Root Canals Our teeth are important tools for chewing, biting, and even speaking. Our teeth are instrumental to many processes, and as such are exposed to the risk of being damaged or injured. Injured teeth can have a large array of effects that manifest and affect you. Pain, sensitivity, and noticeable discoloration or growths are ways our body tells us that something is not working as it should. Our teeth have an inner layer beyond that hard enamel exterior. The soft tissue can be infected by a number of causes, but the result typically requires the same intervention and treatment - a root canal. Our team of experts here at Viva Smiles Family Dental are more than prepared to help you get the most efficient and confidence-ensuring treatment possible.What is a root canal and who needs one?As mentioned, our teeth are hard on the outside but filled with a soft tissue inside called the pulp. The pulp helps create the hard tissue around it and is connected to the tooth's root canal. When this root canal tissue is inflamed or infected, it causes pain and is important to repair to prevent further infections or damage. A root canal is for anyone who is experiencing inflammation of the root canal and pulp, or infection of the root canal and pulp. When your pulp or roots are infected, treating them with a root canal process can ease pain, and instill confidence in your dental health. What happens during a root canal, and how it helpsMany fear root canals but understanding them creates confidence in the procedure. Root canals consist of getting inside the tooth, cleaning it, and allowing it to heal, then protecting it. First, our experts will analyze your tooth and inner structure and then apply numbing agents so that pain is not felt during the process. An opening is made at the top of the tooth, or the crown of the tooth, to gain access to the pulp and tooth root. Very delicate and precise tools are used to clean the pulp and pulp chamber and to clear and shape the root canals for the next step. This allows any inflammation to be reduced, as well as clear and clean any infection that existed in the pulp and root canal. Once it is cleaned, cleared, and shaped, the pulp chamber and root canals are filled in. It is a special temporary filling. Much like a cast, it allows surrounding areas of the root and bone to heal properly. Finally, the fillings are removed after a final visit. A crown is placed on the tooth to protect it, and the restored pulp and canals can heal completely and go back to performing their role in the tooth. Understanding the process and what it does as time passes makes the process a lot easier, as it calms any fears about what happens and what will be experienced. Root canals are safe treatments that allow pain and discomfort from damaged root canals to be eliminated. For any questions or information regarding root canals, contact our team here at Viva Smiles Family Dental at (512) 863-9555 today. |
