Division Street Dental

"I couldn't wait for success, so I went ahead without it."
-Jonathan Winters

ROOT CANALS:

SUMMARY: A root canal is the process of cleaning, shaping and filling the hollow space inside a tooth. The reasons for performing a root canal are to save the tooth from extraction. Signs to look for include pain, prolonged sensitivity to heat or cold, tenderness to touch and chewing, discoloration of the tooth, swelling, drainage and tenderness in the lymph nodes as well as nearby bone and gingival tissues. Sometimes, however, there are no symptoms.

WHAT CAUSES A TOOTH TO NEED A ROOT CANAL?

• Trauma to the tooth, even as long ago as a child.
• A large filling or multiple fillings being done over a period of time.
• A crack in the tooth.
• No apparent reason or cause.

Once it has been determined that a root canal needs to be done, it should be done at the earliest convenient date. The longer a person waits, the more difficult it may become to do the root canal or the longer it may take to heal.

WILL I FEEL PAIN DURING OR AFTER THE PROCEDURE?

• Generally there is little to no pain during the procedure. If the tooth is extremely sensitive to cold, then there may be more discomfort when starting. Most people don’t mind this because the tooth hurts so severely that anything that makes it feel better is worth it. There are times when the nerve tissue inside the tooth is completely gone and we don’t have to use any anesthetic.
• After the root canal has been completed, the tooth will have no sensation to hot or cold, but it can be sensitive to biting. It is best not to use the tooth for 3 to 7 days. Test the tooth with soft foods and gradually begin to use the tooth normally.

WHAT MUST BE DONE NEXT?

• Most teeth that have had a root canal need extra protection to prevent them from crumbling or breaking in half.
• A crown is the most common form of treatment, but before the crown is performed, the tooth should be built up to create a strong foundation for the crown. Usually these two procedures are completed at the same time.
• A small percentage of times the tooth is strong enough and it only needs to be built up and monitored for any potential cracks that might develop over the ensuing years.