It sounds like a medieval torture, but a root canal is a really painless and efficient way of freeing a tooth of infection. A Leeds Central dentist explains that a root canal is a very special way of saving a tooth that usually would have been lost. It all comes down to infections, which are usually caused by bad bacteria getting into the inner chamber of the tooth. This can be through infected gums or most likely a crack in the tooth itself, once in there the infection tends to keep coming back. Your dentist needs to get right to the centre of the problem, so they will start off with a little gel on the gums to deaden the sensation of the needle for the local anaesthetic. Then they will drill out the centre of the tooth and it will look like you have a hollow tooth, next will come some scraping of the infected area to get out the root of the bacteria build up. Next they will treat the area with an intense light that kills off any bacteria still lurking around. The hole is then filled in with a specially prepared filler, which contains not just a hard material to replace your enamel, but an anti bacterial formula to keep future infections away. The crack will also disappear and you will be able to use the tooth as soon as the soreness wears off in a few days, the important thing is that the tooth will be saved.
Tags: bacteria, infection, root canal treatment
