What You Should Know About Root Canal Therapy

04/21/2013 by admin in Endodontics

You’ve probably heard the term root canal before. You’ve likely heard about root canal therapy from mentions and depiction in the media, which tend to spread misconceptions about the procedure and what it entails. Yes, it can be uncomfortable and lead to sensations of soreness, but modern technology and techniques have made allowed patients to experience far less discomfort during the procedure an afterward.

The team here would like to take a few brief moments to examine the basics of root canal therapy and how it can be of benefit to you. When you stop by our San Diego cosmetic dentistry center, we will be able to address all of your concerns in greater detail.

The Anatomy of a Tooth

Inside of every tooth beneath the outer layer of enamel and the inner later of dentin, there is a hollow chamber. Within this chamber is the dental pulp of the tooth. This dental pulp is a soft tissue full of nerves and blood vessels, which help keep the tooth healthy. During regular dental visits, our La Jolla cosmetic and restorative dentists always take great care of the enamel and dentin layers of the teeth to ensure the pulp chamber remains concealed.

Infections of the Dental Pulp

In cases of serious tooth decay or tooth damage, bacteria that naturally occurs inside of the mouth can spread into the pulp chamber and infect the dental pulp. This infection of dental pulp can be quite painful and quite serious. Left untreated, the infection can spread to the gum tissue, the jawbone, and other teeth.

That’s why undergoing general dental care treatments such as root canal therapy are so important. Root canal therapy will remove the infected dental pulp and manage the infection, saving the tooth from extraction and protecting your dental health for the future.

The Root Canal Procedure

During this restorative dentistry treatment, a dentist will first access the pulp chamber of the tooth. The infected pulp is then removed from the tooth and the pulp chamber sterilized to make sure that it is free from any bacteria. Once the chamber is properly sterilized, the tooth is then filled with a safe inert material to ensure that the tooth remains strong. The treated tooth is then capped with a dental crown to protect the tooth from further harm.

What to Expect After a Root Canal

Following root canal therapy, patients will notice soreness and tenderness of the treated tooth. This discomfort is tolerable and can be managed with prescribed or recommended pain medication.

Patients should avoid eating crunchy foods or hard foods to prevent unnecessary pain, and we also recommend avoiding hot or cold foods and beverages since the teeth will be particularly sensitive to extremes in temperature.

Other Options for Advanced Dental Care Treatment

In some cases, a tooth may be too severely decayed or infected to be saved, which means that extraction is the only ideal option. Following a tooth extraction, patients may be eligible to receive San Diego dental implants to support a dental crown or a dental bridge. We’ll be sure to cover these matters in greater detail during the consultation process.

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