Dental News

What You Need to Know Before a Root Canal

April 4, 2016

Root canal therapy will help—not hurt—your teeth.

What You Need to Know Before a Root CanalHave you been told you need a root canal? Before you get scared or upset, take a moment to learn a bit about how expert dentists use root canal therapy to help their patients.

A Root Canal Can Save Your Tooth

The purpose of root canal therapy is to remove infected and damaged tissue from inside the pulp chamber and the roots of the tooth. This prevents the kind of ongoing damage that would otherwise eventually lead to the loss of your tooth.

Even if Pain Fades, You Still Need the Root Canal

For most people, the first hint that they might need a root canal is a toothache, caused by infection of the nerves and blood vessels inside the tooth. However, as the infection progresses the pain may actually abate, leading some people to mistakenly conclude they no longer need the procedure. What has really happened is the pulp inside the tooth has died. The infection is still present and still needs treatment.

Root Canal Therapy Shouldn’t Be Painful

Many people think root canal therapy sounds really scary and painful. In reality, the procedure should not be any more uncomfortable than having a cavity filled. Your dentist will make sure your tooth and the surrounding gum area are numb before beginning the procedure, and you will be given advice about medication to take afterwards to relieve any minor soreness or sensitivity during healing.

You May Need More than One Appointment

In many cases, you will initially receive a temporary filling on the tooth that has had the root canal. You will need to return for a permanent filling or crown at a separate appointment. When this happens, it is essential to take special care of the tooth between visits to avoid damaging the temporary filling or the tooth.

Your Dentist’s Skill Matters

Root canal therapy is a highly specialized practice area, so it really is important to choose an endodontist (root canal expert) who has the specific training, experience, and equipment to provide top-quality treatment.

Root canal failures are becoming increasingly rare, but when they do occur it is often due to a mistake on the dentist’s part. For example, a dentist might not get all of the infected material out of the tooth chamber or might miss one of the roots of the tooth, or might not properly sterilize and fill the tooth after the procedure. Any of these errors could lead to reinfection. However, skilled endodontists are not likely to make these errors because they have specialized flexible files for removing infected material, high-res imaging equipment for locating all tooth roots, and high-quality procedures for protecting the tooth with a crown afterwards.

If you would like to learn more about getting root canal therapy from one of the talented endodontists at California Dental Group, please contact us today.

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