Getting A Root Canal: Here’s What You Need To Know!

What is actually a root canal? What is its procedure? Do you need to get it done? If you have all these varied questions related to root canals, you have come to the right place. In this blog, we will precisely let you know what you need to know before you get a root canal.

Sometimes, when bacteria enter the pulp of your tooth, it can cause infection. In such a case, root canal treatment is necessary to save the tooth. The procedure is quite simple—the infected part is removed, and then the tooth is sealed to prevent any further infection.

How Does Root Canal Treatment Work?

The purpose of the root canal procedure is to remove the infected pulp from a tooth and sealing it again. The pulp is inflamed when infected by bacteria, which causes sharp pain and discomfort. Trained dental professionals do the whole process, and the main goal is to relieve patients’ pain that is caused due to that infected pulp.

In this treatment, the whole tooth is cleaned from the inside and disinfected. After it is thoroughly cleaned, a dental filling is placed to seal the space and the tooth.

The anatomy of a tooth consists of the crown and the root, or pulp. The upper part of the tooth is the crown, and the region below the gum is the root. The root, or pulp, contains nerve tissue and other cells. It is possible to suffer serious oral health problems if this pulp becomes infected.

Root canal treatment is actually endodontic treatment, which means it’s an “inside the tooth” dental treatment.

When Do You Need A Root Canal Treatment?

You require root canal treatment when oral bacteria has gotten inside the tooth and has infected the soft pulp inside. This situation is expected when you leave a cavity untreated for a long time. There could also be other reasons, like the tooth might be cracked or damaged in some accident.

What Preparation Should Be Made For Root Canal Treatment?

Here are some things that you can do before going for your root canal treatment.

1. Do not smoke: Smoking tobacco doesn’t allow your body’s healing ability to work correctly. Thus, avoid smoking a few days before your root canal appointment.
2. Take the prescribed medications: Your dentist might prescribe you antibiotics or some other medications a few days before the treatment. This is done when your tooth is badly infected.
3. Eat healthy meals: Try to keep a healthy diet. It is always recommended to have a healthy diet before any treatment, as it helps your body function in optimal condition and stays stable when heavy medications like local anaesthesia are used on it.

What Are The Steps Of A Root Canal Procedure?

There are three steps in this entire process of getting a root canal. It takes 2 or 3 sessions to complete the whole procedure. The steps are as stated below.

• Cleaning and disinfecting the root canal:

The dentist cleans the root canal and removes any infectious parts inside it. The patient is injected with local anaesthesia, and then the surgeon makes a small hole in the tooth to access the dead or infected pulp.

• Filling the root canal:  

In this step, the dentist cleans all the infection inside the tooth and decontaminates it.

Your dentist will use very tiny files to carefully shape and clean the affected parts of your tooth. After it is cleaned properly, they fill the hole with a rubber-like substance and seal the canal completely.

• Adding the crown or filling:

Upon removing the pulp from a tooth, it becomes brittle and weak. Thus, a protective layer or crown filling is necessary to use the tooth like before. Until the packing is done, the patient shouldn’t chew or eat with the infected tooth.

Is Root Canal Treatment Common?

Root canals are very common, and almost 15 million root canals are performed every year. Surveys state that 41,000 root canals are done in a single day and that most people require them at some point in their life.

Does Getting A Root Canal Hurt?

Most people believe that they will have tooth pain after root canal treatment, but when the infected pulp is removed, most people get instant relief. However, if you feel any pain or discomfort, you should get in touch with your dentist.

The Benefits Of Having A Root Canal

There are many benefits of choosing a root canal. Some of them are:

1. It prevents any infection from spreading to the other teeth.
2. You don’t need a tooth extraction.
3. Reduced risk of jawbone damage.
4. No more issues caused by infected teeth.

How Can You Prevent Tooth Infections?

Prevention is no doubt, always better than cure, and thus, to ensure that you don’t end up with tooth decay or tooth infections, here are some things dentists recommend:-

• Brush your teeth twice daily.
• It is better to use toothpaste containing fluoride.
• Avoiding too much sugar from drinks and candies.
• Replace the worn-out toothbrush on time.
• Regular flossing of teeth.
• Get your oral health checked at regular intervals.

Estimate Cost Of Getting A Root Canal Treatment

The cost of any dental treatment varies, and that is because different people have different dental situations. A root canal is much more cost-efficient than having the tooth extracted.

If you need any assistance regarding root canal treatment contact us for best advice and treatment.