What to Expect in Root Canal Therapy Treatment
It is a known fact that the idea of undergoing a root canal procedure can put fear into the mind of almost anyone you know.
Patients who have to undergo this treatment find themselves wishing that they could back out the last minute. Most people have a misplaced idea about the amount of pain and discomfort they have to endure during this procedure.
Root Canal Therapy is a common procedure that is used to get rid of bacteria and decayed or diseased tissue from an infected tooth’s root canal.
Root Canal Therapy 101
A root canal treatment is performed on an affected tooth to rule out chances of future reinfection within the tooth, and to save as much of the tooth as possible.
During a root canal procedure, the inflamed and infected pulp is taken out, and the inner part of your tooth is meticulously cleaned, filled, and sealed up.
This procedure is utilized to take out the nerves from the pulp of an infected tooth. Contrary to what people believe, a root canal procedure is a pain eradicating treatment.
A root canal treatment is painless and will ensure that you are back to chewing and eating without any discomfort in no time.
When Do You Need a Root Canal?
These are some of the symptoms that may indicate why you need a root canal:
- Any discolorations or darkening of the affected tooth or surrounding gum area
- A lengthy period of tooth sensitivity to hot or cold substances
- Severe toothaches during chewing or eating
- Swollen or tender gums around the affected tooth
- Pimples which appear on the gum
- Cracked or chipped tooth
What Does the Procedure Entail?
The procedure is typically executed in three steps and will take between one to three visits to our dentists in Gillette WY to complete. This is how the procedure works:
- Step 1- Cleaning Out Your Root Canal
Our dentist will initiate this procedure by first cleaning out your root canal. This step is carried out under local anesthesia to ensure that you do not experience any form of discomfort or pain during the procedure.
Our dentist will make a small access point on your tooth surface to enable easy access to your pulp within the root canal and to remove all the decayed, diseased, and dead tissue within your root canal.
This step will be meticulously handled. This is to ensure that all the dead and decaying tissue will be cleaned out of the affected tooth to curb any chances of future reinfections.
- Step 2- Fill Up the Root Canal
After removing all the dead tissue, our dentist will then clean up and decontaminate the hollow part left behind by using files and an irrigation provision.
Your tooth will then be shaped appropriately and filled up with a rubbery material (guttapercha) before sealing up the root canal using a sealer.
There are instances where the filling and sealing of the affected tooth will not take place on the same day, especially if a severe infection was discovered at the site. In this case, our dentist will send you home after placing medication within the root canal to clear out the infection.
If the tooth is not sealed on the same day, our dentist will put a temporary fill to keep out food particles and even saliva before your next dental visit.
- Step 3- Restoration
The last step will involve placing a crown and post on the affected tooth. This is done to protect and reinforce the tooth while restoring its functionality.
What Should You Expect After the Procedure?
Ideally, what happens after root canal therapy is that you will experience some minimal pain and sensitivity as the local anesthesia wears off. This should only last for a few days.
In any case, our dentist will prescribe some pain killers to keep you comfortable and cut down on inflammation during recovery.
You should refrain from consuming hard foods the procedure to allow for proper healing and sealing of the site.
Are There Any Other Options?
Although you have options such as tooth extraction that we can offer you to deal with the infected teeth, it is advisable to try and save your natural tooth where possible. This is because your natural teeth are stronger and allow you to eat what you like without any restrictions.
Tooth extraction is a more expensive alternative in the long run because you will require to get a denture, bridge or implant installed to restore your ability to chew and secure the adjacent teeth from shifting.
Contact us today at Mountain West Dental, and we will help you make the right choice.