What Happens During a Root Canal Treatment?

While many people have heard about root canal treatments, very few understand their impact on dental health. Some people solely think that root canals kill teeth. On the contrary, the primary goal of a root canal procedure is to save a natural tooth. The process only kills bacteria and rids the tooth of damaged tissues. When the tissues are removed, the tooth will function as normal as the rest of your natural teeth.

What Is a Root Canal?

It is a dental procedure for treating diseased and damaged teeth. The treatment repairs a tooth from the inside out, focusing on the inner layers of teeth first. Still, the dentists in endodontics near you would require to establish that your tooth is salvageable by considering its structural elements. If a tooth is severely decayed, root canal therapy would not suffice as treatment.

What Does a Root Canal Entail?

A root canal treatment in Burlington, ON, entails an intricate process that carefully treats the insides of the tooth without damaging the structure. The endodontist first numbs your mouth to render the procedure painless. Once the numbing kicks in, the dentist begins to drill the tooth enamel. The goal of the dentist is to create an access hole to allow entry to the inner layers of the tooth. The endodontist will use special dental tools to remove any bacteria lingering in the tooth along with damaged soft tissues. It will include blood vessels, nerve endings, and other connective tissues. The dentist will also clean the canals, readying them for the remaining process.

After the cleaning is complete, the dentist reshapes the canal, preparing it for gutta-percha, a special filling for the tooth canal. Once done, the remaining part of the procedure entails sealing the tooth and securing its structure. Typically, dentists use dental fillings to seal a tooth. While a tooth filling may be enough to complete your treatment, it may not always be the case. The dentist may place a dental crown over the tooth, particularly when the dental filling is too large. The dental crown will help reinforce the tooth’s strength while holding its structure in place.

What to Expect After a Root Canal Procedure

At Harbour View Dental, we make it our primary concern to ensure that all our patients know what to expect after their treatment. Preparing for life after a root canal is crucial for the success of the treatment. Some of the things you should anticipate are:

1. Numbness does not wear off immediately – even after an endodontist completes your treatment, the numbing may take a few hours to wear off. During this period, avoid eating anything as you risk hurting your mouth by biting your cheek or tongue.
2. Swelling or inflammation – for the first few days after your treatment, you will have swollen gums. It may cause significant discomfort, even in attempts to eat foods. Other patients experience an uneven bite when chewing or biting. However, these feelings should last a few days while your mouth heals.
3. Heightened sensitivity – your teeth may be a bit more sensitive than usual due to the recent dental work. You will require special dental toothpaste to help manage the sensitivity to hot and cold foods during the first few weeks after your treatment. With time, the sensitivity should disappear. If it is not the case, talk to your dentist about reparative options, considering that your initial procedure may have failed.
4. Shifting to soft foods – although you will not be experiencing any more dental pain, you may still need to change your diet. Hard, crunchy, and hot foods can trigger discomfort and worsen the swelling during the initial few weeks after your treatment. However, with time, you should resume your eating habits.

Should You Get a Root Canal?

After understanding what the treatment entails, do you feel confident in having a root canal? Ultimately, liaise with your dentist to determine the most convenient treatment plan for your oral health. Choosing a root canal should be under the following circumstances:

1. A bump on your gums – inferring an abscessed tooth.
2. Discolored tooth enamel
3. Dental cavities and tooth decay
4. Hypersensitive teeth
5. Chipped, cracked, or broken tooth