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Did your dentist tell you that you might need a root canal? Here, our dentists in Winnipeg discuss this dental procedure including the reasons why you may need a root canal and what you can expect.
Why You May Need a Root Canal
Inside your tooth there is a pulp, that can get infected with bacteria for reasons such as a traumatic injury or a deep cavity. Only your dentist will be able to assess the tooth and determine if you need root canal surgery because your tooth's pulp could be damaged without showing any signs of being cracked or chipped.
Root canal therapy can also be called endodontics and it can restore a tooth that has a severe infection on the inside. Without a root canal, the tooth will die and you will have to have it removed. Missing teeth can cause complex dental problems that can be hard, time-consuming, and expensive to correct. So it is always best to save a tooth with a root canal if it's possible.
A root canal can help maintain your tooth and relieve the following symptoms:
Severe Toothache Pain
If the tooth pulp is infected, it will often feel painful. You may notice sharp pain whenever you apply pressure to the tooth, such as during chewing. There also might be sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures.
Bump on the Gums
Also called a dental cyst, this small, pimple-like bump builds on the gums near a tooth that might require a root canal. Dental cysts form around the roots of a decayed or infected tooth. They can also develop if the pulp of a tooth is infected.
Darkening of the Tooth
Infected pulp can make a tooth darken in colour as a result of internal damage. If you see that one of your teeth is a darker shade than the rest, there could be a problem with the inner pulp.
The Root Canal Process
With modern dental technology and techniques, root canal therapy has become a relatively simple and minimally invasive procedure when compared with a tooth extraction or other procedures.
The area will be numbed with anesthesia before your dentist uses a specialized tool to create an opening in the tooth. The bacteria, diseased blood vessels or dead tissue will then be removed from the interior of the tooth. The inner chamber of the tooth will be shaped and irrigated with water, rinsing away any diseased tissue that remains.
Your dentist might also use an antimicrobial solution to eliminate any remaining bacteria in order to decrease your risk of further infection.
After the chamber has been thoroughly cleaned and dried, it will be filled with medicated dental material. Your dentist will then apply a temporary filling to seal the tooth until a permanent crown can be placed.
A few weeks later, the permanent dental crown will be placed to protect the tooth from damage.
If you are curious about others' experiences during their root canals, you can type "root canal reviews" into your favourite search engine and read about the topic. Most teeth that have had root canal treatmenst can last a lifetime, and help you maintain confidence in your smile.
Contact our Winnipeg dentists today with any questions you might have about root canal procedures and how they can help you.