Despite having a reputation as one of the most feared and painful dental procedures, a root canal treatment is also one of the most useful and can mean the difference between keeping a tooth and losing it. A successful root canal treatment can also eliminate the need for extensive dental treatment in the future, which could save you a lot of time, money and most importantly, pain.
Root canals are necessary when a tooth has become infected and is either dying or already dead. In either case the pulp needs to be extracted from the centre of the tooth and replaced with a filling and possibly a crown. The removal of this infection will hopefully stop the spread of infection to other teeth. Root canals can also be used to remove painful tooth abscesses caused by infections.
The pulp and root of the tooth is where the extremely sensitive nerve endings are found, which is why root canals are considered to be painful, but with the correct anaesthetic there is no reason it should be any more painful than a regular filling. More than that, the removal of the infection and sealing of the cavity will prevent any further pain occurring in the tooth.
Once the dentist has numbed the gums with a jelly, he will then anaesthetize the area so that there is no feeling in the teeth, gums or soft tissue. They can then set about removing the infected pulp and filling the cavity with medicine and filling material. This is then sealed with a root canal cap, and a crown may possibly placed on top to preserve the integrity of the tooth.
Root canals are often the only option available to the dentist to save the tooth. If an infected tooth is not treated it will eventually die and fall out and may spread the infection to the other teeth. Bacteria form infected teeth can also enter the bloodstream causing further, more general, health complications and even heart disease.
If you are suffering form a toothache, or think you may have an infected tooth, consult a Central Leeds dentist as soon as possible and you might be able to prevent any further pain with a root canal treatment.
Tags: cavity, dental crown, root canal treatment, toothache
