Root canals are the tiny nerves inside the teeth. Root canal therapy is a treatment used to save a tooth that is deeply decayed, cracked. The tiny canals may become infected. When a dental nerve is traumatized, it should be replaced with root canal filling. Otherwise, the tooth needs removal due to an abscess (infection). The result of infection is pain, redness on the gums. A root canal involves removal of the pulp (nerve and blood vessels) from the canals and replacing it with an inert material. When a bacterium enter the tooth through deep cavities, cracks or broken fillings, your tooth can develop an infection in the pulp (nerve chamber). You can most times see an abscess on x-rays. If the tooth is left untreated, serious oral health problems can occur.

Saving your tooth with the root canal procedure is important.

The procedure is performed when the nerve of the tooth becomes infected or the pulp becomes damaged. Root canal treatment prevents other teeth from shifting, bone loss around the tip of the root, bite and gum problems. During a root canal therapy, the nerve and pulp are removed, and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed. Root canal procedures are no more painful with modern technologies and anesthetics. Actually, most patients compare the procedure with having a filling placed. The discomfort and severe pain from infection experienced before dental treatment is truly painful, not the root canal procedure itself.

A root canal can take 1 to 2 appointments depending on the infection. After treatment is complete, a crown (cap) is recommended in order to make the root stronger and to prevent the tooth from cracking. The minimal therapy required for a dead tooth with one root canal.

It is important to note that you can still get a cavity on a tooth that has had root canal therapy done and crowned. Routine exams and cleanings are important to find problems before they get bigger. Not all teeth can be saved by root canals.

More than 97 percent of root canals are successful. After the root canal treatment there may be some inflammation around the gum tissues, which may cause discomfort for a few days. This can be controlled by an over-the-counter pain reliever. A follow-up visit to your dentist will help him or her review how the tissue is healing. From this point on, brush and floss regularly, avoid chewing hard foods on the treated tooth, and see your dentist on a regular basis for cleanings and examinations. Protect your child’s teeth. A filling at early age can cause lifelong problems, with many repairs and possibly root-canal treatments.

Are there options to root canal therapy?

The only alternative to the therapy is to extract the tooth; however, this alone can cause the surrounding teeth to move, resulting in a bad bite. Though a simple extraction may be perceived as less expensive, the empty space left behind will require an implant or a bridge, which ultimately can be more costly than root canal therapy.

Tooth With a Previously Treated Root Canal Has Changed Its Colour.

When blood is left inside a tooth during root canal treatment, the pigments may cause the tooth to darken. Several choices are available to patients with dark teeth subsequent to root canal therapy:
– The tooth may be bleached by a dentist;
– A crown may be placed on the top of the tooth;
– The tooth may be removed.

You should not be able to tell the difference between a root-canalled tooth and a natural one.
If you would like more information on root canals, please feel free to contact our Mississauga office.