The Process of Root Canal Explained

It is a dental procedure that restores the health of a tooth by working on it internally. Instead of rectifying the external parts of a tooth, root canal treatment dwells on the central part. The tooth comprises of different layers. The topmost layer is the enamel, which protrudes from the gums. Beneath it is the dentin. The central part of a tooth composes of the pulp chamber. The chamber houses soft tissues of the tooth that keep it alive. The soft tissues include nerve endings and blood vessels. These soft tissues are paramount for the growth and development of a healthy tooth.

However, once a tooth is fully grown, it can survive on its own. The removal of the pulp contents does not affect the health of that tooth. In that case, the root canal procedure does not further the damage of a tooth. Rather, by removing the pulp, it frees the tooth from damage.

If you can prevent your teeth from incurring damage, it is the best course of action. However, root canal therapy is the alternative you turn to salvage your tooth before the damage progresses. Different patients qualify for root canal therapy. However, a Huntington beach dentist must first examine the state of your teeth before recommending the treatment. Some of the situations that can merit root canal include:

• Dental decay – it happens to be the most common cause of tooth damage. Most root canal procedures are performed for patients with dental decay. The process of decay starts with cavities on teeth. Eventually, the cavities make way for food residues and bacteria to get into the inside of a tooth. This then leads to damage to the nerves and blood vessels.
• Impacted teeth – root canal for front teeth are also a common occurrence in dentistry. When your mouth is impacted externally, the pressure of the impact can get to the teeth. This impact can damage the pulp chamber of your teeth. Sometimes, the impact of the tooth can leave it undamaged externally but damaged internally.
• Cracked and broken teeth – comparing a crown vs root canal for cracked and broken teeth is only possible when talking of external tooth damage. Dental crowns can cover up the external flaws of a tooth and improve its appearance. However, when the crack or breakage caused internal damage, a root canal is the best way around the oral problem.

A dentist open on Saturday will walk you through what a root canal treatment entails. However, it is important to research ahead of time about what the process entails. The steps of the process you should expect for your treatment include the following:

• Local anesthesia – sedation before your root canal procedure is paramount. The process can be painful, given its access to the nerves of your tooth. The local anesthesia will numb your mouth so you do not feel pain during the process. Other forms of sedation may also be employed to help you stay calm through dental works.
• Drilling – it creates a small hole on your tooth. The hole becomes the access point for reaching the central parts of your tooth.
• Cleaning the root canal – all the contents of your pulp chamber are cleaned out. The cleaning involves removal of infection, bacteria and any food residues that might be present in your tooth. In this very process, your root canal will be shaped and decontaminated of any bacteria before the next step.
• Filling the root canal – the emptied canal has to be filled to replace the damaged pulp of your tooth. A rubber-like material is used for this role.
• Crowning – the final step involves covering the external part of the tooth. This effort helps close off the drilled access hole as well as the cavities. If the tooth’s enamel was damaged by the decay, a dental crown is used. Otherwise, a dental filling can be used.