A root canal is a dentistry procedure that can help save your natural tooth from deep infection. This procedure can also help prevent reinfection in the future. To explain the procedure in simple terms, the inflamed/infected pulp is removed from deep in your tooth, and then the areas is cleaned thoroughly and disinfected. After this, the space is filled and sealed.

Although historically dramatized, a root canal is not much more complicated or painful than a routine filling. The procedure is very similar, but a root canal just involves a deeper level of infection than a filling. The root canal can be finished in one or two appointments, and there isn’t much recovery involved.

Root canals have a number of benefits, and there really isn’t a reason to get one if you require one. They can increase the efficiency of your chewing, provide a natural appearance to the tooth, return your normal biting force and sensation, and also protect your other teeth from strain and excessive wear.

There are a number of symptoms that can indicate the need for a root canal. There are visible symptoms such as pimples on the gums, chipped or cracked teeth, and darkening of the gums. Sensory symptoms include tender gums, sensitivity to hot and cold stimulation that lingers, and intense pain when chewing or biting. Some of these symptoms are also indicative of a regular cavity, so if you are experiencing any of these, it is best to be evaluated by your dentist.

Root canals can be required for a number of reasons. Often, they result from a deep cavity that has extended into the pulp of the tooth. Similarly, they can arise due to issues with a previous filling; if done improperly, a filling can actually trap bacteria inside the tooth, resulting in further decay upwards towards the root of the tooth. Cracked teeth can also require a root canal because they expose deep tooth tissues to bacteria in the air and mouth.

Everyone can be susceptible to a root canal, even if you take good care of your teeth, so it isn’t something to be embarrassed amount. Millions of root canals are performed every year, and you’ll be back to normal life, pain free, in less than a few days.

If you require a root canal or just want some additional information, click here.