Root Canal Treatment: Save Your Tooth and Relieve Pain

Despite its bad reputation, root canal treatment is a safe and effective procedure to save infected teeth. It involves removing the damaged tooth pulp, disinfecting and cleaning the tooth’s roots and then filling them with a rubber-like material.

With the patient under local anesthesia, your dentist makes an access hole in the tooth and removes bacteria, dead or dying pulp tissue. The empty tooth and root canal dentist Raleigh NC spaces are cleaned, shaped and decontaminated with tiny files before being filled.

Symptoms

Pain while chewing or biting down is a common sign that a tooth requires root canal treatment. The pain may also appear after consuming hot or cold liquids. Pain that persists should be evaluated by an endodontic specialist, as it may indicate the presence of a serious infection in the pulp inside your tooth.

Sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages is normal, but persistent sensitivity can be a sign of an infected nerve within your tooth. The symptom could also be due to damage to the crown or root.

A change in the color of a natural tooth is another sign that you have an infection. If the tooth darkens or turns gray, it means that the internal tissue is dying and needs to be cleansed.

Swelling in the gums around a tooth can also be a sign of an infection that requires root canal treatment. The swelling often forms a pimple-like bump, known as a fistula. The bump allows the infection to drain and reduces pain but does not cure the underlying issue.

Diagnosis

Often, a root canal dentist Raleigh NC is recommended when a tooth pulp becomes infected. The infected area may be visible as a bump on the gums that looks like a pimple or a dark discoloration of a tooth. Pain when chewing or sensitivity to hot and cold are also common signs of infection.

The dentist takes x-rays to get a clear picture of the area and see how far the infection has spread. It is important to catch the infection before it goes too deep, as it could lead to more serious problems and require a more invasive procedure.

To treat the infected tooth, the dentist first numbs the area with local anaesthetic. Then, a rubber sheet (known as a dam) is placed over the affected tooth to keep it dry and free from saliva during treatment. The dentist then cleans and shapes the damaged tooth’s interior canals, removes bacteria, and fills them with a biocompatible material, usually gutta-percha. The access hole is then sealed and the tooth restored with a filling or crown.

Treatment

With the help of local anesthesia, your provider numbs your infected tooth and gum area. Then, they create a small shield that isolates the area to keep it dry and clean during treatment.

With a drill and other dental tools, they make a small opening in the tooth’s crown to access the inner pulp tissue. Then, they remove the dead nerves, blood vessels and tissues from inside the tooth’s chamber and canals. They also clean and disinfect the empty tooth and its root canals. Then, they fill them with a rubber-like material called gutta-percha to seal it against bacteria.

Afterward, your dentist may fit it with a dental crown to support and protect the tooth from further decay. The final step is restoring the bite (the way your teeth fit together when you chew). A tooth extraction leaves a gap that can cause your other teeth to shift, leading to TMJ and occlusion problems. Instead, a repaired and capped tooth can look, feel and function just like your natural teeth.

Recovery

As with any dental procedure, there is a recovery process after root canal dentist Raleigh NC treatment. You will experience some pain, discomfort, and swelling, but this is typically mild. Follow any post-treatment instructions provided by your dentist, and be sure to take prescription or over-the-counter pain relievers as directed.

Chewing on the tooth may cause pain and/or damage during this time, so it’s important to stick with a soft food diet. Some good options include soup, mashed potatoes, yoghurt, and smoothies. You can also use ice packs and elevate your head while sleeping to reduce pain and swelling.

After removing the infected tooth pulp, your dentist will disinfect the area and fill it with gutta-percha, a rubber-like material. The tooth will then be capped with a dental crown to protect it. Once the tooth is restored, you should be able to eat and chew normally. It’s important to see your dentist regularly to ensure that your tooth is healing properly.