Dentists these days generally get a bad rap and for no other reason than the leftover memories and anxieties of previous times when the technology was basic and the pain relief almost non-existent. Nowhere is this more evident than in discussing the procedure known to the lay population as a root canal. Most people really have no idea what is involved other than drilling further than any drill has gone before, and therein is the problem. It’s like anything else that people don’t really understand and have little information about. They fear it for no good reason, and the only way to allay those fears is to explain exactly what a root canal entails.
Inside each tooth is pulp and nerve tissue. The pulp serves a number of very important purposes, one of which is to nourish the tooth structure and keep it hydrated. This makes the tooth more resilient and better able to exert pressure while chewing on hard items without causing the tooth to break. Sometimes the dental pulp itself can become infected especially if the tooth is decaying or cracking. This causes extreme pain and requires the dental pulp to be cleaned out.
The proper name for this procedure is an endodontic therapy, or as it is commonly known, a root canal treatment. The procedure begins with the dentist taking an x-ray to establish the location of the infection. Next, an anaesthetic is administered in just the same way as a normal filling. This numbs the tooth and the surrounding area, allowing the dentist to drill a hole to access the infected pulp inside the tooth. This is then removed and the cavity scraped with small files until it is clean, then it is flushed out with water to remove any remaining source of infection.
The cavity is sealed with a paste and rubber mixture, and a crown placed on the top of the tooth to protect the tooth and restore its shape. The procedure is no more uncomfortable than a normal filling since both are performed using anaesthetic. The other thing to remember is that the nerve tissue is dead which is why the root canal Bundaberg is being done, so there is nothing alive inside the tooth to cause pain. Often, performing this procedure can actually save the tooth from a complete extraction which only becomes necessary when the condition is not caught quickly enough, and there is no alternative but to remove the tooth completely.
The treatment can be expensive, but if the tooth is in a prominent position that is exposed when the patient smiles or laughs, it is a much better alternative than having a large gap. Root canals can save damaged or infected teeth so don’t suffer toothache any longer. Get along to your dentist to see if a root canal can save your tooth.
Inside each tooth is pulp and nerve tissue. The pulp serves a number of very important purposes, one of which is to nourish the tooth structure and keep it hydrated. This makes the tooth more resilient and better able to exert pressure while chewing on hard items without causing the tooth to break. Sometimes the dental pulp itself can become infected especially if the tooth is decaying or cracking. This causes extreme pain and requires the dental pulp to be cleaned out.
The proper name for this procedure is an endodontic therapy, or as it is commonly known, a root canal treatment. The procedure begins with the dentist taking an x-ray to establish the location of the infection. Next, an anaesthetic is administered in just the same way as a normal filling. This numbs the tooth and the surrounding area, allowing the dentist to drill a hole to access the infected pulp inside the tooth. This is then removed and the cavity scraped with small files until it is clean, then it is flushed out with water to remove any remaining source of infection.
The cavity is sealed with a paste and rubber mixture, and a crown placed on the top of the tooth to protect the tooth and restore its shape. The procedure is no more uncomfortable than a normal filling since both are performed using anaesthetic. The other thing to remember is that the nerve tissue is dead which is why the root canal Bundaberg is being done, so there is nothing alive inside the tooth to cause pain. Often, performing this procedure can actually save the tooth from a complete extraction which only becomes necessary when the condition is not caught quickly enough, and there is no alternative but to remove the tooth completely.
The treatment can be expensive, but if the tooth is in a prominent position that is exposed when the patient smiles or laughs, it is a much better alternative than having a large gap. Root canals can save damaged or infected teeth so don’t suffer toothache any longer. Get along to your dentist to see if a root canal can save your tooth.
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