A Step-By-Step Guide to Root Canal Treatment

If you occasionally feel severe toothache, tooth sensitivity, gum swelling, or pus from your tooth, you might have a root canal infection. Unknown to most people, a root canal is a part of the tooth. The tooth is made up of the root and its crown. Inside the crown and the tooth root resides the tooth pulp. This pulp provides moisture and nourishment for the tooth. Unfortunately, this pulp and the tooth’s nerve can be damaged by cavities, tooth decay, injury, or fracture of the tooth. This makes the tooth pulp and nerve inflamed, irritated, and infected, thereby halting the functions of the pulp. When this happens, a root canal treatment (commonly referred to as root canal) is needed to save the tooth and protect your oral health.

A root canal treatment, also known as endodontic treatment, is carried out to repair and save a gravely infected or damaged tooth instead of extraction. An unfinished or unprofessional previous tooth repair might cause infection to a tooth’s nerve and pulp. When this happens, the infected pulp and nerve need to be removed, and the root canal cleaned and sealed. A root canal treatment should be carried out immediately after its symptoms begin to manifest. Failure or delay in getting treatment can cause other tooth tissue to be affected and result in abscesses. People used to avoid getting root canal treatment a long time ago because it was notorious for the pain that came with it. However, advancements in dentistry and anesthesia have made it possible to have a root canal treatment with little or no pain. Living with the infected tooth pulp and the nerve is probably more painful than a root canal treatment could ever be.

Symptoms of an Infected Root Canal

When your tooth pulp and nerve are infected, the following are the symptoms you will see:

• Neck and facial swelling.
• Holes in the tooth.
• Gum swelling.
• Severe toothache.
• Tooth temperature sensitivity.
• Pus-like discharge.
• Tooth discoloration.
• Intense pain when chewing or speaking.

Root Canal Treatment Procedure

Before you can get a root canal treatment, a dental x-ray has to confirm that you have an infected root canal and assess the extent of the damage. To get a diagnosis, you can visit a dental clinic in North Brunswick, NJ, or any dental clinic that offers a root canal near you.

You will be given local anesthesia to ease pain, then a dental device called a dental dam is put in your mouth. This dental dam helps to keep the tooth protected, clean, and free of saliva. Existing decay is removed, and your dentist drills through your tooth to access the root canals and pulp chamber. Your dentist then uses small dental instruments to clean out your pulp chamber and root canal, removing the infected pulp. Antibacterial and antiseptic solutions are then used to clean and disinfect the canals, thereby eliminating bacteria and infections. Your dentist shapes your root canal to hold dental fillings, cleans it again, and fills it up with dental fillings. A dentist in North Brunswick, NJ, then fills the hole through which the root canal was accessed to prevent bacterial infections. A dentist near 08902 might prescribe antibiotics and painkillers. The antibiotics help kill off the rest of the infection, and painkillers help alleviate pain.

A permanent crown made to match the color of your existing natural teeth is placed on the tooth, and functionality returns.

Benefits of a Root Canal Treatment

• A root canal treatment helps to save your tooth from extraction.
• It stops the spread of infection to other teeth.
• It is efficient and cost-effective.
• The procedure involves little or no pain at all.
• It relieves pain.
• It improves your dental appearance.