If you have a deep toothache or abscess, your dentist may tell you a root canal treatment is needed to relieve your pain and save your tooth. A root canal is a routine dental procedure that's necessary when the pulp of your tooth is infected due to tooth decay, a crack in a crown, or a tooth injury. Here is some more information you may want to know.
How Root Canal Treatment Saves Your Tooth
When the pulp of your tooth is infected, it is very painful because the pulp contains nerve endings that are constantly irritated. Since the pulp is sealed behind the enamel of your tooth, the only way to treat the infection is to pull out the tooth pulp and all or to just remove the pulp. That's the purpose of a root canal. The dentist drills into your tooth and scrapes out all the infected material, disinfects the inside of the tooth, and then replaces the pulp with a rubber-like material. Even though the pulp is rich with blood vessels, the loss of the pulp won't affect the blood flow to your surrounding tissues since there are still plenty of nearby vessels to handle the job. With the infection removed and the root of your tooth clean and stabilized, the enamel of the tooth is ready for restoration.
Why A Root Canal Is Better Than Extraction
The only alternative to a root canal …show more content…
You are given a local anesthetic for the treatment just like you receive when you get a filling or have a tooth pulled. This prevents pain during the root canal, and once the infected pulp and nerves are out, the toothache pain will be gone too. So, after the procedure, you'll be in less pain than you were before. If you have a pain or dental phobia, talk to the dentist about your situation. There are medications your dentist may suggest using such as nitrous oxide gas or an anti-anxiety pill or IV that will help you be more