Do you Have a Toothache? A Root Canal Can Help Ease the Discomfort

Do you Have a Toothache? A Root Canal Can Help Ease the Discomfort

October 1, 2021

Toothache can occur when you have a fracture or crack on the teeth. However, the most common cause of tooth pain is decay or infected pulp. If you have decay that extends to the inner parts of the teeth, the dentist may recommend root canal therapy in Citrus Heights to remove pulp and save the teeth from extraction.

What is Root Canal Therapy or Endodontics?

Root canal therapy near you is a procedure that involves removing infected and damaged tissues from the tooth root.

Here, the dentist will open the crown to remove the pulp (infected tooth nerves) from the tooth and then clean and seal it with an inert material.

It is called root canal therapy because it removes the tiny canals in the teeth. Our teeth have an inner pulp cavity that houses many tiny canals. Each one of them goes to a nerve in your tooth. When they get infected, they can cause pain also damage to the tooth.

Several factors can cause the root canals to get damaged, such as decay, infection, trauma, or repeated dental procedures on the tooth.

The dentist near you will get rid of the infected pulp to prevent the infection from spreading and preserve the teeth.

What are the Signs You Need a Root Canal Therapy?

  • A toothache: pain in the mouth or sharp pain in the tooth when biting food.
  • Lingering tooth sensitivity
  • Darkening of the gums
  • Soft and tender gums
  • Severe headaches, which can be caused by an inflamed nerve from the infection in the tooth
  • Halitosis (bad breath): this may be caused by bad bacteria collecting in the space inside your tooth

What Happens During Root Canal Treatment?

The first step in root canal treatment is an examination of the tooth to determine if any decay or cracks in it would prevent treatment from succeeding. This examination will also be used to determine how long ago decay or trauma occurred and what type of bacteria might be present.

Depending on what damage has been done, different steps may be taken before a root canal procedure is done. If there is no damage, then this will just involve numbing the tooth with local anesthetics. The crown is then drilled with a small drill until it hits the pulp. The dentist will then clean the chamber and enlarged it to remove all decayed tissue and bacteria from inside.

After that, the canal will be filled with a protective material to permanently close it up and prevent bacteria from entering it again, which can cause more serious problems in the future.

What are the Risks of Root Canal Therapy?

Root canal therapy is a safe treatment with minimal risks. However, there are a few problems that can arise after the treatment.

The most common risk is that the tooth will become infected again. This usually occurs if you have multiple infected canals that go unnoticed during the comprehensive assessment. When this happens, our dentist in 95610 will either perform another root canal or recommend other procedures.

Root Canal Therapy (RCT) Aftercare Instructions and Tips

Root canal therapy recovery takes a few days. However, how you care for your teeth and gums after the endodontic treatment will determine how long it takes to heal.

  • It is highly recommended that you avoid brushing your teeth or gums for 24 hours after the procedure.
  • Use an antibacterial or antimicrobial oral rinse and sodium fluoride mouthwash to help prevent infection and strengthen the teeth.
  • Do not drink hot liquids, eat, or smoke until the numbness has worn off.
  • If you have a sore throat, fever, or swollen tonsils, contact a dentist near you immediately.
  • Do not use any pain medication without consulting the dentist because some drugs can cause bleeding in the root canal area.
  • It is recommended that you avoid eating hard foods or chewing gum.

Schedule an Appointment

Visit New Vision Dentistry for more information about root canal therapy and what you can expect.

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