A root canal is performed to save a severely damaged or infected tooth from being removed. Let’s know about the root canal in detail.

What Is a Root Canal?

Root Canal means cleaning of canals from inside the tooth’s root. Earlier, this treatment was relatively painful. However, with the advancement in technology and local anesthesia, the pain has reduced significantly.

request an appointment

When Would You Need a Root Canal?

A tooth has a soft core known as dental pulp, and it extends from the crown to the tip of the tooth root. The pulp consists of blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissues. When a tooth is cracked or infected with a deep cavity, harmful bacteria enter the pulp.

When it is left untreated, bacteria cause severe infections or tooth abscesses. The pulp dies, and you may even lose bone and eventually the tooth. After this, you might experience symptoms like swelling around the face and neck, a hole in the tooth, severe tooth pain, swollen gums, and temperature sensitivity.

Procedure for Root Canal Treatment

An endodontist or a general dentist usually performs a root canal treatment. It takes one or two dental visits as, during the first one, a dental X-ray is taken to determine the extent of the damage. Then, the dentist provides you with local anesthesia to control the pain you might experience during the procedure.

A small hole is drilled in the mouth to remove the decay and clean it appropriately.

After the pulp is removed, the root canal is flushed and cleaned thoroughly to ensure no bacteria is left there. The dentist then prepares it for permanent fillings, and the teeth are left for drying on their own. After the filling, you might need to avoid biting and chewing your teeth until fully treated and restored.

Aftercare for Root Canal

After the dentist has restored the root canal, you need to follow good dental hygiene to make it last for a lifetime. The first few days after the root canal, you might experience a sensitive tooth, and you might also feel pain after local anesthesia wears off. For reducing the pain, the dentist will also prescribe you antibiotics.

Lowery Smiles, located in Cary, NC, has expert dentists and the latest amenities for treatment. Call Dentist in Cary, NC at (919) 468-5501 and schedule an appointment.