Your Guide to Root Canal Procedures

Posted on: 18 February 2020

If your dentist recommends a root canal procedure to you, then he or she is really trying to save your tooth. When you have a tooth that has gotten to the stage at which a root canal treatment is required, usually the only other viable option is to extract it completely. Therefore, it is something that you should have done sooner rather than later because it is always better to try and hang on to as many natural teeth in your mouth as possible. Although false teeth can be effective, they are not as reliable as natural ones. Read on to find out more about root canal procedures.

How Do You Know If a Root Canal Treatment Is Needed?

Most dentists can tell soon after inspecting a rotting tooth that it will be unsuited to a normal filling. This is because a bacterial infection will have gotten inside the tooth, so a filling will simply trap it inside. Digging out the pulp of a tooth by forming a channel into it means a more permanent tooth repair job can occur. Patients usually know the tooth in question is in this state because they feel pain when biting, and there is oozing pus or swelling that affects the gum or the cheek.

What Happens During a Root Canal Procedure?

From the patient's point of view, it is much like having a normal filling. A local anaesthetic is administered so that you won't feel the dentist going about his or her work. If the canal needs to be drilled out, then you will hear some whirring noises, but this is quite normal and nothing to worry about. Once the infected pulp is removed, the hole in the tooth is backfilled. Most root canal treatments result in a healthy tooth that will last for a decade or more.

How Can You Improve the Rate of Recovery Following a Root Canal?

You may experience some discomfort once your anaesthetic wears off. An over-the-counter painkiller should be enough to relieve you of this. If pain or swelling persists, then return to your dentist for another inspection. To give the repaired tooth the best chance of a full recovery, you should use a mouthwash every day to kill off any remaining bacteria. Brush carefully, especially around the tooth in question, and avoid food with sugar in it. For more information about root canal treatment, reach out to a dentist near you.

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