¿What is a root canal?
Inside your tooth, underneath the enamel
and dentin layers, is located the pulp:
a soft tissue that contains the nerves,
veins, arteries and the lymphatic system
of the tooth. Root canals are very
small; thin divisions that branch off
from the top pulp chamber down to the
tip of the root. A tooth has at least
one but no more than four root canals.
Why does my tooth hurts?
When the pulp becomes infected due to a
deep cavity or fractures that allows
bacteria to seep in, or injury due to
trauma, it can die. Damaged or dead pulp
causes increased blood flow and cellular
activity, and pressure cannot be
relieved from inside the tooth. Pain in
the tooth is commonly felt when biting
down, chewing on it and applying hot or
cold foods and drinks.
¿Why do I need a root canal on that
tooth?
An infected nerve won’t heal by itself.
If left unattended, the infection may
spread to the bone around the root and
you could even loose that tooth. Pain
will get worse, until you will have to
find emergency dental care. Some times
the only alternative is to extract the
tooth, which can produce the adjacent
teeth to move and produce a bad bite.
Though an extraction is cheaper, the
space left behind will require an
implant or a bridge, which can be more
expensive than root canal therapy. If
you have the choice, it's always best to
keep your original teeth.
How is root canal treatment
performed?
With state of the art technology today
most root canal treatments can be
realized in one appointment. The patient
is given local anesthesia on the tooth,
using special instruments and
medications the sick tissue is removed
and the space is filled with gutta
percha, to prevent recontamination. Some
times it is necessary to leave medicines
inside the tooth to fight bacteria and
help the tissue deflate and filled the
tooth in the next appointment. If the
tooth remnant structure is too weak it
may be necessary to rebuild the tooth
with a post and a crown to protect it
from fractures.
What are the risks and complications?
More than 95 percent of root canal
treatments are successful. However,
sometimes a case needs to be redone due
to diseased canal offshoots that went
unnoticed or the fracturing of a
canal-filing instrument used-both of
which rarely occur. Occasionally, a root
canal therapy will fail altogether,
marked by a return of pain.
What happens after treatment?
Natural tissue inflammation may cause
discomfort for a few days, which can be
controlled by an over-the-counter
analgesic. A follow-up exam can monitor
tissue healing. From this point on,
brush and floss regularly, avoid chewing
hard foods on the treated tooth, and see
your dentist regularly.
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