When the inside of a tooth is in such deep decay that it becomes irritated and/or infected special treatment is needed in order to try and save the tooth. Other reasons why a tooth may be in need of a root canal are because it is weak and/or damage include having many dental procedures performed on the tooth, having a chip or a crack in the tooth and having a faulty crown. If a tooth is in need of a root canal and is not treated in a timely manner it can lead to a lot of pain as well as the patient developing an abscess.
According to the American Association of Endodontists, millions of teeth are treated and saved each year with a root canal, or endodontic treatment.
What you need to know about root canals
A dentist’s job is to save teeth and root canals are one of the more common procedures used to help save a tooth from being extracted. While the term root canal may tend to scare away many dental patients, what is important to understand is that new dental technologies allow the root canal process to be one that is much more efficient nowadays.
Endodontics is the name for the type of specialty dentistry that handles dental issues that have to do with the pulp of the teeth. This means that an endodontist is a dentist who has taken extra education and training to focus their attention on root canal treatments, as well as other endodontic treatments.
The reason why someone would need a root canal treatment is that the pulp in their teeth has been damaged. When the pulp of a tooth is damaged it means that the blood vessels and nerves inside the soft tissue of the tooth have been injured. This injury requires dental treatment in order for it to be repaired. If the injury is not treated the tooth may need to be extracted.
The most common reasons why someone will experience damage to the pulp in their teeth is that they have a cracked tooth, a chipped tooth or an extreme cavity or filling that is jeopardizing the integrity of the tooth. Blunt force, as well as any other type of injury to the tooth, can also cause pulp damage. When a tooth has been damaged it is highly likely that bacteria will get into the pulp area, causing additional damage or an infection.
The root canal procedure can be performed by a dentist or an endodontist. The procedure starts with numbing the area so the patient does not feel anything. The pulp is then carefully removed. A chamber, or canal, is made so that it can be filled with a special material to seal the tooth, which once again allows the tooth to properly function as it should.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dazzling Smile Dental Group, request an appointment in our Bayside dental office here: https://www.dazzlemysmile.com. Or call us at (718) 841-9535.
