What Happens When You Get A Root Canal?
Root canals have been denoted as a painful and all-around unpleasant dental procedure for years. Dental patients often quiver when just hearing the words root canal, yet the procedure is not nearly as painful and invasive as many believe it to be.
Historically, root canals were a major undertaking and left patients in severe pain. But fantastic advances in modern dentistry have made these procedures much easier and relatively painless.
What Do Root Canals Fix?
Root canals have a variety of uses in dentistry, the most common being repairs to a tooth facing severe decay or infection or a serious injury such as a chip or crack to the tooth. Root canals fix these problems and others by removing any inflamed pulp in the tooth, cleaning and disinfecting the tooth’s interior, and sealing the removed areas with a filling. These steps can prevent further infections that could lead to serious oral health issues while also protecting the nerves in your gums from discomfort in the future.
Steps of a Root Canal
Many patients find themselves anxious or uncertain when entering their root canal appointment. A great way to undo some of this stress is by learning more about the process itself and knowing exactly what to expect when dentists begin their root canal procedures. Below are the steps of the root canal process:
X-rays are used to determine the severity of the damage or infection of the impacted tooth. This also allows the team to determine if other teeth are battling infections.
As stated earlier, patients often fear the rumors of pain during a root canal. Luckily, local anesthesia helps numb the area being worked on to the point that the procedure is nearly painless.
A large rubber sheet is placed around the interior of your mouth, only exposing the tooth that is being worked on by dentists.
Now that the prep work is completed, the procedure will be underway. First off, the tooth will be drilled into creating a small hole to remove materials, including nerve endings and pulp. Afterward, the interior of the tooth will be deeply cleaned and disinfected.
All teeth will be sealed after a root canal, but some patients may be required to wait about a week to return for a sealing appointment. This is based on the severity of the infection and damage and whether medication is needed to clear infections. This process will either take place immediately after the tooth has been cleaned or approximately a week later. Even if you are asked to return back to have the tooth sealed, dentists will still place a temporary filling in the tooth in the meantime.
Visit Gentle Family Dentistry Dental Care For Your Root Canal
Even patients with terrific oral hygiene may need a root canal at one point. If you find yourself looking for a dental practice that will keep your comfort and oral health in mind during your root canal procedure, visit Gentle Family Dentistry at one of our three locations in Madison, Augusta, or Winslow Maine! We are currently accepting new patients, contact us today.