Decaying teeth do not ever stop decaying without treatment. A root canal treatment becomes necessary to save the tooth, especially as an infected tooth can lead to significant pain. Treatment is painless. The only discomfort you will feel is at the end after the dentist finishes the treatment.
From local anesthesia to dental dams, it is helpful to know what to expect. A root canal treatment is not too difficult to understand. It also does not take that long to complete. Read through this part of the guide to understand the procedure.
The first step is local anesthesia. It is applied before treatment begins. Successful treatment means the mouth is completely numb. A dentist will not start until the patient cannot feel a thing.
A dental dam is a sheet of vinyl or rubber that isolates the affected tooth. All surrounding teeth are blocked. Doing this creates a sterile environment for the dentist to work. Dental dams also prevent the spread of other bacteria in the mouth.
Drilling sounds scary, but it is not as bad as one might think. The dentist decides where to drill a small hole into the tooth. This hole gives the dentist access to the inside of the tooth. It is painless, thanks to the applied numbing agent.
Inside the tooth, the dentist will find infected or inflamed tissue. The dentist uses special dental tools to remove the tissues inside. Once the root and pulp are removed, the site will lose feeling, and the tooth will no longer hurt. The area is then disinfected and shaped to prepare for the filling and sealant.
After all the debris is clear, it is time to fill the canal and apply a sealant. The filling is made of a rubbery material called gutta-percha. Once the filling is applied, it is set permanently by using a cement sealer. The sealant protects the tooth and prevents any other bacteria from entering to avoid future infection.
Once the tooth has been filled and sealed, the procedure is over. The dentist removes the dental dam, and the patient is instructed regarding aftercare. If the filling is temporary, an additional appointment is necessary for the permanent filling. Antibiotics are prescribed to prevent infection following the root canal treatment.
Once the course of antibiotics is complete, the last step is making a follow-up appointment. The dentist needs to make sure the discomfort is gone. If a crown is required, this is when it will be put in place. The goal is to provide long-lasting, permanent results to prevent future infection.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Root Canal Treatment in Hemet, CA
Once you are home and the anesthesia wears off, you might feel some minor discomfort. All you need are over-the-counter pain relievers. It should not last more than a couple of days. If the pain does not go away and is persistent, contact your dentist as soon as possible because there may be something wrong.
Request an appointment or call Hemet Dental Center: Brian Stiewel DDS, INC. at 951-707-4366 for an appointment in our Hemet office.
Root canal treatment might be recommended if you have a damaged, decayed, or infected tooth. The procedure is usually recommended when the damage to a tooth leaves its pulp chamber compromised. This is the sealed-off, innermost layer of a tooth that houses its blood vessels and nerves. The pulp chamber of a tooth being opened…
Root canal treatment is often the last course of action to save teeth that have been severely damaged or infected. A tooth might become damaged due to trauma to the face or tooth decay destroying its structures.The procedure has a bad reputation as one of the most painful treatments performed by dentists, but patients usually…
Your dentist will recommend a root canal treatment to help you keep your damaged tooth. A natural tooth will always be better than a synthetic one. This treatment will restore the appearance of your tooth. If you want to know how a root canal treatment can maintain the natural look of your affected tooth, here…
You may be a good candidate for an implant dentistry procedure if you are missing one or more teeth and desire the highest quality (and most natural) restoration possible. This review discusses what an implant dentist looks at when determining if a patient is a good candidate for the procedure.Ideally, implant dentistry patients should have…
Dental implants are often referred to by implant dentists as artificial tooth roots. This is because they work in a similar fashion as natural tooth roots. Dental implants hold replacement teeth (i.e. dental crowns) in a stable and strong position.By learning more about dental implants, you can determine if implant dentistry is right for you…