Root canal therapy is a dental procedure dentists recommend for addressing infections in the tooth’s core. These infections occur when bacterial acid erodes the tooth’s surface and reaches its pulp, causing inflammation and intense pain. Root canal therapy involves accessing the tooth and removing the infected portion of the pulp. This eliminates all bacteria in the infected tooth and prevents reinfection. Contact Columbia River Dental for professional and expedient root canal therapy.
The root canal process starts with an evaluation of your oral health. The dentist will examine your teeth and gums before taking X-rays to determine the extent of the infection. Only patients with severe dental decay get the green light to proceed. If you have severe dental decay, the dentist will inject a local anesthetic into the gums near the surrounding region.
Next, the dentist will use a rubber dam to isolate the affected teeth. This isolation helps prevent saliva from flowing to the teeth and disrupting the procedure. Once the rubber dam is in place, they’ll use a drill to create an access hole to the root canals on the top surface of the affected tooth.
With the holes in place, the dentist will use special tools and files to remove the infected pulp from the pulp chamber in the root canals. They’ll then shape the canals to create space for the filling material. Next, the dentist will flush the canals with an antimicrobial solution to eliminate bacteria completely.
Finally, the dentist will fill the access hole with a thermoplastic filling material called gutta-percha. This prevents the entry of bacteria into the access hole. Lastly, the dentist will use a temporary filling to maintain the tooth while waiting for the final restoration. Patients left with inadequate tooth structure after the process might get dental crowns installed on the affected tooth.
Yes, root canal therapy will weaken your tooth since it involves removing the infected portions, leaving only part of the tooth intact. Dentists will recommend dental restoration to strengthen the tooth, depending on how much you have left. Some of these restorations include dental crowns or onlays.
Although dental extractions eliminate cavity-causing bacteria, they might not be the best treatment option for dental decay. Dentists recommend retaining all your natural teeth whenever possible. Tooth extractions necessitate expensive restorations like implants to replace the extracted teeth.
Once the anesthetic wears off, you’ll likely feel some pain and discomfort in the affected area that you can mitigate with painkillers. The region will also feel tender for the first three days following the procedure. The affected tooth should heal after a week, and you can resume your normal diet and daily activities.