Root Canal: Causes and ProcedureA root canal is a routine treatment used to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or becomes infected.During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed. Without treatment, the tissue surrounding the tooth will become infected and abscesses may form. Causes and Symptoms: A tooth's nerve and pulp can become irritated, inflamed, and infected due to deep decay, repeated dental procedures on a tooth, and/or large fillings, a crack or chip in the tooth, or trauma to the face. Sometimes no symptoms are present; however, signs you may need a root canal include:
Root Canal Process: 1. Getting a root canal is a process that starts with consulting and acquiring a doctor or endodontic therapist/dentist. This is where you would diagnose your condition and decide what is ultimately needed.2. The first step in the procedure is to take an X-ray to see the shape of the root canals and determine if there are any signs of infection in a surrounding bone. Your dentist or endodontist will then use local anesthesia to numb the area near the tooth. 3. Next, to keep the area dry and free of saliva during treatment, your dentist will place a rubber dam (a sheet of rubber) around the tooth. 4. Drill into the center of the tooth, accessing the nerve chamber. The nerve of a tooth resides in the crown(part of the tooth seen in the mouth) as well as in the roots(part of the tooth anchored in the jaw bone). 5. Locate the separate nerve openings into the root areas of each tooth. The number of nerves varies with each tooth type, generally increasing in number from front to back teeth. 6. Clean the nerve canals with specialized instruments. There are 2 types: Hand instrument(hand files) Held with the dentist's fingers and worked by hand to clean and shape the nerve chamber; and Rotary Files(Placed into special dental drills that skillfully clean and shape the tooth's interior). 7. Irrigate (rinse) the debris from inside the root canal system after each file is used. The irrigate solution most often used is sodium hypochlorite. It disinfects the interior of the tooth, as well as, washes debris from the interior. 8. Once the interior of the tooth is clean and properly shaped, the canals must be dried of all moisture. 9. Fill the nerve chamber. Generally guttapercha is used as a filler in conjunction with an antibacterial cement.(Guttapercha is a rubbery substance) It seals the inside of the tooth preventing bacteria from repopulating the internal portion of the tooth, thus concluding the root canal process. Prevention: Since some of the reasons why the nerve of a tooth and its pulp become inflamed and infected are due to deep decay, repeated dental procedures on a tooth and/or large fillings, following good oral hygiene practices such as: brushing twice a day, flossing at least once a day, and scheduling regular dental visits, may reduce the need for a root canal procedure. Trauma resulting from a sports-related injury can be reduced by wearing a mouth guard. If you think you might need a root canal, come visit our office immediately for a diagnostic to prevent further decay and discomfort! Contact us to schedule an appointment. |
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