that most people with a fear of the dentist base their fear on someone else's experiences, not their own.

There are a lot major misconceptions about root canals.  This inaccurate information prevents patients from making an informed decision regarding their teeth. There are many patients that go as far as requesting that a tooth is extracted, rather than save it with a root canal.

The truth of the matter is that if the destructive process that causes a tooth to need a root canal is caught early enough, the process is not painful.  In most cases, by the time a person sees a dentist for a root canal the tooth has already been hurting and the infection has abscessed causing a potentially painful experience.  So what causes a tooth to need a root canal?  The presence of bacteria which causes the nerve to become infected, could be caused by an infected tooth, a cracked tooth or a deep cavity.

When the pulp is diseased or injured by these reasons and can't repair itself, and it dies.
After the dentist starts the root canal the nerve of the tooth or pulp is removed and the canal is cleaned and sealed off with a rubber material to protect it. The nerve nourishes and supplies blood to the tooth, so once it is removed the tooth becomes brittle and can easily break.  That is why most teeth require a crown after the root canal therapy so that the dentist can help make it stronger.

Root canal treatment is very important because the tooth will not heal by itself. Without this treatment, the infection will spread, bone around the tooth will begin to degenerate, and the tooth may fallout. It could also affect the surrounding teeth and bone around the infected area. Failure to treat an abscess can lead to serious infection as the pus spreads.

What Are the Common Signs That a Root Canal Is Needed?

In some cases, there are no symptoms present that would make you aware that a root canal is needed; however, here are several symptoms that a commonly associated with needing a root canal:

1. Severe toothache pain when chewing or applying pressure

2. Lingering sensitivity/pain to heat or cold temperatures (after the hot or cold has been removed)

3. Discoloration (a darkening) of the tooth (Usually after trama involving being hit)

4. Swelling and tenderness in the gums surrounding a tooth

5. A persistent or recurring pimple-like area on the gums