What is a Root Canal?

Has your tooth been causing you a great deal of pain lately? Has the same tooth seen two or more fillings? Did the dentist show great concern about whether or not a decayed tooth was a good fit for a traditional filling? In situations like these, it may be recommended that the patient receive something called a ‘root canal’. These procedures are very common in the field of dentistry and can help to save a tooth that might otherwise not last. Without this care, in many instances, there is a danger of infection and abscess.

In the center of the tooth, there is a natural filling, within which is the tooth’s nerve. It is this tiny sensory tissue that feels hot or cold, yet the tiny nerve is no longer an essential part of the tooth once it has grown in a matured. As a result, a damaged nerve can actually deteriorate within the tooth, causing the growth of bacteria and the potential for serious infection and abscess. In these instances, a root canal procedure will, most likely, be the recommended course of action.

During a root canal, which is traditionally preformed right in the dentist’s office, the dentist (or endodontist) will take an x-ray to get a clear picture of the canal and will then put in place tools to keep the area dry. He or she will likely opt for some form of anesthesia to keep the patient calm during the procedure. Finally, there will be a hole drilled into the tooth, from which the nerve and damaged tissue will be removed. Infection will be treated, if necessary, and then, within a week of the initial procedure, the tooth will be sealed.

To read more about this procedure, you can visit http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/dental-root-canals?page=1